Leston Welsh is the Senior Vice President and President, Employee Benefits Division for Protective Life Corporation. He has responsibilities for product development, distribution, operations and technology.

Prior to joining Protective, Leston was CEO & President of ShelterPoint which was acquired by Protective in 2024.

Prior to joining ShelterPoint, Leston was Product General Manager, Individual Retirement Solutions for TIAA’s Product & Business Development group. Leston led the Individual Retirement Solutions team, and oversaw products including Traditional IRA, After-Tax Annuities, Intelligent Variable Annuities, and Executive Benefit Solutions. Previously, Leston was head of Business Segments for Prudential Group Insurance, where he was responsible for product development, underwriting, business insights and various customer solutions. Prior to that, Leston was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Unum’s dental/vision portfolio, with accountability for technology, claims, call center, enrollment, billing, implementation, account management and compliance. Prior to that, he held roles at Sun Life Financial, including vice president-Voluntary, vice president-Product Management and vice president- Individual Life profitability management.

Leston holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the City University of New York’s Baruch College, is a Fellow in the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He has served as a director of Prosperity Now, an organization that helps Americans achieve financial security, stability, and, prosperity. He has also volunteered with the Society of Actuaries and has served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester, Mass., and Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.