Norma Larance, vice president of Conseco Life, believes Lalit Vij deserves the title, "Conseco values hero." "Lalit played an important role in our transition from Carmel to India--from 'hiring staff to training--just every aspect of outsourcing. Lalit's been one of the driving forces behind it all. He's worked a tremendous number of hours and he's met our expectations time and time again," she said.

Vij, vice president, operations, is responsible for the back-office operations of exlService, which includes 475 associates. One of his goals is to finalize migration plans for Conseco's divisions and ensure that they're completed seamlessly, including rapidly hiring people with functional expertise. Since last November, exlService has grown from 60 to more than 1,000.

Tom Dehorn, second vice president, insurance operations, has worked closely with Vij. "I'd home in on his sense of urgency. One Wednesday evening we told him our outsourcing expectations. By Friday morning, Lalit and his team had developed a complete staffing plan and were already executing it. He's helped us add more than 400 positions in India already this year."

Dave White, senior vice president, insurance operations, noted that more than 200 jobs from his area have been migrated with Vij's help. "I've got the most processing over there, so we have lots of issues to discuss. Lalit takes them seriously and works to resolve them diligently. Respect for him is universal. Associates trust him and I trust him.""When I think of Lalit living the values, what comes to mind is his strong belief in "walking the talk," said Vikram Talwar, president of exlService. "He's steadfast in his belief in our values and will not allow any actions to compromise this. Lalit reflects complete respect for clients and fellow associates. He is a true asset, and I look forward to his support in this growing phase of exlService."

To Vij, living the values means treating people as individuals first and then as associates. "Their importance should always be acknowledged and they should be shown respect at all times. The management team lives up to the values by practicing an open culture and by being accessible at all times."