American Benefits Council: About the Council

James A. Klein

James A. Klein is President of the American Benefits Council, a trade association based in Washington, D.C. representing primarily Fortune 500 companies that either sponsor or administer health and retirement benefits covering more than 100 million Americans. Jim is frequently quoted in both the national and benefits media on pension and health care topics. He has appeared on all the major television networks, discussing a wide range of employee benefits policy matters.

Jim is a founding board member of Americans for Generational Equity and serves on the Government Liaison Committee of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Jim is also a private sector advisor to the U.S. government's delegation to the Pension and Insurance Committee of the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). He was a member of the Center for Strategic and International Studiesâ€™ Global Aging Initiative. He travels extensively internationally advising public officials and private sector representatives on the development of retirement and health care systems.

Prior to joining the Council, Jim was Manager of Pension and Health Care Policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and before that practiced law for a Washington, D.C. firm specializing in employee benefits. Jim also worked as a legislative assistant for Congressman John J. LaFalce (D-NY). Jim graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a degree in Bioethics and graduated with honors from the National Law Center-George Washington University.