Meet Our Principals

Chief Executive Officer, Schechner Lifson Corporation

Michael Schechner joined Schechner Lifson in 1988 after graduating from Princeton University and earning a Masters in Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Michael’s activities include both working “on the firm” and “in the firm.”  Working on the firm, Michael serves as Chief Executive Officer.  Working in the firm, Michael is the Partner-in-Charge of the Legacy and Lifestyle Protection and Employee Benefits departments.  Michael earned his CLU degree in 1996 and is well versed in life, disability, and long-term care insurance policy design and underwriting.  He is also familiar with advanced uses of life insurance including non-qualified benefit plans, golden handcuff programs, and using life insurance policies as a wealth building and supplemental retirement tool.  Michael’s work in the Employee Benefits department includes serving as relationship manager for some of the firm’s larger accounts, including plan design (both insured and self-funded programs) for group medical programs and ancillary benefit plans.

At the community level, Michael serves on the Board of Trustees of The Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest, Hebrew Free Loan of NJ, Center for Jewish Life/Hillel at Princeton University, the Oheb Shalom Cemetery Association, and Congregation Oheb Shalom in South Orange.  In addition to his charity work, Michael enjoys travel, fishing, trivia, cooking, and just sitting on the beach with his family.  He is learning to play pickleball.

Michael lives in Short Hills with his wife, June.  They have 3 grown children, of whom he is very prou

President, Schechner Lifson Corporation
Principal, Property and Casualty Division

Marc Rosenkrantz joined Schechner Lifson Corporation in 1996 after 11 years as Vice President of the Leo M. Klein Agency. After earning his BA from Dickenson College, he continued his insurance education through the CIGNA School for Agents. Marc further pursued his education by obtaining his Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Accredited Advisor of Insurance (AAI), and his Certified Risk Manager  (CRM) designations.

Marc’s experience in the property/casualty insurance market has led to the development of a national insurance program for the Marble, Stone and Tile Industry. He is an active committee member of the Natural Stone Institute (NSI), National Tile Contractors of America (NTCA) and the Ceramic Tile Distributors of America (CTDA). He is also a national speaker on safety and risk transfer for those groups as well as other industries.  The programs continue to grow in size and scope.

As a lifelong resident of Wayne, New Jersey, Marc is very active in many community and charitable activities. He is a Past President and Committee Member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Passaic County (1994-99). He is an active board member of the Daughters of Miriam Center for the Aged and past membership chairman for Temple Beth Tikvah.  Marc’s other passions include cooking, mountain biking, skiing and golf.

Marc lives in Wayne with his wife Lisa and daughters Amanda and Sydney.

Chairman, Schechner Lifson Corporation

Schechner Lifson Corporation is one of the largest regional insurance consulting and financial service organizations in New Jersey. The firm traces its origins back to 1903. Mr. Schechner entered the business immediately after graduation from Syracuse University (BS 1953). He received his CLU designation in 1957 and was President of the Newark Chapter in 1960. He has taught Business Insurance Planning for the Chartered Life Underwriters classes of the American College, Rutgers University, as well as lectured extensively from New York to Hawaii in the areas of Family Business Planning, Professional Firm Succession Planning, Supplemental Retirement Programs and related matters. He has been a speaker at the Million Dollar Round Table National meetings. He is a former member of AALU and the American Association of Pension Actuaries. He was a member of the Million Dollar Round Table for thirty-one consecutive years.

At the community level, he is quite active in a variety of charities, being one of the few people to have been elected President of two MetroWest Jewish Federation agencies, the Daughters of Israel and the Jewish Community Housing Corporation. He was twice chairman of the Federation wide committee on the aging. He chaired the 1978 delegation to the White House Committee on the Aging. He was a commissioner of the New Jersey State Board of Human Services and a former member of the Board of the Valerie Fund child oncology.

Arthur has two grown children.

Vice President, Schechner Lifson Corporation

Mr. Callen joined Schechner Lifson Corporation in 1981 following 16 years with a national insurance brokerage firm, serving as sales manager and vice president. Mr. Callen earned his Certified Insurance Counselor designation in 1989. He also worked for five years as president of a surplus line brokerage organization. Mr. Callen’s experience is concentrated in the manufactured housing, wholesaler, and manufacturing industries. He was the principal architect of an association program approved for the New Jersey Manufactured Housing Association. Mr. Callen served on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Manufacturing Housing Association for many years, serving 6 years as Treasurer. He is currently a Board member at large.

Mr. Callen received his bachelor of arts degree from Lafayette college and served in the U. S. Army as First Lieutenant.

Bruce is married with nine children and ten grandchildren.

We mourn the loss of our Senior Partner and friend, Ed Lifson

1928 – 2013