William D. Smith, president and chief operating officer of The Kemper Insurance Cos., Long Grove, Ill., has retired. An Office of the Chairman has been created to help lead the company. David B. Mathis will postpone his own retirement to continue as Kemper's chairman and CEO for the foreseeable future. The chief operating officer position will remain vacant for the time being.Eric W. Neely has been named president of Mt. Washington Assurance Corp., which sells auto and homeowner insurance in New Hampshire through independent agencies. Headquartered in Concord, N.H., the company is a member of the Plymouth Rock Cos. Neely joined Plymouth Rock as a vice president in 2001, managing the company's expansion into Connecticut and revamping Mt. Washington's underwriting and rating.
GE Employers Reinsurance, Overland Park, Kan. has appointed Dave Lovely as claims leader for its commercial insurance business unit. His responsibilities include strategizing, policy-setting and shaping the claims framework for GE Commercial Insurance. The company also appointed Andy Kramer as U.S. life chief underwriter in the global life and health business unit. Kramer will be responsible for all aspects of managing GE ERC's U.S. Life underwriting operations, including ensuring adherence and consistency of underwriting standards and the set up and processing of all underwriting applications.
The board of directors of Pearl River, N.Y.-based ACORD has confirmed Marilyn Norman, senior vice president, distribution management, Zurich U.S., as its chair, and Dave Findley, senior vice president, Travelers Insurance, as chair-elect for 2003. New directors elected by ACORD's board include Anthony Candito, chief information officer, MetLife; Tom Nowak, senior vice president, AIG; and John Van Osdall, senior vice president, Property & Casualty, USI who will represent the Council of Insurance Agents + Brokers.
