Columbus-based State Auto Financial Corp. and State Automobile Mutual Insurance Co. confirmed the retirement of EVP and COO Mark Blackburn. The company reports that as Blackburn relinquishes his COO responsibilities, as well as his responsibilities as director of State Auto Mutual, the firm will continue without a chief operating officer.
Rather than appoint a new COO, the executive leadership team reporting to President, Chairman and CEO Bob Restrepo has been restructured to broaden their responsibilities.
Blackburn joined State Auto in 1999 to lead the companies’ reinsurance operation after holding executive-level positions with Grange Mutual Casualty Group and General Reinsurance Corp. He was appointed COO in 2006.
“We’ve built a flatter, leaner management structure,” said Restrepo, “to build on our strategic foundation of people and technology and implement our business strategies focused on underwriting profitability, rational growth, enterprise risk management and capital management.”
• VP and CFO Steven E. English will assume responsibility for enterprise risk management, business continuity and oversight of Risk Evaluation and Design LLC, State Auto’s affiliate in the alternative risk transfer market. In his broadened role, English will work to successfully develop strategies and integrated action plans to improve State Auto’s enterprise risk and capital management programs.
• SVP and chief sales officer Clyde H. Fitch will assume responsibility for middle market sales and Capital City Intermediaries, State Auto’s new managing general agency that will market products and programs of the Rockhill Insurance Group to State Auto’s independent agency plant.
• VP of standard lines Joel E. Brown, previously VP, director of personal insurance, assumes responsibility for all standard lines underwriting and product management. His current responsibility for personal lines and farm insurance will be broadened to include all standard commercial lines.
• COO of specialty insurance Jessica Buss, previously COO of Rockhill Insurance Group, will be responsible for completing the integration of the business operations of Rockhill Insurance Group and RTW, a monoline workers compensation company, into State Auto. The underwriting, operations and actuarial functions of Rockhill and RTW will report directly to Buss.
• VP of Operations Lyle D. Rhodebeck will assume responsibility for IT, which will continue to be led by VP of IT Doug Allen.
• VP and chief strategy and organization effectiveness officer Lorraine M. Siegworth will remain responsible for human resources, benefits and compensation, corporate communication and professional development. Siegworth will also now serve on point for State Auto’s marketing and branding strategies.
Blackburn will serve in an advisory role until his November 2011 retirement.
