NEWS ARTICLE
March 26, 2012
Western National Announces Senior Management Promotions
(Minneapolis, Minn.) Western National Insurance Group (WNIG) of Edina, Minn. today announced promotions in its management team, effective immediately.
Peter H. Corning, CPA will assume the position of Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer in Western National Mutual Insurance Company and all of its subsidiaries. Having served as Senior Vice President – Finance since joining the companies in March of 2011, Pete will continue to lead the Accounting, Investment, and Reinsurance teams, and will now also be responsible for the Actuarial group. This is the final step in the transition of former CFO Leon P. Smith, who will retire after almost 15 years with the companies.
Steven H. Richards will assume the newly created role of “Vice President – Western Regional Manager” in the parent company, Western National Mutual. Steve has served as the Senior Vice President – General Manager of the subsidiary company, Western National Assurance, in Seattle, Wash. and brings 29 years of experience with the group to this new role. This newly created Western Region will include the states of Alaska, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington and so will include overall responsibility for Umialik Insurance Company. Tessa Wilson, Senior Vice President – General Manager of that company, will report to Steve, who in turn will continue to report to Mary Manley, Senior Vice President – Mutual Company. Mary has at this same time indicated her intention to retire at year end 2012 after 39 years of service to the companies in various management capacities.
“Our group’s recent growth in size and scope has brought with it the need for us to adapt our organizational structure,” said Stuart Henderson, President and CEO of Western National. “We will now have two regions – Western and Central. These new roles better align our management team to our expanded operations, and focus attention on the critical areas of our operations that drive our success. We will be better positioned to enhance the products, service, and continued financial stability we provide to our policyholders.”
Western National Insurance Group, headquartered in Edina, Minn., is a super-regional group of eight active companies serving the property-and-casualty insurance needs of individuals, families, and businesses. Written premium as of December 30, 2011 was $314.4 million, on Policyholder Surplus of $269.6 million and Assets of $689.7 million. The group’s products are sold exclusively through professional independent agents in 14 states in the Midwestern, Northwestern, and Southwestern U.S.
For further information, please contact:
Steve Norman, AIT*
Director of Communications
(952) 921–5680 or (800) 862–6070 Ext. 7680
steven.norman@wnins.com
* Associate in Information Technology (AICPCU-IIA)
