State Auto Chief Operating Officer to Retire

Columbus, Ohio-based State Auto Financial Corp. and State Automobile Mutual Insurance Co. announced the retirement of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mark A. Blackburn. He is no longer serving as chief operating officer and has resigned as a director of State Automobile Mutual, and will serve in an advisory role until his November 2011 retirement.

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 chief operating officer in 2006.

Rather than appoint a new chief operating officer, the executive leadership team reporting to President, Chairman and CEO Bob Restrepo has been restructured to broaden their responsibilities.

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 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.

Senior Vice President 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.

Vice President of Standard Lines Joel E. Brown, previously vice president, 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.

Chief Operating Officer of Specialty Insurance Jessica Buss, previously chief operating officer 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.

Vice President of Operations Lyle D. Rhodebeck will assume responsibility for Information Technology, which will continue to be led by Vice President of IT Doug Allen.

Vice President 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.

Source: State Auto Financial Corp.

Topics Auto