ERIE, Pa., Jan. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Timothy G.
NeCastro, president and CEO, Erie Insurance, together with his
executive leadership team, announce operational and senior
leadership changes to further position the company for continued
growth and exceptional service.
Claims & Customer Service
Under the executive
leadership of Lorianne Feltz, Claims
and Customer Service represent ERIE's critical front-line touchpoint with
customers. The changes in these areas will further align the
organization and create efficiency and the opportunity for sharing
knowledge between complementary disciplines.
- Corporate and Field Claims, currently separate divisions, will
be combined under the leadership of Senior Vice President
Chris Zimmer. Zimmer joined
ERIE in 1991 as a district sales
manager. He has progressive experience within sales and claims
operations, including branch manager, Charlotte, N.C., regional vice president of
the Southeastern Region, and his current role as senior vice
president, Field Claims Operations.
- Pat Burns, currently senior vice
president of Corporate Claims, will take on the role of SVP,
Customer Service, bringing together all customer contact
operations. Burns began his insurance career in 1986 and held
various claims positions in the industry before joining
ERIE in 1999. He started with
ERIE as claims manager for
Indiana and was named regional claims officer, West Region, in
2011. He most recently served as senior vice president, Corporate
Claims, a position he took on in May
2014. Burns also served as interim executive vice president,
Services, during the summer of 2016.
- Dave Russo, currently vice
president, Processing Operations, Customer Service, will be
promoted to senior vice president of the newly formed Service
Operations & Support Division. This area aligns quality and
systems administration across Claims and Customer Service. Russo
has a breadth of experience in underwriting and customer service
roles at ERIE. He joined the
company in 1988 as a commercial rater. He then moved to the Office
of the President where he honed his leadership, and customer
service and operations skills. In 2001, Russo returned to
underwriting in ERIE's former
Reinsurance Division. He was promoted to assistant vice president
in 2003 and led the company's Commercial Processing Operations. In
2010, the company consolidated processing operations under Russo's
leadership in the Customer Service Division.
Sales & Products
Strong, relevant products drive
sales and effective underwriting drive profitable growth that
improves the success of ERIE's
independent agent force. The changes in Sales and Products, under
the leadership of Executive Vice President Doug Smith, reinforce and leverage this vital
connection.
- Louis Colaizzo, currently senior
vice president, Sales & Agency, will lead ERIE's life insurance operations as senior
vice president of Erie Family Life. In this position Colaizzo
brings his knowledge of the agency force and sales capability –
including his own time as an agent – to ERIE's Life business. From 1985 until 1994,
Colaizzo managed the A.L. Colaizzo Agency in Canonsburg, Pa. During his time at the agency,
he consistently posted company-leading life insurance
results. He joined ERIE in
1994 as branch manager of ERIE's
Pittsburgh Branch. He held
numerous leadership roles in the organization during his tenure,
including regional vice president and director of Agency Operations
before taking on his current role.
- Commercial and Personal Lines Underwriting will be combined
under the leadership of Senior Vice President Marc Cipriani. Cipriani brings over 30 years of
experience with ERIE to his new
role. He currently serves as SVP, Commercial Lines, overseeing all
activities related to commercial insurance strategy and operations.
During his career at the company, Cipriani has held various
supervisory and managerial roles in Commercial Underwriting. In
2010, he moved into field sales operations as branch manager of the
Erie, Pa., branch office. He was
promoted to his current position in 2012.
- Mike Plazony, currently senior
vice president of Erie Family Life, will oversee a new division
focused on personal lines product development. An
experienced P&L leader with over 30 years of multi-line
insurance experience, Plazony joined ERIE in 2009 as vice president, Erie Family
Life, and was promoted into his current position in 2010. He has a
record of success in driving profitable growth and revitalization
of multiple market-leading companies with diverse business models.
Over the last year, Plazony has served as a project
sponsor for a strategy team leading product
initiatives.
- Ann Zaprazny, senior vice
president and regional officer, will oversee the new Commercial
Lines Product Division. Zaprazny has 30 years of progressive
experience in the property/casualty industry, which includes 22
years with Chubb Group where she held various positions in
marketing, branch administration, IT and loss control. Prior to her
work with ERIE, she served as
senior vice president of commercial lines for Donegal Insurance.
Zaprazny joined Erie Insurance in 2010.
- Mike Fletcher, ERIE's West
Virginia branch manager, will be promoted to senior vice
president, Agency. The division will include field operations,
agency administration, and sales and promotion. Fletcher brings 29
years of insurance experience to his new role, including positions
in underwriting, marketing and field operations. A former
ERIE agent, he has led a strong
and growing West Virginia branch
since joining the company in 2003.
The new appointments are effective January 19.
According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in
Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 10th
largest homeowners insurer and 12th largest automobile insurer in
the United States based on direct
premiums written and the 15th largest property/casualty insurer in
the United States based on total
lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M.
Best Company, has more than 5 million policies in force and
operates in 12 states and the District of
Columbia. Erie Insurance Group is a FORTUNE 500 company.
News releases and more information about Erie Insurance Group
are available at www.erieinsurance.com.
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SOURCE Erie Insurance