Erie Insurance Announces Senior Leadership Changes

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Jan 09, 2017, 12:45 ET

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.

SOURCE Erie Insurance