Computerworld Names CNO Financial Group CIO Todd Coombes to Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2012

CARMEL, Ind., Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- IDG's Computerworld magazine has selected Todd Coombes, SVP and Chief Information Officer for CNO Financial Group, to its Premier 100 IT Leaders for 2012.  The award is given to top leaders in IT who have demonstrated exceptional technology leadership, innovative approaches to business challenges, and effective management of IT strategies within their organizations.

"The Premier 100 awards program shines a well-deserved spotlight on a stellar group of IT executives," said Scot Finnie, editor in chief of Computerworld. "In today's business climate, IT executives must act quickly to recognize and manage risks throughout their organizations. These 100 men and women have demonstrated an ability to make those clear-sighted decisions that help their IT organizations innovate and deliver business value. Whatever comes their way in 2012, these IT leaders have the skills, the savvy and the judgment to meet the challenge. We're pleased to recognize their leadership and honor their achievements."

"This is a great recognition and a testament to the leadership and innovative vision of Todd and his IT team," said Ed Bonach, CEO of CNO Financial Group. "I am very proud of Todd's leadership and the distinction this honor brings to him is well deserved."

Coombes joined CNO in 2005 and is currently serving as SVP and CIO. In his role, Coombes leads the enterprise IT function for CNO Financial Group and provides the technology vision, strategies and execution that help CNO's insurance businesses grow and operate effectively.

Before joining CNO, Coombes was CEO of Health Care Systems Corporation, a software development firm providing SaaS based solutions in the healthcare industry. Prior to HCS, Mr. Coombes was an executive at IBM Corporation in charge of advanced technology for global insurance services. 

Coombes holds an MBA from Anderson University, a bachelor's degree in Information Systems Management from the University of San Francisco, and an associate's degree in Computer Studies from Sierra College.  

The Premier 100 honorees and their achievements will be highlighted in the February 27, 2012 issue of Computerworld and online at Computerworld.com. The awards ceremony will be held in Phoenix, Arizona in March.

About CNO

CNO is a holding company. Our insurance subsidiaries – principally Bankers Life and Casualty Company, Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company and Washington National Insurance Company – serve working American families and seniors by helping them protect against financial adversity and provide for a more secure retirement.  For more information, visit CNO online at www.CNOinc.com.

About Computerworld

Computerworld is the leading source of technology news and information for IT influencers worldwide, providing peer perspective, IT leadership and business results.  Computerworld's award-winning Web site (www.computerworld.com), bi-weekly publication, focused conference series and custom research forms the hub of the world's largest (40+ edition) global IT media network. In the past five years alone, Computerworld has won more than 100 awards, including Magazine of the Year by American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) awards in 2010, the 2009 Best Blog from the Neal awards, and 2006 Best Overall Web Publication from ASBPE. Computerworld leads the industry with an online audience of over 3.5 million unique, monthly visitors (Omniture, September 2011). Computerworld is published by IDG Enterprise, a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading media, events, and research company. Company information is available at www.idgenterprise.com.

About the Premier 100

The Premier 100 program was created in 2000 to spotlight individuals who have had a positive impact on their organizations through technology. These are individuals who manage internal IT organizations, mentor and motivate their IT teams and business colleagues, create a positive work environment, envision innovative solutions to business challenges and effectively manage and execute IT strategies. Each year, nominees are invited to complete a questionnaire that addresses a number of topics, including their background and experience and their attitude toward risk and innovation. Using Computerworld's IT Leader Index, which is a measurement of how closely an individual matches our definition of the IT Leader, we analyze the data. Each year, 100 honorees are selected to receive this life-time recognition award. Information on previous honorees can be viewed at: www.computerworld.com/s/article/9065479/Premier_100_IT_Leaders.

SOURCE CNO Financial Group, Inc.