Following Succession Plan, Securian Board of Directors Names 2 EVPs

ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- At its February meeting, the Securian Financial Group board of directors approved the promotions of two senior vice presidents, Christopher Hilger and Bruce Shay, to executive vice president.

Hilger will assume responsibility for Securian's group life insurance division in addition to retaining leadership of the company's financial institution group and Allied Solutions, LLC, a wholly-owned, independently operated Securian subsidiary in Carmel, IN.

Shay will assume accountability for individual life insurance product manufacturing and the Independent Distribution Group (IDG), which markets Securian's individual life insurance products. Shay will retain leadership of the company's retirement business which includes employer plans and individual annuity product lines.

"Our long track record of preparing and promoting internal candidates to assume expanded accountabilities is a cornerstone of our culture and critical to our success," said Robert Senkler, chairman and CEO of Securian Financial Group. "Through thoughtful succession preparation, approximately 90 percent of our officer retirements lead to the appointment of internal successors. This promote-from-within practice results in management continuity that is key to long-term competitiveness."

Hilger and Shay will continue to report to Randy Wallake, president and vice chair of Securian, and assume their additional responsibilities March 1, 2010.

"This is an appropriate time to give two of our talented officers broader leadership and business experiences," Wallake said.

Hilger was president and CEO of Allied Solutions in 2004 when Securian purchased the firm. He managed the transition that successfully combined the Securian and Allied sales forces, creating one of the country's largest independent distributors of insurance products to financial institutions. In January 2007 Hilger was named the head of the Securian Financial Institution Group. He has a bachelor's degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN.

Shay joined Securian's retirement division in 1985. After serving in various sales and management positions, he was named vice president of the division in 2002 and senior vice president in 2004. Shay's accountabilities were expanded in 2005 to include the individual annuity product line. Under his leadership, the combined division has grown sales at a nine percent annual rate. Shay has a bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN.

Please contact [email protected] for high-resolution photos of Shay, Hilger, Senkler, and Wallake.

Since 1880, Securian Financial Group and its affiliates have provided financial security for individuals and businesses in the form of insurance, investments and retirement plans. Now one of the nation's largest financial services providers, it is the holding company parent of a group of companies that include Minnesota Life Insurance Company, Advantus Capital Management, Allied Solutions, Capital Financial Group, Cherokee National Life Insurance Company, CNL/Insurance America, Personal Finance Company, Securian Financial Services, Inc., Securian Casualty Company, Securian Life Insurance Company and Securian Trust Company.

SOURCE Securian Financial Group, Inc.