Zurich North America announces key leadership changes in Crop and Direct Markets businesses

Jason Meador appointed Head of Direct Markets as Vince Santivasi retires; Dalynn Hoch rejoins Zurich North America to lead RCIS.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Jan. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Zurich North America, a market leader in insurance and risk management services, announced key leadership changes in its Direct Markets and Crop businesses today.

• Jason Meador, currently Head of Zurich's crop insurance business, Rural Community Insurance Services (RCIS), has been appointed to lead the Direct Markets business that serves auto dealers and rental operations following the impending retirement of the Head of Direct Markets, Vince Santivasi.
• Dalynn Hoch, currently Head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Zurich Insurance Group, will rejoin North America succeeding Meador as the Head of RCIS.

Direct Markets leadership transition
Jason Meador will become Head of Direct Markets on February 1. Meador will continue to report to Zurich North America CEO, Kristof Terryn, as a member of Zurich North America's Executive Committee.

Vince Santivasi will stay on through April 5 to assist in Meador's transition. Santivasi's retirement comes after 20 years with Zurich. During that time, he solidified Zurich's position as one of the largest Finance & Insurance and Property & Casualty insurance providers to franchised auto dealers across the United States.

"In honoring Vince's remarkable twenty-year tenure with Zurich, we express gratitude for his exceptional leadership. With his extensive knowledge and expertise in the automotive industry, Vince has fostered invaluable customer and industry relationships that have been instrumental in our success within the franchised auto dealer space," said Terryn. "As Vince moves on, Jason, who currently leads our Crop business, will take over as leader of the Direct Markets business. We extend our appreciation to Vince for his exemplary service and anticipate continued success under Jason's leadership."

Meador, a Navy veteran, has a rich background in the insurance industry. Most recently, he served as the Head of RCIS, leading the crop insurance business at Zurich. Meador joined Zurich over 10 years ago and has held several leadership roles since that time, including Head of Strategic Execution for North America, Chief Operating Officer of the former Alternative Markets business unit and Head of Captives. Prior to joining Zurich, Meador was a Principal with The Boston Consulting Group serving clients in the Insurance and Financial Services industry. 

Meador holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, a Master of Science in Engineering Science from the Naval Postgraduate School and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University.

RCIS leadership transition
Dalynn Hoch has been appointed Head of RCIS, Zurich's crop insurance business, effective February 1. Hoch will report to Zurich North America CEO Kristof Terryn and be a member of Zurich North America's Executive Committee.

Hoch most recently served as the head of Mergers & Acquisitions at Zurich Insurance Group. Prior to this, she worked as the Chief Financial Officer at Zurich North America for seven years. Previously, she held a position as a Partner with KPMG. Hoch holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northwestern – St. Paul (Minnesota), with a triple major including international business and accounting.

"We're fortunate to have strong leaders across North America and our Group, which ensures seamless transitions," said Terryn. "We're thrilled to welcome Dalynn back to North America. With her background growing up in the family agriculture business and the wealth of finance and transformation experience she gained during her 14 years at Zurich, Dalynn is a strong fit to lead our Crop business."

About Zurich North America

Zurich North America is one of the largest providers of insurance solutions and services to businesses and individuals. Our customers represent industries ranging from agriculture to technology. Zurich North America is part of Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich), a leading multi-line insurer serving people and businesses in more than 200 countries and territories. Founded 150 years ago, Zurich is transforming insurance. In addition to providing insurance protection, Zurich is increasingly offering prevention services such as those that promote wellbeing and enhance climate resilience.

Reflecting its purpose to "create a brighter future together," Zurich aspires to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world. It is targeting net-zero emissions by 2050 and has the highest-possible ESG rating from MSCI. In 2020, Zurich launched the Zurich Forest project to support reforestation and biodiversity restoration in Brazil.

The Group has about 60,000 employees and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information is available at http://www.zurich.com/ and http://www.zurichna.com/.

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SOURCE Zurich North America