WORCESTER, Mass., April 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/-- Allmerica Financial
Corporation (NYSE: AFC) today announced that Marita Zuraitis has been named
president of Allmerica's property and casualty companies, effective April 19.
As president, Zuraitis will be responsible for the personal and commercial
lines operations at Citizens Insurance Company of America, The Hanover
Insurance Company and their affiliates. Zuraitis also will serve as a member
of the company's Operating Committee.
"Marita is one of the finest business leaders in the property and casualty
industry today," said Frederick H. Eppinger, Allmerica's president and chief
executive officer. "We are extremely pleased that she will be heading up our
property and casualty operations and I am confident that her tremendous
knowledge and skill will help us achieve our goal of becoming one of the best
regional insurers in the country."
Zuraitis comes to Allmerica from St. Paul Travelers, the second largest
commercial property and liability insurance company in the U.S., where she
played a key role in the formation of the company through the merger of The
St. Paul Companies and Travelers Property and Casualty. Since 1998, she
served as president and chief executive officer of St. Paul's commercial lines
division, responsible for the company's small commercial, middle market, and
large property and casualty solutions business units, including field
operations.
From 1993 to 1998, Zuraitis held senior positions at United States
Fidelity and Guaranty Company (which merged with The St. Paul Companies in
1998), in field and home office leadership roles in both of the company's
personal and commercial lines segments. While at USF&G, she was responsible
for various aspects of the company's field office, reinsurance and
underwriting operations.
Zuraitis also held management positions at Aetna Life and Casualty from
1982 through 1993.
A graduate of Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, she
completed the Advanced Executive Education Program at the Wharton School of
Business and the Program on Negotiations at Harvard University.
Zuraitis currently serves as chairman of the board of NCCI Holdings, Inc.,
a provider of workers' compensation data analytics based in Boca Raton,
Florida, and as a board member of the Baltimore, Maryland-based American
Skyline Insurance. She is actively involved in community affairs, having
served as a board member of the Central Maryland YMCA and the Concert Artists
of Baltimore.
Worcester, Massachusetts-based Allmerica Financial is group of insurance
companies headed by Allmerica Financial Corporation, a Fortune 500 company.
Allmerica's lead companies include Howell, Michigan-based Citizens Insurance
Company of America, founded in 1915, and Worcester-based The Hanover Insurance
Company, founded in 1852. Citizens and Hanover offer a range of property and
casualty insurance coverages to individuals, families and business through a
wide network of independent agents. The Citizens and Hanover Insurance
Companies are ranked among the top 30 property and casualty insurers in the
country.
Note to editors: For a photograph of Marita Zuraitis, please contact Todd
Peckham using the e-mail address or telephone number below.
Investors:
Sujata Mutalik
(508) 855-3457
smutalik@allmerica.com
Media:
Todd M. Peckham
(508) 855-4460
tpeckham@allmerica.com
SOURCE Allmerica Financial Corporation
-0- 04/07/2004
/CONTACT: Investors, Sujata Mutalik, +1-508-855-3457,
smutalik@allmerica.com; or Media, Todd M. Peckham, +1-508-855-4460,
tpeckham@allmerica.com, both of Allmerica /
(AFC)
CO: Allmerica Financial Corporation
ST: Massachusetts
IN: INS FIN
SU: PER
ES-AL
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5699 04/07/200410:42 EDThttp://www.prnewswire.com