People – Southeast

The Hartford Financial Services Group announced a realignment of its senior leadership.

The Hartford CEO Christopher J. Swift said the realignment is part of the company’s strategy to grow the property/casualty, group benefits and mutual funds businesses while reducing the size and risk of Talcott Resolution, the company’s runoff annuity operations.

The company said Doug Elliot, who assumed the role of president of The Hartford July 1, will expand his responsibilities to include oversight for Consumer Markets. He will now be accountable for all of the company’s P/C lines of business, in addition to group benefits and claims.

Bill Bloom will rejoin The Hartford as executive vice president of Operations and Technology, reporting to Swift. Bloom comes from business process services firm EXL, where he was president, Global Client Services. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions with The Hartford’s group benefits business.

Brion Johnson, chief investment officer and president of Hartford Investment Management Co., will also oversee Talcott Resolution. Johnson succeeds Beth Bombara, who was appointed chief financial officer of The Hartford on July 1.

Ray Sprague has been named executive vice president of Strategy and Business Development, reporting to Swift. Previously, he led The Hartford’s Small Commercial business. In his new role, he will be responsible for The Hartford’s enterprise strategy and will serve as acting leader for Consumer Markets. Andy Napoli, president of Consumer Markets and head of Enterprise Business Services, has decided to leave The Hartford to pursue a new opportunity.

Stephanie Bush will assume leadership of Small Commercial, reporting to Elliot. Bush, who rejoined The Hartford in 2013 from Travelers, is currently chief product and underwriting officer for Small Commercial. Previously she spent 20 years at The Hartford.

Insurance broker Marsh has appointed Todd Batson as its new head of office in Nashville.

Batson brings 15 years of experience working in the Tennessee insurance market to his new role, most recently serving as area vice president for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in Nashville.

Wesley C. (Tripp) Duesenberg, III, has been named president of Alpharetta, Georgia-based managing general agency Southern Insurance Underwriters. He will succeed Wesley C. Duesenberg Jr., who has served as president for the previous 30 years and who will assume the position of chief executive. Duesenberg, III, becomes the third generation to lead the family business started by the founder, Wesley C. Duesenberg Sr. in 1964. The new president is a 14-year employee of the agency.