Kemper Appoints William Smith CEO Effective
In preparation for the retirement of current Chairman and CEO David B. Mathis in April 2003, the Kemper Insurance Companies announced its board of directors has elected William D. Smith CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2003.
Mathis will retain the title of chairman until his retirement is effective next April, at which time Smith will assume the role of chairman. Smith will also continue his responsibilities as Kemper’s president and COO.
“Bill Smith has done an outstanding job in leading Kemper’s transformation from being primarily a workers’ compensation provider to offering one of the broadest arrays of commercial casualty and specialty products in the marketplace today,” Mathis commented. “I can think of no one better to guide the company in the years to come. For the next 11 months, Bill and I will work together to ensure a smooth transition upon my retirement next spring.”
Smith said that he is looking forward to his expanded responsibilities, and will continue to focus on enhancing Kemper’s profitability.
“This is an exciting time for the insurance industry,” Smith said. “Kemper is a truly great company, and I am proud to be a part of it. Under Dave’s leadership, we have assembled a portfolio of products and services most in demand in the marketplace, and we’ve attracted the best talent the industry has to offer. And I believe we are on track to achieve our goal of sustained profitable growth.”
In another action, the board of directors voted to promote William A. Hickey and Patricia A. Drago to executive vice presidents.
In his new role as executive vice president, Hickey will oversee financial operations for both Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company, the flagship operation of the Kemper Insurance Companies, and Kemper Insurance Group, Inc., the new stock subsidiary formed to facilitate an investment from Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Mural R. Josephson, CFO of Lumbermens, and Arthur E. Chandler, CFO of Kemper Insurance Group, Inc., will report to Hickey. Hickey will continue to lead Kemper’s Capital Development Group.
As an executive vice president, Drago will continue to lead Kemper’s Client Services Group, which includes claim, litigation, loss control engineering, and medical and disability management services. Drago is a lawyer who served as president of Crum & Forster prior to coming to Kemper in June 2000. Most recently, she served as senior vice president in charge of the Client Services Group.