Nationwide Names Executives, Divisions Under One-Brand Strategy

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. has realigned its internal structure and named new division leaders, one week after announcing it is bringing all of its product lines under the single brand, Nationwide.

Last week Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. said it will use the Nationwide brand for all of its products and subsidiaries and drop the use of the names Scottsdale, Harleysville, Allied and those of other units.

The company will now be organized around three primary business units:

• Nationwide P&C Agency Operations, led by President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Berven. This unit was formerly Nationwide Insurance, Allied Insurance, Harleysville Insurance, Nationwide Agribusiness, Scottsdale Insurance, Crestbrook Insurance and Titan Insurance. It includes exclusive agency and independent agency operations and sales, as well as personal lines and commercial lines product/underwriting.
• Nationwide Direct and Member Solutions, led by resident and Chief Operating Officer Mark Pizzi, includes online and call-center auto/home insurance sales, Nationwide Bank, affinity/sponsor relations, customer service and claims.
• Nationwide Financial, led by President and Chief Operating Officer Kirt Walker, includes life, annuity, mutual funds and retirement plans product and distribution.

“These leaders and this realigned structure will position Nationwide for continued success well into the future,” Nationwide Chief Executive Officer Steve Rasmussen. “We’re excited and optimistic about our strategic direction as we plan to fully leverage the strength of the Nationwide brand across all of our business lines.”

Continuing to report to Rasmussen are Mark Thresher, chief financial officer; Patricia Hatler, chief legal and governance officer; Matt Jauchius, chief marketing officer; Mike Keller, chief Information officer; and Gale King, chief human resources and administrative Officer.

The insurer also said that Kim Austen, most recently president of Allied Group, will retire in March 2015.

As the leader of the Nationwide P&C Agency Operations business unit, Berven will oversee exclusive agency and independent agency operations, commercial and personal lines product and sales. He joined Nationwide in 1994 and has held a variety of leadership positions, most recently as chief strategy and product management officer.

Pizzi will lead the Nationwide Direct and Member Solutions business unit focused on Nationwide’s online and direct phone sales. Pizzi will also oversee Nationwide Bank (an online bank), customer service centers, affinity/sponsor relationships and Nationwide’s claims organization. He joined Nationwide in 1978 as a personal lines underwriter and has held a variety of leadership roles, most recently as president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Insurance.

Walker will continue to lead the Nationwide Financial business unit, a role he has held since 2009. Nationwide Financial includes the company’s life, annuity, mutual fund and retirement product lines, as well as distribution for each. Walker joined the Nationwide family of companies in 1986 and has held a variety of key leadership positions within the organization.