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CHICAGO, Jan. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --ÌýÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ today announced the appointment of Joseph "J." Merten to fill the newly created role of Executive Vice President, Technology and Operations. Merten will report directly to Dino E. Robusto, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½. This new position is a significant demonstration of ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s commitment to elevate and integrate technology into all aspects of its business operations.

"The impact of the cloud, big data, the Internet of Things, distributed ledger technology, social and mobile channels are just some of the pieces of a technological evolution that is rapidly advancing all society. Integrating new technologies and a user-friendly digital experience into our operations is a critical strategic action designed to move ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ much closer to the most effective business model for the future," Robusto said. "An imperative of bringing together Technology and Operations under J.'s leadership is to ultimately increase the value that agents, brokers and customers receive for their insurance dollar."Ìý

Merten is a seasoned insurance leader who brings more than 30 years of experience to this role. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of AXIS Capital, where he was responsible for leading transformation programs that included implementing new organizational models, processes and technology infrastructure to increase operational performance. Prior to his role at AXIS, Merten held leadership roles at Grant Thorton and LECG, where he led the Operations and Consulting Practices within LECG's Insurance Industry vertical.Ìý

About ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½
Serving businesses and professionals since 1897, ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ is the country's eighth largest commercial insurance writer and the 14th largest property andÌýcasualtyÌýcompany.ÌýÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s insurance products include commercial lines, specialty lines, surety, marine and other property and casualty coverages.ÌýÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½'s services include risk management, information services, underwriting, risk control and claims administration.ÌýÌýFor more information, please visit ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ at . "ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½" is a service mark registered by ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Financial Corporation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Certain ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Financial Corporation subsidiaries use the "ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½" service mark in connection with insurance underwriting and claims activities.

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CONTACT:
Brandon Davis, 312-822-5167 / 312-834-6091
Sarah Pang, 312-822-6394 / 312-607-5544

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