Hartford’s Kerzner to Lead LIMRA International

The LIMRA International board of directors announced that Robert A. Kerzner, former head of the individual life division of The Hartford Financial Services Group, is the new president and chief exeutive officer of the Windsor, Conn.-based organization.

Kerzner will replace Richard A. Wecker, who has served as LIMRA’s president and CEO since 1997. Kerzner will join LIMRA on Sept. 20, 2004 as president-elect and assume full duties when Wecker retires in the fall. Wecker, a CLU, CLF and LLIF, joined LIMRA after a 26-year career with New York Life, where he was head of distribution and marketing before he retired and came to LIMRA.

Kerzner, a graduate of Central Connecticut State University, joined The Hartford in 1974 and worked for 20 years in field sales and management. In 1994 he moved to the company’s Simsbury, Conn., headquarters as vice president and director of individual life insurance sales, becoming senior vice president and then executive vice president and director of the individual life division. Under Kerzner’s leadership, the life unit produced vigorous earnings and sales growth.

Kerzner, who holds the designations of CLU and ChFC, also served as president of Woodbury Financial Services, a broker-dealer with over 1,800 independent representatives. He was serving a term on the LIMRA Board of Directors when he retired from The Hartford in May, 2004.

As president and CEO, Kerzner will lead an industry organization whose member companies represent the life insurance and financial services industry around the world. LIMRA employs more than 200 staff at its headquarters near Hartford, and additional staff in Toronto, London, Melbourne and Shanghai.

LIMRA publishes several hundred research reports each year, available to members through an online database, and sponsors or co-sponsors numerous industry conferences. LIMRA consultants apply research findings and industry expertise to help companies with marketing, distribution and compensation issues.