People Moves: Columbia Names Wharton CIO; Global Marine Hires Cochran

Columbia Insurance Group Names Wharton Chief Information Officer

Columbia Insurance Group has named Lisa Wharton vice president and chief information officer. She will be responsible for planning, directing and coordinating the information technology department.

Wharton is an accomplished technology leader with over 20 years of experience providing technology strategic direction in developing long-range IT portfolio planning. Before joining Columbia, she was the vice president of application development at Grange Insurance and served as vice president of systems transformation at Motorists Insurance Group.

Headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, Columbia Insurance Group provides comprehensive property and casualty insurance to policyholders in 14 states.

Global Marine Insurance Hires Cochran as Commercial Marine Specialist

Global Marine Insurance, a division of Specialty Program Group, LLC, has hired Jason Cochran as a commercial marine specialist. Cochran will provide strategic risk guidance to marine businesses in the midwest.

Cochran comes to Global Marine Insurance from the Brunswick Corporation in Mettawa, Illinois, where he served for 15 years in several positions with increasing responsibility. He began his career in the recreational marine industry in 1996 as a master technician and salesman in dealerships. He spent the last three years as director and general manager of Brunswick Product Protection, Brunswick’s extended service contract business. SPG is headquartered in Summit, New Jersey.