Safeco, Ohio Casualty Name New Mid-Atlantic Regional Operation Heads

November 21, 2008

Safeco Insurance and Ohio Casualty, both Liberty Mutual Agency Markets companies, recently announced key management appointments to lead their respective personal and commercial lines operations in their Mid-Atlantic territory.

Matt L. Warye was named vice president, Safeco Insurance, and Mid-Atlantic regional general manager. Most recently, Warye was vice president of Personal Lines Underwriting with Ohio Casualty. In this new capacity, Warye will be based in Loveland, Ohio and will be responsible for profit and growth throughout Safeco’s seven-state territory, including Washington D.C.

Joining Safeco’s Mid-Atlantic personal lines field operations as agency managers and reporting to Warye are: William J. Desko, representing Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia; Joseph B. Lesko, representing Maryland and Pennsylvania; and Scott Wick, representing Ohio. Christina Berg joins Safeco Insurance as marketing manager for the Mid-Atlantic territory.

Ohio Casualty has appointed David A. Lamparella, formerly with Peerless Insurance, as regional vice president for the Chesapeake region, which includes Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Lamparella joins a team of regional vice presidents that includes John D. Baird managing the Ohio region, Donald Waardenburg managing the Pennsylvania region, and Robert D. Fehrenbach who continues to manage the Kentucky and West Virginia region.

As announced by Liberty Mutual Group on Sept. 22, the Agency Markets business unit’s personal lines will be sold under the Safeco brand. Ohio Casualty will be the exclusive provider of commercial lines business in its seven-state Mid-Atlantic territory, where Safeco will also offer personal lines. Strong agency relationships and commitment to the independent agency system will continue to be the hallmarks of both companies.

“We’re drawing from the strengths in our collective organization to bring the best talent and experience to our regional operations,” said Michael Hughes, executive vice president, Agency Markets, and president, Safeco Insurance. “By placing management personnel in regions where they have great familiarity, we strengthen our agency relationships and are able to compete at a much higher level.”

Ohio Casualty and Safeco are leveraging the new Agency Markets national/regional model to deliver greater resources and an expanded appetite and product set to their agents. Working in close coordination, both operations will provide:

Local management and pricing with national product development;
Local agency support with national market research and analytics; and,
Local claims and underwriting staffs with a national technology infrastructure.

Safeco personal lines agents will offer specialty coverages including: motorcycle, watercraft, recreational vehicle, and classic car are available nationally, in addition to auto, home, condo, rental, and umbrella coverages.

Source: Liberty Mutual Agency Markets

Topics Ohio Virginia Casualty

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