Walker Named CFO of Fireman’s Fund

Kevin Walker will be the new chief financial officer and a member of the board of directors of Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. He assumes the post on Monday.

Walker, who will oversee financial functions at Fireman’s Fund, was most recently chief financial officer for Genworth Financial’s retirement and protection division. Before Genworth, he spent 15 years within the Allianz Group, which owns Fireman’s Fund.

Walker’s appointment is one of several recent changes at the top at Fireman’s Fund.

In July it was announced that Lori Fouché would become Fireman’s president and CEO, succeeding Michael LaRocco, who the company said left to pursue other professional opportunities. Fouché became the fourth executive at the helm at Fireman’s Fund since June, 2007, when Joseph J. Beneducci resigned as CEO after less than six months on the job. Chuck Kavitsky, president of Allianz of America and the former Fireman’s Fund chief executive whom Beneducci replaced, was named interim CEO and served in that capacity until LaRocco’s appointment in March 2008.

In its July announcement on Fouché, the company also announced that Jill Paterson, executive vice president, chief financial officer, would retire at the end of the year. The company said then that a successor to CFO Paterson would be named within the next several months and that she would continue in her role during the transition.

The company has been owned by Allianz Group since 1991. In January 2009, Allianz invested $100 million into Fireman’s Fund, largely to upgrade the company’s infrastructure, technology and products.

Fireman’s Fund is known for its products in the high net worth and affluent personal lines market and commercial lines niches such as entertainment.

Topics Allianz