Nationwide Realigns Internal Structure, Names Leaders

Nationwide is announcing a realigned internal structure and new leader assignments, one week after announcing it is aligning all of its product lines under one brand – Nationwide.

The company will be organized around three primary business units: Nationwide Property & Casualty (P&C) Agency Operations, to be led by President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Berven; Nationwide Direct and Member Solutions, to be led by President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Pizzi; and Nationwide Financial, which will continue to be led by President and Chief Operating Officer Kirt Walker.

Summary of the realigned Nationwide organization:

Nationwide P&C Agency Operations, led by Mark Berven, formerly Nationwide Insurance, Allied Insurance, Nationwide Agribusiness, Scottsdale Insurance, Crestbrook Insurance, Titan Insurance. It includes exclusive agency and independent agency operations and sales, as well as personal lines and commercial lines product/underwriting.

Nationwide Direct and Member Solutions, led by Mark Pizzi, includes online and call-center auto/home insurance sales, Nationwide Bank, affinity/sponsor relations, customer service and claims.

Nationwide Financial, led by Kirt Walker, includes life, annuity, mutual funds and retirement plans product and distribution.

Continuing to report to Rasmussen are Mark Thresher, executive vice president, chief financial officer; Patricia Hatler, executive vice president, chief legal and governance officer; Matt Jauchius, executive vice president, chief marketing officer; Mike Keller, executive vice president, chief information officer; and Gale King, executive vice president, chief human resources & administrative officer. Kim Austen, most recently president of Allied Group, will retire in March 2015.

As the leader of the Nationwide P&C Agency Operations business unit, Berven will oversee exclusive agency and independent agency operations, commercial and personal lines product and sales. He joined Nationwide in 1994 and has held a variety of leadership positions, most recently as chief strategy and product management officer.

Pizzi will lead the Nationwide Direct and Member Solutions business unit focused on accelerating the growth of Nationwide’s online and direct phone sales, as well as delivering exceptional service to members. Pizzi will also oversee Nationwide Bank (an online bank), customer service centers, affinity/sponsor relationships and Nationwide’s claims organization. He joined Nationwide in 1978 as a personal lines underwriter and has held a variety of leadership roles, most recently as president and chief operating officer of Nationwide Insurance. Pizzi serves as board chairman for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). He holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation.

Walker will continue to lead the Nationwide Financial business unit, a role he has held since 2009. Nationwide Financial includes the company’s life, annuity, mutual fund and retirement product lines, as well as distribution for each. Walker joined the Nationwide family of companies in 1986 and has held a variety of key leadership positions within the organization. He is a board member for the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and the American Council of Life Insurers.

Source: Nationwide