Oregon Administrator Ario Moving to Pennsylvania

Joel Ario, administrator of the Insurance Division in the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS), confirmed he is leaving Oregon to accept the position of Insurance Commissioner for Pennsylvania.

“This is a great opportunity for Joel, but a significant loss for Oregon,” said Cory Streisinger, director of DCBS. “Joel is respected throughout the insurance industry and by advocates for consumer interests, and for good reason – he’s been a true leader and reformer on a range of insurance issues that affect all Oregonians.”

Ario, 53, has been with the Department of Consumer and Business Services since 1994 and has been administrator of the Insurance Division since 2000. He has served as vice president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and currently chairs the NAIC committee on health insurance.

According to Diane Childs of DCBS, the position in Pennsylvania is a “significant role for Joel in state government” in that the Pennsylvania insurance comissioner oversees all insurance needs and insurance regulatory issues. In Oregon, the Insurance Division is part of the DCBS, so the director of DCBS serves as state’s insurance commissioner, with the DCBS director overseeing the administrator position.

The DCBS intends to conduct a nationwide search for his replacement.

Source: DCBS