After taking over as president and CEO of Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company on Jan. 1, Evan Johnston has named his new executive leadership team.
“My commitment is to take action that strengthens our company and maximizes the great talent we have,” Johnston says in a Jan. 23 press release. “The changes we’re making are intended to help Wawanesa be more competitive and market focused while delivering better results.”
The new executive team will be comprised of:
- Kimberly Palatnick, senior vice president and chief personal lines officer
- Anna McCrindell, senior vice president and chief commercial lines officer
- Jocelyne Prefontaine, senior vice president and chief claims and life company officer
- Randy Dhillon, senior vice president and chief distribution and regional operations officer
- Grant Ostir, CEO of Western Financial Group
- Mike Brisebois, senior vice president and chief strategy and corporate actuarial officer
- James Bond, senior vice president, chief legal and corporate affairs officer
- Gord Dowhan, senior vice president and chief financial officer
- Lisa Osachoff, senior vice president and chief people and culture officer
- Tracy Riley, senior vice president and chief technology and analytics officer
Johnston notes Palatnick and Dhillon are new additions to the executive team and that their appointments represent the bench strength within the 128-year-old P&C mutual insurer. Each brings 20 years of experience to their roles in leading a wide variety of functions, Wawanesa adds in the release.
Other developments
The release also notes Graham Haigh will retire this summer following a distinguished 16-year career as an executive at the firm.
And, as part of the organizational shift, the insurer says it has evolved its operating structure. Instead of its longtime East/West business structure, the company will now operate through four lines of business: Personal Lines, Commercial Lines, Wawanesa Life, and Western Financial Group.
Feature image by iStock/Bevan Goldswain
