American Financial Group, Inc. Announces Organizational Changes

CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: AFG) (NASDAQ: AFG) announces the promotions of Vito C. Peraino and Michelle “Shelly” A. Gillis.

Vito C. Peraino (Photo: Business Wire)

Mr. Peraino has been named General Counsel and Senior Vice President of AFG and will assume responsibility for AFG’s Legal function. Prior to his promotion, Mr. Peraino served as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of Great American Insurance Group and was responsible for overall claims strategy and claims oversight for Great American’s property and casualty businesses. He joined Great American in 1999 as a Vice President, overseeing management of all asbestos, environmental and other mass tort liabilities for the property and casualty group. Prior to joining Great American, Mr. Peraino was in private law practice for 18 years, and was a partner in a large California law firm where he had spent 15 years. Mr. Peraino also serves as a board member of Marketform Group Limited, the Company’s platform at Lloyd’s of London, and as board member of National Interstate Corporation (NASDAQ: NATL). Mr. Peraino holds an undergraduate degree from Wayne State University and a law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Mr. Peraino is a current director and past President of the Mason Schools Foundation which supports public schools in Mason, Ohio.

James E. Evans has been named AFG Executive Counsel in addition to his role as Senior Vice President and member of the AFG Board of Directors.

Shelly Gillis has been named to the newly created position of Chief Administrative Officer and Vice President of AFG. In her new role, Ms. Gillis will assume responsibilities for AFG’s Real Estate Facilities, Communications and Business Support Services functions. In addition to these new responsibilities, she will continue to lead AFG’s Human Resources and Enterprise Services groups. Ms. Gillis began her career at Great American Insurance Group, a subsidiary of AFG, in 2004 as Director of Organizational Planning. She has held positions of increasing responsibility over the past few years, most recently as Corporate Vice President of Human Resources, a position she has held since December 2008. Prior to joining Great American, she was a Vice President & Senior HR Business Partner of Fifth Third Bank. Ms. Gillis is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, where she received a BA in Communications and Masters of Arts degree in Labor and Employee Relations. She also earned the Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR) designation. Ms. Gillis currently serves as mentor at Oyler Elementary through the Literacy Network of Greater Cincinnati “Cincinnati Reads” Program and is a former member of the Seton High School Board of Trustees.

About American Financial Group, Inc.

American Financial Group is an insurance holding company, based in Cincinnati, Ohio with assets in excess of $35 billion. Through the operations of Great American Insurance Group, AFG is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialized commercial products for businesses, and in the sale of traditional fixed and indexed annuities and a variety of supplemental insurance products, such as Medicare Supplement. Great American Insurance Group’s roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American Insurance Company.

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American Financial Group, Inc.Diane P. Weidner, Asst. Vice President - Investor Relations, 513-369-5713
orWeb Sites:
www.AFGinc.com
www.GreatAmericanInsuranceGroup.com
www.GAFRI.com

Source: American Financial Group, Inc.