Aflac names former Knowledge Universe executive Gail Galuppo its new chief marketing officer

Dec. 11--Supplemental insurance firm Aflac has hired a new senior vice president and chief marketing officer, with Gail Galuppo expected to join the Columbus-based company Jan. 4.

Galuppo will report to Teresa White, president of Aflac U.S., the firm said. She will be responsible for the "strategic and operational vision" and leadership of Aflac's marketing efforts for its U.S. operation, it said.

Galuppo replaces Michael Zuna, who left the company earlier this year, becoming chief marketing and digital officer at San Diego-based Petco, a pet store retailer.

Aflac itself is known for one particular wildlife creature, using its popular duck advertising campaign to propel the health and life insurer to unprecedented name-brand recognition. The duck appears in TV commercials, on social media, is used for trivia spots on sports programming, and even has appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The duck campaign is also popular in Japan, where the company does more than 75 percent of its business.

Galuppo has more than two decades of experience in marketing, Aflac said. She most recently served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Portland, Ore.-based Knowledge Universe, a private company that operates early childhood education centers and programs through the brands KinderCare, Champions and Children's Creative Learning Centers (CCLC).

Prior to Knowledge Universe, Galuppo served as chief operating officer of BankersLab Inc. She also has worked with Hewlett Packard, Western Union, Standard Chartered Bank, Sears Holdings and GE Capital Card Services.

White, in a statement, said she is "thrilled" to have Galuppo aboard.

"We look forward to leveraging her proven track record of strong leadership, innovative vision and top-notch marketing expertise," she said. "Her cutting-edge experience in brand management and wealth of knowledge in strategic business development will make Gail an asset to Aflac as we continuously work to support our distribution channels through our marketing efforts."

___

(c)2015 the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.)

Visit the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.) at www.ledger-enquirer.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.