Melissa Gallaro Named President of GEICO Insurance Agency; New GIA Officers Elected

Business Wire

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The GEICO Board of Directors recently announced updates to the GEICO Insurance Agency (GIA) leadership team, promoting Melissa Gallaro to president effective May 25. The GEICO Insurance Agency manages partner companies for personal lines insurance products on behalf of GEICO, including homeowners, renters, and other specialty policies.

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Melissa Gallaro (Photo: Business Wire)

Gallaro, who is based at the company’s Fredericksburg, Virginia, regional office, was elected president of the GIA to succeed John Zinno, who is retiring. Gallaro joined GEICO in 2002 as a sales counselor in the Woodbury, New York, regional office, where she advanced through supervisory and management positions. She served as Woodbury’s planning manager before moving to Fredericksburg as GIA sales director in 2009. Gallaro then transferred to the Buffalo, N.Y., regional office in 2011 as GIA sales and service director. She was elected GIA vice president and GEICO assistant vice president in 2014, and promoted to GEICO vice president in 2018. Gallaro earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mary Washington University and an MBA from Long Island University – C.W. Post.

The Board also elected:

GEICO Assistant Vice President Denise O’Malley to GIA vice president, succeeding Gallaro. O’Malley started with GEICO in 2005 as a military sales associate at the Virginia Beach, Virginia, regional office. She held numerous positions before being promoted to motorcycle sales manager in 2010. In 2013, O’Malley moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, to help grow GEICO’s office there. She returned to Virginia Beach in 2015 after being named service director, and transferred to the GIA in Buffalo a year later, where she stayed until being elected an officer in 2018. O’Malley graduated from Indiana Institute of Technology with a degree in business administration.
Sales and service director Pete Rizzo was elected assistant vice president and will move into O’Malley’s spot in Buffalo. Rizzo started his GEICO career as a customer service representative in Buffalo in 2005 and was promoted to service manager in 2010. He has managed sales and service and directed operations at the North Liberty, Iowa, office since 2015. Rizzo earned a degree in business management from Canisius College in Buffalo, and is a 2014 graduate of GEICO’s Management Seminar.

“We’re fortunate to have such experienced and well-prepared associates ready to take on these new challenges,” said President and CEO Bill Roberts.

ABOUT GEICO

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S., was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles. To make changes, report claims, print insurance cards and purchase additional products, policyholders can access their insurance policy here, connect via GEICO Mobile, phone or by visiting a GEICO local agent. Homeowners, renters, condo, flood, identity theft and term life coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Commercial auto and personal umbrella coverages are also available. Visit www.geico.com for a quote or to learn more.