State Auto Financial Announces Leadership Changes

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- State Auto Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:STFC) today announced changes to the company’s leadership. The changes, made by President and CEO Mike LaRocco, promote alignment and clear accountability. They include redefining the company’s key business units:

• Personal Lines (including farm and ranch) and Small Commercial, led by Kim Garland
• Commercial Lines (middle market and large) and Specialty, led by Jessica Buss

Jessica Buss, senior vice president, specialty lines, has added middle market and large commercial business to her responsibilities.

Kim Garland has joined the company as senior vice president, standard lines, and will be responsible for all personal lines business, including farm and ranch, as well as small commercial business. He’ll also be managing director of State Auto Labs, a newly formed small incubator/research and development unit that will develop new capabilities and explore new opportunities in property and casualty insurance for State Auto.

To lead information technology and corporate strategy, Greg Tacchetti will join State Auto as senior vice president and chief information and strategy officer. Tacchetti is the former CEO of AssureStart, a company that sells small business insurance online.

Steve Hunckler will become senior vice president and chief administration/services officer. His responsibilities will include field service, customer service, call centers, agency operations, purchasing and facilities. Hunckler currently serves as State Auto’s senior vice president and chief claims officer.

Paul Stachura will join State Auto as senior vice president and chief claims and loss control officer. Stachura is currently chief claims and loss control officer at QBE North America.

“With these changes, I’m confident we’re building an organization that’s aligned and focused on our goal to grow profitably in every line and win in the marketplace,” said LaRocco.

About Jessica Buss

Buss joined State Auto in 2009 through its acquisition of the Rockhill Insurance Group, where she was their chief operations officer (COO) and chief financial officer (CFO). She previously served as CFO of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who spent five years in public accounting with Thomas, Howell, Ferguson and Arthur Andersen, specializing in insurance services. Buss received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from the University of Florida.

About Kim Garland

Garland was most recently chief product officer of AIG’s consumer division. He previously helped lead the restructuring of United Guaranty, AIG’s mortgage insurance company, as its COO and later CEO. He also managed the personal auto business at Safeco and started their innovation company, Open Seas Solutions. Garland is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS) and holds an undergraduate degree from Florida State University and a graduate degree from the University of Virginia.

About Greg Tacchetti

Tacchetti was an owner and founder of AssureStart, a company that sells small business insurance online. He was chief administrative officer of Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company and Allianz of America, and held a senior management role with Safeco, where he was senior vice president of property and casualty financial operations. Prior to joining Safeco, Tacchetti was Northeast operations director at GEICO. He’s a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and holds an MBA in business and finance and strategy from the University of Washington.

About Steve Hunckler

Hunckler joined State Auto as chief claims officer in 2009 after serving as executive vice president and chief claims officer at Balboa Insurance in Irvine, Calif. All but six of his more than 33 years in of professional experience has been in P&C claims with senior management roles at CNA, Travelers, AIG and Zurich American. Hunckler holds a bachelor's degree from Colorado State University.

About Paul Stachura

Stachura is an experienced claims executive with over 30 years of domestic and international leadership. He joins State Auto from QBE North America, where he’s currently chief claims and loss control officer. He held the same role at Fireman’s Fund Insurance and was SVP of international claims and European zone claims at Chubb Corporation. Stachura holds the Senior Claim Law Associate (SCLA) designation and is a graduate of Michigan State University.

About State Auto

State Auto Financial Corporation, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is a super regional property and casualty insurance holding company and is proud to be a Trusted Choice® company partner. STFC stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, which represents the top fourth of all NASDAQ listed companies.

The insurance subsidiaries of State Auto Financial Corporation are part of the State Auto Group. The State Auto Group markets its insurance products throughout the United States, through independent insurance agencies, which include retail agencies and wholesale brokers. The State Auto Group is rated A- (Excellent) by the A.M. Best Company and includes State Automobile Mutual, State Auto Property & Casualty, State Auto Ohio, State Auto Wisconsin, Milbank, Meridian Security, Patrons Mutual, Rockhill Insurance, Plaza Insurance, American Compensation and Bloomington Compensation. Additional information on State Auto Financial Corporation and the State Auto Insurance Companies can be found online at http://www.StateAuto.com/STFC.

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State Auto Financial Corporation

Tara Shull
614-917-4478 F 614-887-1793

Investor Relations and Finance Director

[email protected]

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Kyle Anderson
614-917-5497 M 614-477-5301

AVP/Director of Corporate Communication

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Source: State Auto Financial Corporation