S&P Capital IQ Power Moves

Hartford Financial Services Group announced Tom Tucker, 56, joins The Hartford as chief underwriting officer for commercial markets and head of specialty casualty, effective February 27.

In this role, Tucker will oversee underwriting across commercial markets and lead The Hartford’s specialty casualty segment, which includes national accounts, captive & specialty programs and Hartford Financial products. He will focus on the continued delivery of risk solutions for the specialty segment, as well as risk controls across the commercial markets organization. He reports to Doug Elliot, president of The Hartford’s commercial markets division.

Tucker joins The Hartford from AIG’s Chartis U.S., where he most recently served as chief underwriter and chief risk officer for its U.S. operations. He was responsible for enterprise risk management oversight of the company’s global property, casualty, professional and financial lines, as well as global risk finance.

Additionally, Gary Thompson has been appointed to head of all of middle market, and Mike Concannon has been appointed as head of group benefits.

Thompson, 57, will now lead middle market sales and distribution, in addition to his previous responsibilities as head of middle market product and underwriting. He will drive middle market’s growth agenda with a focus on diversifying the book of business and targeted industry segments.

Thompson has held senior level positions in both underwriting and field sales throughout his more than 35 years with The Hartford, serving most recently as executive vice president of specialty commercial and chief underwriting officer for commercial markets.

Concannon, 50, will now lead The Hartford’s group benefits segment, succeeding Ron Gendreau. He will focus primarily on restoring core profitability and broadening the segment’s core business, as well as expanding with new and emerging opportunities.

Since joining The Hartford in 1995, Concannon has held senior leadership positions in product management and sales, including head of the company’s personal lines division. Most recently, he served as executive vice president of sales and distribution for the property and casualty and group benefits businesses, where he led the integration between those two sales organizations. -Business Wire

Michael S. Gregg has joined Hartford Financial Services Group as head of strategic markets in its wealth management business.

Gregg most recently worked at AXA Global Distributors in Paris, where he was managing director of a new business dedicated to providing guaranteed investment products through third-party distributors in Europe and Asia. Prior to that, he held positions with AXA Equitable in New York, including senior vice president, wholesale strategy and operations and head of the strategic initiatives group. He previously worked at McKinsey & Company as a management consultant in New York and San Francisco. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services Group announced that James Eckerle, 51, has joined the company as executive vice president, strategic initiatives and enterprise technology.

Eckerle has more than 30 years of financial services industry experience with a specific focus on change management and process improvement. He joins The Hartford from Bank of America where he most recently served as senior vice president of global transition, quality and change. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services Group announced that it has appointed Lisa Morgan to the position of senior vice president of its middle market commercial insurance business. She succeeds Sean Fitzpatrick.

In her new role, Morgan will lead The Hartford’s middle market commercial insurance unit that serves the property and casualty protection needs of midsize businesses and other entities, such as educational institutions and industry associations. She will report to commercial markets president Juan Andrade.

Morgan, who most recently served as vice president of middle market operations, joined The Hartford in 2001 and held positions of increasing responsibility in the company’s property and casualty claims department. She joined the middle market team in 2005 as assistant vice president of planning and development, where she was instrumental in driving initiatives aimed at streamlining business operations, increasing underwriting productivity and improving ease-of-doing-business for the company’s agents and brokers. Prior to joining The Hartford, she spent six years in private law practice. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services has named David N. Levenson president of wealth management, effective July 1, 2010. He will replace John C. Walters.

Levenson joined The Hartford in 1995 from Fidelity Investments, and since that time has worked in nearly every aspect of the company’s wealth management business. -Business Wire

Liam McGee was named chairman and chief executive officer of Hartford Financial Services.

McGee  replaces Ramani Ayer, who retires Nov. 1.

McGee came to The Hartford after 19 years with Bank of America. He has been in the banking business more than 30 years and was president of the consumer and small business bank for Bank of America before accepting his new position. He is also a former chairman of USD’s board of trustees. -States News Service

The Hartford Financial Services Group announced that Liam E. McGee has been appointed chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors, effective October 1, 2009.

Until recently, McGee was president of the consumer and small business bank for Bank of America.

McGee succeeds Ramani Ayer, who in June announced his intention to retire from the company. Ayer will resign as chairman and CEO effective October 1, 2009 and will retire on November 1, 2009, following a brief transition period.

Ayer has served as chairman and CEO of The Hartford since February 1997 and has spent his entire career serving the company. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services Group has promoted Michael Concannon to executive vice president of its property and casualty sales and distribution organization.

Previously senior VP of Hartford’s personal lines operations, Concannon will report directly to the president and COO of The Hartford’s property and casualty operations, Juan Andrade, who in turn vacated the sales position upon being promoted to company president. -M2 EquityBites

Hartford Financial Services Group has appointed Juan Andrade, 43 as president and chief operating officer of its property and casualty operations, effective immediately. Andrade will continue to report directly to the company’s chairman and chief executive officer, Ramani Ayer, and will serve as a member of the office of the chairman. An industry veteran, Andrade joined The Hartford in 2006, assuming leadership of the P&C claims organization. In that role, he emphasizing enhanced customer service, greater employee engagement and increased efficiency. He was soon appointed to executive vice president for sales and distribution in 2008, where he expanded and enhanced the company’s relationships with its agents. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services Group announced that it has appointed Christopher Lewis senior vice president, capital planning and chief risk officer of property and casualty operations. Lewis will report to Robert Paiano, the company’s senior vice president and enterprise chief risk officer. In this newly created role as senior vice president of capital planning, Lewis will be responsible for capital planning and analysis across the enterprise. He will be charged with further streamlining capital planning infrastructure across the organization and be responsible for capital projections, capital attribution and other analyses of capital supporting the company’s business operations. In addition, Lewis will serve as the chief risk officer for the company’s property and casualty operations where he will be responsible for enterprise risk management initiatives and implementation within the property and casualty operations. As part of this function, Lewis will also support the property and casualty senior leadership team on matters related to risk management. Lewis was most recently chief financial officer, personal and small business insurance. In this role, Lewis provided financial perspective and analysis in the development of strategy, management of operations and execution of key initiatives designed to improve performance and enhance the capabilities of P&SBI. -Business Wire

On February 11, 2009, Neal S. Wolin resigned his position as president and chief operating officer, Property & Casualty Operations of Hartford Financial Services Group. Mr. Wolin’s resignation is effective February 15, 2009.-SEC Form 8k

Hartford Financial Services Group announced a new organizational structure for its employer markets group (EMG) to better serve the group benefits and retirement plan needs of employers and their employees, optimize leadership talent, and drive growth opportunities. In an effort to surpass customer expectations and make the most of new opportunities for providing retirement plans and employee benefits, the company announced a new organizational structure: Jamie Ohl, senior vice president, will lead the retirement plans group (RPG).

Previously, Ohl was responsible for product development and business retention, enhancing The Hartford’s overall product competitiveness. The Hartford ranked among the top 10 providers in customer satisfaction for mid-market plan providers. Ron Gendreau, executive vice president, will continue to lead the group benefits division (GBD). Gendreau has directed the expansion of GBD’s market share for group life and disability insurance. Marty Swanson, vice president and chief marketing officer, will lead marketing for both GBD and RPG. He is now responsible for ensuring consistent messaging for the organization and uncovering unique business opportunities across EMG’s markets. Harry Monti, senior vice president, is responsible for leading operations and service for EMG.

In addition, Monti is charged with leading the integration of RPG’s recent acquisitions and helping to develop a multi-site strategy across EMG. In his previous role as head of GBD’s claim and service operations, Monti led GBD to impressive customer and claimant satisfaction scores, with more than 90% of customers surveyed completely or mostly satisfied with overall claim service.-Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services Group has appointed Michael Rudge as managing director of its UK branch as part of building on its success in selling retirement accumulation and income products in the UK. Mr. Rudge will report to Marc Lieberman, president and chief executive officer of Hartford Life Limited, The Hartford’s European insurer. He will also be responsible for the branch’s profit and loss, sales and marketing, and administration.-Financial Adviser

The Hartford Financial Services Group announced that Robert Paiano has been named senior vice president and enterprise chief risk officer. Paiano will report to Lizabeth Zlatkus, the company’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. As enterprise chief risk officer, Paiano will be responsible for enterprise-wide risk management strategy and execution across the company, including the company’s life, property and casualty and investment operations.

Prior to joining The Hartford, Paiano held positions at American Express, Citicorp, First Interstate Bancorp and ITT Residential Capital Corporation.-Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services Group announced that Brian O’Connell has been named to the newly created position of senior vice president and chief information officer. O’Connell, who currently serves as chief information officer for The Hartford’s life operations, will report to the company’s president and chief operating officer, Tom Marra. The appointment is effective October 6, 2008.-Business Wire

The Hartford Financial Services Group announced that Melinda Thompson has been promoted to vice president and managing director of its Southeast Division’s property & casualty operations, based in Charlotte, N.C.

In this new position, Thompson will be responsible for the underwriting function in the Charlotte office which supports the company’s Southeast regional offices. The underwriting function covers several commercial underwriting disciplines including The Hartford’s middle market, marine, technology and national account practices. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services announced that Connie Weaver will join the company later this month as senior vice president, marketing and communications. Weaver, 55, brings marketing and communications experience to oversee The Hartford’s brand management and advertising, executive and employee communications, media and community relations functions.

She will report to The Hartford’s chairman and chief executive officer, Ramani Ayer, and will serve as a member of the company’s office of the chairman. Weaver’s career in marketing, communications and investor relations brought her most recently to BearingPoint where she served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services announced that it has promoted Scott Simonson to the role of regional vice president for the newly established Ohio/Indiana regional office. In this new position, Simonson will be responsible for agency relationships and the sales, profit and growth of all property and casualty lines in the states of Indiana and Ohio. -Business Wire

Hartford Financial Services Group announced that it has promoted Wade Seward to chief marketing officer of its individual life insurance business. In his new role, Mr. Seward will oversee product launches, advanced marketing, marketing communications, field technology, competitive analysis, and Middle America distribution for mortgage insurance. He also will coordinate advertising and public relations for the entire company. Mr. Seward has worked at Hartford since 1993. Most recently he was the director of business practices for individual life insurance. -American Banker