CopperPoint CEO to chair board of directors

Workers’ comp specialist CopperPoint Insurance Companies has announced that CEO Marc Schmittlein (pictured above) will succeed Ken Kirk as chair of the board of directors. Schmittlein will now serve as the combined president, CEO, and executive chair.

In addition, the board has also elected current member Marita Zuraitis as lead independent director.

Schmittlein, who was elected to the executive chair role at the organization’s June board meeting, joined CopperPoint as CEO in 2016. Under his leadership, the company has grown from $255 million in gross written premium and $3.6 billion in total assets in 2016 to $715 million in gross written premium and $5.2 billion in total assets in 2023.

Before joining CopperPoint, Schmittlein spent 30 years in the commercial insurance industry. His previous roles include president of the cyber business division at The Travelers Companies and co-president of business insurance.

He also served as president and CEO of the small commercial division known as Select Accounts, a $2.7 billion division of Travelers’ Business Insurance that included workers compensation, business owner’s policy, umbrella coverage, and commercial auto.

Additionally, Schmittlein held leadership roles in the commercial divisions of St Paul Companies and Aetna and was appointed as an executive vice president at Travelers in 2010, joining the company’s senior leadership team for both operating and management committees.

Kirk emphasized the importance of consistency and continuity in the organization’s strategic plans.

“To that end, the board has strong support of Marc Schmittlein as the next chair of the board, ensuring the continuation of CopperPoint’s strategy and momentum into the future,” Kirk said. “We believe that he has truly earned this role. With the talent and expertise present on the board, the management team, and the 800+ employees that drive this organization, the company is in great hands going forward.”

“I am thrilled to continue investing in and realizing CopperPoint’s transformation and growth in this new, expanded role,” Schmittlein said. “We have built a platform that continues to deliver as an industry standout, and I am excited to see the continued momentum and upward trajectory of the company.”

At the annual meeting of its members, CopperPoint members and policyholders re-elected Monica Digilio and formally elected Thomas Bradley to the company’s board of directors, each to three-year terms.

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