The board of Northwestern Mutual has elected Edward Zore to be chairman.
Zore, 63, chief executive officer at Northwestern Mutual, Milwaukee, will continue to be the company’s CEO.
The position of chairman has been vacant since James Ericson retired in 2001.
John Schlifske, 49, who has been president of Northwestern Mutual’s Russell Investments unit, will be take over from Zore as the company’s president.
Schlifske and Gary Poliner, 56, executive vice president-investment products and services at Northwestern Mutual, both were elected to the company’s board.
Poliner will continue to be an executive vice president and also will become the company’s chief risk officer.
Zore has been president of Northwestern Mutual since 2000 and CEO since 2001. He was born in Milwaukee and joined the company in 1969 as a stock trader.
Zore has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Like Zore, Schlifske was born in Milwaukee. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Carleton College and a master’s degree in finance from Northwestern University. He began working for Northwestern Mutual in 1987 as an investment specialist.
In other news about top-level insurance company positions:
- Phoenix Companies Inc., Hartford, says Dona Young, 55, the chairman and CEO, is retiring after 29 years at the company.
James Wehr, 51, the company’s senior executive vice president and chief investment officer, was promoted to president and chief executive officer.
Thomas Johnson was named non-executive chairman.
Young will step down from the Phoenix board and serve as a consultant to the company for one year, Phoenix says.
“Dona Young’s commitment to this company and its people is unmatched,” Peter Browning, lead director of Phoenix, says in a statement about her departure. “She has been CEO during one of the most difficult periods in the company’s 158-year history, and throughout those 6 years, demonstrated steadfast leadership, courage and foresight.”
Wehr’s financial markets experience should be helpful at helping him lead Phoenix during current conditions, Browning says.