Securian Financial Group names new CEO
June 18, 2014 by Maggie Jensen, APR
St. Paul, MN, June 18, 2014 – Securian Financial Group today announced that President Christopher M. Hilger will also serve as chief executive officer, effective January 1, 2015. Chairman and CEO Robert L. Senkler, who will retire from active management after serving as CEO for 20 years, will remain as chairman of the board of directors. Hilger, 49, will be the thirteenth CEO in Securian’s 134-year history. He was appointed president in 2012.
“Chris grew up in the insurance industry and has a proven record of success as an entrepreneur and business leader who has led the development and execution of Securian’s current growth strategies,” Senkler, 61, said. “Preparing internal candidates for greater responsibility is a cornerstone of our culture. We have been working for the past several years to make this a successful leadership transition.”
A 27-year veteran of the insurance industry, Hilger also serves as CEO of Allied Solutions, LLC, a Securian subsidiary headquartered in Indianapolis, IN that distributes insurance products and services to financial institutions. He joined Securian’s management team in 2004 when the company purchased Allied Solutions and was subsequently named senior vice president of Securian’s Financial Institution Group. In 2010, he was promoted to executive vice president with the added accountability for the company’s group insurance business. In 2012, he was appointed president with responsibility for all of Securian’s businesses.
“I have had the privilege of working directly with Chris since he joined the company and it is clear to me that he has a passion for Securian and our culture,” Senkler said. “His selection as our next CEO demonstrates the board’s trust in his stewardship and leadership capabilities. I am confident that under Chris’s leadership we will continue Securian’s record of excellence.”
Hilger holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University. Although he grew up in Indianapolis, Hilger was born in St. Paul and has deep roots in the community. He currently serves on the board of Minnesota Philanthropy Partners and is a former member of the board of the American Bankers Insurance Association.
“It’s an honor to be asked to lead a company with such strong values and an unwavering commitment to its customers, associates and community,” said Hilger. “Securian is well positioned for the future, and I look forward to building on our legacy of success.”
Senkler, a 40-year veteran of the company, has served as chief executive officer since July 1994. Under his direction, Securian maintained its position as one of the highest rated insurers in America and enjoyed consistent growth. The insurance protection the company provides grew at a compound annual rate of 12 percent to more than $1 trillion and assets under management quadrupled. The company expanded its headquarters in downtown St. Paul to over one million square feet of office space, and its national workforce grew to more than 3,700 employees.
Since 1880, Securian Financial Group and its affiliates have provided financial security for individuals and businesses in the form of insurance, investments and retirement plans. Now one of the nation’s largest financial services providers, it is the holding company parent of a group of companies that offer a broad range of financial services.
Securian Financial Group, Inc. www.securian.com. 400 Robert Street North, St. Paul MN, 55101-2098
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Contact: Maggie Jensen, APR
Media Relations Consultant
Securian Financial Group, Inc.
651-665-7558
