Los Angeles-based Farmers Group Inc. announced the appointmentyesterday of Scott Lindquist, currently controller of GenworthFinancial, to the position of chief financial officer and executivevice president.

Paul N. Hopkins, Farmers chief executive officer, in a statementpraised Mr. Lindquist's experience and expertise and said he willjoin the personal lines insurance company on Feb. 11.

Mr. Lindquist will take the position recently vacated by PierreWauthier, former CFO and executive vice president. Mr. Wauthierleft last fall to become group treasurer and head of financialoperations at Zurich Insurance, part of Farmer's parent companyZurich Financial Services.

The new Farmers CFO began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopersaccounting firm, where he eventually became a partner. He joinedthe Phoenix Companies Inc., a holding company that markets suchinvestment products as life insurance, mutual funds and annuities,as senior vice president and chief accounting officer in 2002.

He became controller at Genworth Financial in 2005.