NU Online News Service, Oct. 8, 1:43 p.m.EDT

Standard & Poor's Rating Services said it expects no impacton the ratings of Horace Mann Educators Corp. after its chiefexecutive resigned after one month into his 60-day sentence for adrunk driving charge.

S&P said the new chief executive and chief financial officerof Horace Mann Educators Corp. will provide appropriate leadershipfollowing the resignation of president and chief executive officerLouis Lower.

On Wednesday, the Springfield, Ill.-based insurer said Mr. Lowerwas retiring. The resignation included his seat on the board ofdirectors.

The former executive was sentenced Sept. 8 in Florida to 60 daysin jail on a charge of driving under the influence with propertydamage or personal injury after pleading guilty. The company hadsaid they planned to keep Mr. Lower on as chief executiveofficer--a post he was scheduled to return to either late thismonth or early next month.

Horace Mann had said this was Mr. Lower's first offense.

The company continued its support of Mr. Lower, saying he "mademany valuable contributions to the community and the company"during his 10 years with Horace Mann.

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,Horace Mann said Mr. Lower will receive retirement benefits. He iseligible to get about $250,000 and stock-based awards of about $3.7million, according to the filing.

Peter Heckman, Horace Mann's chief financial officer who wasserving as interim CEO while Mr. Lower was in jail, was named thenew president and CEO. He has been with the company 10 years andbegan his insurance career with Allstate in 1972.

Dwayne Hallman, senior vice president, was named the new chieffinancial officer. Mr. Hallman joined Horace Mann in 2003 fromAcceptance Insurance Companies.

S&P said its ratings of Horace Mann and its subsidiariesremain unchanged.