Hartford Names Andrade To Head P&C Operations

NU Online News Service, July 17, 10:35 a.m. EDT

Juan C. Andrade has been named president and chief operating officer of The Harford Financial Services Group Inc.'s property and casualty operations.

He replaces Neal Wolin, who took a post in the Treasury Department earlier this year as deputy secretary (See NU Online Jan. 28 and May 19).

His appointment, announced late yesterday, is effectively immediately, the company said in a statement. Mr. Andrade will also continue to serve as a member of the office of the chairman.

In a statement, Ramani Ayer, The Hartford's chairman and chief executive officer, said Mr. Andrade has played a critical role in driving the division's performance and has worked in every sector of the division.

"As a tri-athlete and a marathon runner, he has an innate competitive nature and an unmatched passion to win," Mr. Ayer said. "He will make a terrific leader for this organization."

Mr. Andrade told National Underwriter that under his leadership, agents can expect to continue to see "the same great service we have provided and the same level of innovation and underwriting discipline, and our focus on servicing [independent agents] will continue."

He said he is passionate about customer service--especially servicing producers--and listening to producers.

"It is very clear to me that there are a lot of very loyal and very smart business people out there and you have to listen to them; they have great ideas," he said.

He noted that while producers will not see any radical changes, they will continue to see an emphasis on the introduction of new products and developing better technology to help agents improve their revenue and become more efficient with the company.

The biggest challenge he sees right now is the economy, saying that as it improves The Hartford is positioned to take advantage of the turnaround--which will also benefit it's agent and broker partners. Mr. Andrade added he is very optimistic that as the economy improves and small businesses regain traction, the Hartford will be there to offer the type of insurance products they need to grow.

Mr. Andrade joined The Hartford in 2006, taking leadership of the p&c claims organization. The company said he transformed claims into a more focused and disciplined group with an emphasis on customer service. He was named executive vice president for sales and distribution in 2008 and assumed the role of interim p&c co-leader of The Hartford's p&c operations in 2009 after Mr. Wolin went to the Treasury Department.

Prior to joining The Hartford he held positions with The Progressive Corp. and American International Group.

(For more about Mr. Andrade's plans at The Hartford, including the company's relationship with its agents and brokers, see a pair of Q&As this month by Laura Toops, editor of "American Agent and Broker"--a member of Summit Business Media's P&C Magazine Group, at http://www.agentandbroker.com/Exclusives/2009/7/Pages/AAB-exclusive-interview-with-Juan-Andrade-.aspx and http://www.agentandbroker.com/Exclusives/2009/7/Pages/Juan-Andrade-speaks-on-the-future-of-The-Hartford.aspx.