JOSEPH J. MEYER
Webster,USA
Summary
Insurance executive with extensive experience in revenue growth and strategic planning. Proven expertise in personal and commercial underwriting, leading initiatives that enhance loss ratios and innovate product offerings. Skilled in team leadership and reinsurance negotiation, consistently delivering results in competitive markets.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Vice President of Underwriting, Product and Programs
MERCHANTS INSURANCE GROUP
Buffalo, NY
07.2022 - 04.2025
- Directed risk selection and pricing across eight states, nine products, and $550M in written premium.
- Oversaw management of two programs through MGAs, generating over $140M in direct written premium.
- Implemented change management initiatives, enhancing loss ratio across Home Office and Regional teams.
- Increased renewal price change from under 3% to over 13% in rolling 12 months for 2023-24.
- Expanded rate change runway by 37%, optimizing overall pricing strategies.
- Established new underwriting models with defined authority, appetite, training, and process support.
- Redesigned product offerings, completing comprehensive overhaul of Commercial Auto and Commercial Umbrella.
- Negotiated reinsurance agreements while maintaining primary accountability for program business placement.
Senior Manager Product and Strategy P&C
PAYCHEX INSURANCE AGENCY
Rochester, NY
01.2022 - 07.2022
- Primary lead responsible for overall strategy and product offering for the 29th largest insurance agency in the US. Represented nearly $500M of written premium across Small Commercial insurance and cyber coverages.
- Led design and implementation of commercial comparative rating reducing quote time from 47 minutes to 16 minutes.
- Drove Strategic and Operational direction embedding sales attachment across Paychex client base.
President and Chief Operating Officer of Founders Insurance Company
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
New Hartford, NY
01.2018 - 10.2021
- Company Overview: A demonstrated record of success and achievement at this provider of personal and business insurance, marked by a series of promotions to positions of increased influence, authority, and accountability.
- Led vision, strategy, and execution for all facets of operations of a $105M subsidiary, with P&L accountability for Non-standard Auto, Home, and Commercial Auto insurance lines. Credited with building strong corporate cultures for product management, underwriting, and sales, serving as the foundation for sustained and profitable growth.
- Outstanding results, reversing 14 months of shrinking premium growth to deliver the first quarterly growth in Q2 2019. Achieved 7.1% in premium growth, surpassing goal.
- Defined a companywide sales process, serving as the basis for a shift to a sales culture.
- Examined expenses and allocations to identify opportunities for savings.
- Established and led a team of analysts providing the necessary guidance to support data-driven, evidence-based decision-making.
- A demonstrated record of success and achievement at this provider of personal and business insurance, marked by a series of promotions to positions of increased influence, authority, and accountability.
Senior Vice President, Personal Lines Segment Leader
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
New Hartford, NY
01.2016 - 10.2021
- Led complete turnaround of Personal Lines Segment including product, technology, underwriting, distribution and operations.
- Grew P&L from $120M to $200M division with operations in six states. Executed 'Two Years to Two Digits' strategy, securing a 12-point reduction in Combined Ratio.
- Re-engineered and restructured the division to meet and surpass goals in Underwriting, Sales, Product and Operations.
- Drove strategic and operational initiatives that include new product launches for auto, home and other lines of insurance.
- Designed and delivered digital transformation.
- Spearheaded YOY growth to double-digits for two consecutive years.
Chief Information Officer
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
New Hartford, NY
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Fulfilled a critical executive leadership role overseeing a 145-employee IT organization and a $45M capital and operating budget.
- Credited with supporting the creation of a modern, more cost effective IT structure better suited to the needs of the company. Continually researched and recommended technologies with features and functionality that can improved operations.
- Aligned IT operations and strategies to align with the overall needs of the business.
- Secured millions (4) of dollars in operating and capital expenditure savings.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, directed response teams committed to transitioning the workforce to a Work from Home model.
Director of Small Commercial Insurance
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
New Hartford, NY
08.2015 - 01.2016
- Maintained both direct and indirect accountability for the Small Commercial platform, including programs for BOP, WC, Auto and CPP. Accelerated Q4 revenue through the launch of a new sales process.
Vice President - Commercial Producer, Key Account Team
FIRST NIAGARA RISK MANAGEMENT
Rochester, NY
01.2014 - 08.2015
- Expanded revenue and profit in a challenging and highly competitive environment, negotiating and closing agreements with large accounts.
Vice President, Personal Insurance Practice Leader
FIRST NIAGARA RISK MANAGEMENT
Rochester, NY
01.2011 - 01.2014
- Maintained top bottom line accountability for the Personal Insurance Practice, supervising 42 team members across 11 offices in three states, sustaining over $7M in revenue.
- Credited with securing a 23% increase in new business over two quarters, and achieving the first consecutive months of revenue growth in 5 years.
Second Vice President, Personal Insurance Inside Sales
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
Syracuse, NY
10.2009 - 10.2011
- Started and led countrywide Inside Sales operation. Grew to 6,600 agents.
Regional Finance Officer, Field Sales Personal Insurance (NY Region)
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
Rochester, NY
11.2005 - 07.2009
- Regional Finance, Sales and Analytics leader for $900M in Personal Lines premium.
Account Executive, National Accounts
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
Chicago, IL
11.2002 - 10.2005
- Risk Management Production Underwriter with expertise in loss sensitive programs.
Insurance and Underwriting Leadership Development Program
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
Chicago, IL
07.2001 - 11.2002
Education
Bachelor of Science Degree - Business Management, Organizational and Occupational Behavior
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT GENESEO
Geneseo, NY05-2001
Skills
- Personal and commercial underwriting
- Operations management
- Business development
- Sales operations
- Project delivery
- Independent agent distribution
- Embedded insurance solutions
- Team management
- Revenue growth strategies
- Strategic planning and execution
- P&L oversight
- Budget management
- Captive and loss-sensitive experience
- Product and program management
- Reinsurance negotiation skills
- Product management expertise
- Loss ratio enhancement
- Risk assessment and selection
- Data analysis techniques
- Pricing strategy development
- Team leadership skills
- Underwriting models expertise
- Change management initiatives
Executive Achievements
- MERCHANTS INSURANCE, Drove change management across home office and regional underwriting to increase pipeline rate three-fold.
- PAYCHEX, Led strategy and implementation of embedded insurance offering leveraging commercial comparative rater.
- UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP, Reversed 14 months of shrinking premium growth to deliver the first quarterly growth in Q2 2019 for the Founders Insurance Company subsidiary.
- UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP, Led comprehensive redesign of IT organization resulting in better alignment of resources and savings of over $3M.
- TRAVELERS INSURANCE, Launched the National Inside Sales Division, growing to encompass $700M in premium.
- FIRST NIAGARA RISK MANAGEMENT, Oversaw the Personal Insurance Practice, supervising 42 team members across 11 offices in three states, sustaining over $7M in revenue.
Timeline
Senior Vice President of Underwriting, Product and Programs
MERCHANTS INSURANCE GROUP
07.2022 - 04.2025
Senior Manager Product and Strategy P&C
PAYCHEX INSURANCE AGENCY
01.2022 - 07.2022
Chief Information Officer
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
01.2019 - 01.2020
President and Chief Operating Officer of Founders Insurance Company
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
01.2018 - 10.2021
Senior Vice President, Personal Lines Segment Leader
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
01.2016 - 10.2021
Director of Small Commercial Insurance
UTICA NATIONAL INSURANCE GROUP
08.2015 - 01.2016
Vice President - Commercial Producer, Key Account Team
FIRST NIAGARA RISK MANAGEMENT
01.2014 - 08.2015
Vice President, Personal Insurance Practice Leader
FIRST NIAGARA RISK MANAGEMENT
01.2011 - 01.2014
Second Vice President, Personal Insurance Inside Sales
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
10.2009 - 10.2011
Regional Finance Officer, Field Sales Personal Insurance (NY Region)
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
11.2005 - 07.2009
Account Executive, National Accounts
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
11.2002 - 10.2005
Insurance and Underwriting Leadership Development Program
TRAVELERS INSURANCE
07.2001 - 11.2002
Bachelor of Science Degree - Business Management, Organizational and Occupational Behavior
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT GENESEO
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