Several leadership changes will take place at Assurant Inc. with Chief Operating Officer Gene Mergelmeyer's retirement at the end of 2021, the company's president, Keith Demmings, announced in a press release.
Assurant's incoming CEO, Demmings announced these appointments to take effect upon the departure of Mergelmeyer, who has worked at the global lifestyle and housing company for 34 years.
The appointments, which will take effect on Jan. 1, are designed to advance Assurant's business strategy and worldwide market leadership.
"Our business momentum is strong, and we need to continue to evolve our organization and operations to strengthen our advantage, continue to drive profitable growth, and most importantly, to best serve the ever-changing needs of our clients and their customers," Demmings said. "These appointments underscore the strength of our talent bench and reinforce our commitment to unlocking the full potential of our business to adapt and grow globally."
The appointments include Keith Meier, president of Assurant International, who will replace Mergelmeyer as COO, and Federico Bunge, president of Assurant's Latin America operations, who will succeed Meier as president of international operations.
"These changes demonstrate our focus on continually evolving our structure to best align our organization to support our business strategy for growth," Demmings said, "We are committed to putting the right leaders in place to best support the development of our global organization to meet our evolving client needs while catalyzing our growth potential."
Mergelmeyer is credited with making major contributions to Assurant's worldwide business by cultivating strong client relationships, establishing unique market-leading positions and delivering successful financial outcomes, according to the release.
"Gene has left an indelible imprint on this organization," Demmings said, "His recent initiatives, in particular, will serve as a framework for operational transformation and effectiveness that will have a lasting impact. He will be missed, but his legacy will carry forward."
Mergelmeyer served in a variety of leadership positions during his career, most notably with the company's Global Housing division, which he successfully managed through the 2008 financial crisis.
In addition, he was in charge of the company's Multifamily Housing sector, which generates major growth for Assurant.
Assurant, a Fortune 500 company with operations in 21 countries, is a leading worldwide supplier of lifestyle and housing solutions that support, safeguard and link consumer purchases.