Protective Life CEO to Chair American Council of Life Insurers Board

By Allison Bell

News October 02, 2024 at 03:36 PM

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The American Council of Life Insurers has picked Rich Bielen, the CEO of Protective Life, to be its 2025 chair.

Bielen, who also serves on the board of ProAssurance, a property-casualty insurer, succeeded Paul Quaranto Jr., the chairman and CEO of Boston Mutual Life.

The ACLI is a Washington-based group for life and annuity issuers. It announced the leadership changes last week at its annual conference in Chicago.

What it means: The ACLI is one of the main groups shaping tax and financial services policy in Washington and in state capitals.

Bielen and Quaranto will influence any rooms where tax changes affecting life insurance, annuities, trusts or estate planning happen.

Other leadership changes: In addition to getting a new board chair, the ACLI is getting a new top executive.

David Chavern is taking over from Susan Neely as the group's president.

Neely has been the ACLI's president since 2018.

Chavern previously was CEO of the Consumer Brands Association. Earlier he was an executive at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and head of a media trade group, the News Media Alliance.

At the board, Teresa Rasmussen, the CEO of Thrivent, is the new chair-elect. Andrew McMahon, the CEO of Guardian, is the the chair-designate.

Rasmussen is on track to become the ACLI chair in October 2025, and McMahon is on track to take over in October 2026.

Rich Bielen. Credit: ProAssurance

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