Harford Mutual and MIB Group Announce Board Updates for 2025
Harford Mutual Insurance Group (HMIG) and MIB Group have implemented significant changes to their boards of directors, effective May 2025. At HMIG, three directors—John J. DeMartini, Sean M. Garber, and Teresa Q. McTague—were re-elected, with DeMartini and Garber having joined recently in 2023. The board also appointed Theodore M. Alexander III, a seasoned investment executive from T. Rowe Price, bringing nearly four decades of industry experience to the group. Simultaneously, four longstanding directors, including former board chair Stephen T. Scott, retired, marking a shift in HMIG’s governance structure.
MIB Group and its holdings confirmed leadership changes following their May 16 board meeting for the 2025-2026 term. Bruce Parker, president of Global Life at Pan-American Life Insurance Group, ascended to board chair, succeeding Sarah J. VanBeck, who remains on the board as immediate past chair. Bruce K. Baude, a veteran executive with a background in operations and technology at CNO Financial Group, was elected vice-chair.
The board welcomed new members Matthew Berman, CEO of Foresters Financial; Peter Maynard, chief data and AI officer at Guardian Life; and Christopher Zimmerman, senior vice president and general counsel at National Life Group, each joining for a three-year term. Several existing members, such as Karen Phelan of PartnerRe North America Life and Monica Suryapranata of New York Life, were re-elected, ensuring continuity in underwriting strategy and innovation.
Additional re-elections for one-year terms included executives with significant roles in underwriting, technology, and medical direction at various insurance firms, reflecting MIB’s emphasis on expertise in life operations, technology, and risk assessment. Board members Mary J. Bahna-Nolan of WTW and Brian Winikoff, MIB’s president and CEO, will continue their service, contributing to the firm’s ICT strategy and overall leadership.
These board updates at two prominent insurance organizations underscore an ongoing emphasis on leadership renewal blending financial expertise, technology integration, and life insurance innovation. The appointment of executives with backgrounds in data, AI, underwriting, and investment management signals a strategic focus on adapting to evolving insurance market dynamics, compliance demands, and operational excellence. Both HMIG and MIB’s boards now reflect a governance model combining experienced leadership with new perspectives aimed at sustaining competitive advantage in the insurance industry.