GE Re Makes Exec Changes, Announces Chicago Headquarters

James R. Miller has been named president and chief executive officer of GE Reinsurance Corp., the broker-market reinsurance company being formed through the merger of Kemper Reinsurance Co. and First Excess & Reinsurance Corp.

Miller has more than 25 years experience in the reinsurance business and with Kemper Re. For the past year he has been president and chief operating officer of Kemper Re which was purchased last year by GE Global Insurance Holding Corp.

"Jim Miller provides this newly formed company with strong, visionary leadership that will provide customers with responsive risk management solutions," said Hoyt Wood, chairman of GE Reinsurance. "Jim and his team will help create a reinsurance powerhouse for our customers."

In addition, the company announced that its home office will be located in suburban Chicago. The company will retain an office in Overland Park, KS as well.

The company is awaiting formal regulatory approval of the GE Reinsurance name.

Also appointed to the executive team at GE Reinsurance were:

• Rex Skidmore, executive vice president - administration. Skidmore previously served as president of First Excess.
• Larry Spoolstra, senior vice president - underwriting. Spoolstra has held a similar position with First Excess.
• Bill Flaherty, chief financial officer. Flaherty held the same position with Kemper Re.
• Kathleen Kolze, chief information officer. Kolze previously lead information systems work for Kemper Re projects.
• David Brodnan, general counsel. Brodnan is general counsel for Kemper Re.
• Bob Bender, pricing actuary, and Randy Roth, reserving actuary. Both have held actuarial positions with Kemper Re.
• Edgar Goins, Six Sigma Quality leader. Goins formerly was an underwriting manager for First Excess.
• Linda Hughes, human resources leader. She was previously with Kemper Re.