Ohio Casualty Execs Shuffled

Fairfield, OH-based Ohio Casualty Corporation says that Lauren Patch has resigned as president and chief executive officer and from the Corporation's Board of Directors, effective immediately. He is "leaving the company to pursue other business opportunities," the company reports.

William Woodall, CPCU, current vice chairman of the board and former president of the corporation, has been named president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. The Board of Directors also has appointed him as chairman of the board. The appointment will take effect during the Board's organizational meeting, which follows the Corporation's Annual Shareholders Meeting on April 26, 2000.

Woodall succeeds current chairman Joseph Marcum, CPCU, who is not standing for re-election due to the Board's mandatory retirement policy. Marcum's term expires after his last official duty in chairing the Shareholders Meeting.

Woodall and Marcum praised Patch for his contributions to the company. "Lauren has led the Company during an extremely challenging period for the property and casualty insurance industry," the pair said in a prepared statement. "We appreciate his many years of dedicated service and wish him well in his future endeavors."

A graduate of Miami University (Ohio), Woodall has been associated with Ohio Casualty since 1947, when he joined The Ohio Casualty Insurance Co. as an auto underwriter in its home office in Hamilton. Bringing with him several years of agency experience, he advanced in the underwriting career path, holding positions as underwriter in the fire and casualty area and as field representative for the Des Moines and Indianapolis offices. In 1965, he was named branch manager of the Indianapolis Branch Office.

Woodall joined the Executive Department of the corporation in 1968 as an assistant vice president, subsequently holding the positions of vice president, secretary and senior vice president. He was named executive vice president and secretary in 1986 and was appointed to the Board of Directors that same year. He was appointed president and chief operating officer in 1988, maintaining that role until his retirement from active employment in 1991. Since 1991, he has maintained his active role on the Board of Directors.

A former board member of the Insurance Services Office (ISO), Woodall holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation.