Wawanesa Evolves to Better Serve Needs of Brokers and Customers
Winnipeg, MB – Today the Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (Wawanesa) announced an evolution to the leadership structure of its Canadian operations. To build on the company’s strong Canadian business and provide the best service to brokers and customers, the company has created two regional operations to serve Canada – Canada West and Canada East.
“This change will build on Wawanesa’s 126 years of success and provide the best service to our broker partners and customers,” said Wawanesa’s President and CEO, Jeff Goy. “This regional focus will further align our operations to different geographic opportunities while allowing us to provide more support for unique regional needs.”
Three leaders from within Wawanesa’s team of industry professionals will play new, lead roles:
- Anna McCrindell – SVP & Chief Operating Officer – East. McCrindell will lead Wawanesa’s Ontario, Quebec and Maritimes regions, while continuing to be responsible for Commercial Operations and Products nationally. Ms. McCrindell joined Wawanesa as Vice President, Commercial Insurance in 2020. She is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) with over 30 years of progressive commercial underwriting and leadership experience gained through roles with global and Canadian organizations.
- Graham Haigh – SVP & Chief Operating Officer – West. Haigh will lead Wawanesa’s Alberta, BC, and Central regions while continuing to be responsible for the Business Development and Broker Relations functions nationally. Mr. Haigh has led multiple portfolios at Wawanesa for the past 13 years, following senior leadership roles at two other Canadian insurers. He has a deep understanding of the insurance needs of western Canada. Most recently, Mr. Haigh served as Wawanesa’s Chief Marketing Officer. He holds his Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) and CAIB designations and a BA from Simon Fraser University.
In addition to these new roles in Wawanesa’s Canadian property and casualty business, the company is enhancing opportunities for brokers to meet a broader suite of customer life insurance needs and have announced new leadership at Wawanesa Life.
- Jocelyne Prefontaine – SVP & Chief Operating Officer, Life Operations. Prefontaine will lead Wawanesa’s Life company. She joined Wawanesa in 2017 after holding executive leadership roles in Canada and Europe and gaining significant life insurance and technology experience. For the past few years, Ms. Prefontaine served as VP in Wawanesa’s Life Operations in roles focused on operations and products. She is a Beta Gamma Sigma MBA graduate of the Asper School of Business, University of Manitoba.
“We’re confident about Wawanesa’s future as a leading mutual insurer in Canada with a strong, growing business across the country,” Goy added.
About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $4 billion in annual revenue and assets of $12 billion. Wawanesa Mutual, with executive offices in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa General, which offers property and casualty insurance in California and Oregon; Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada; and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than two million policyholders in Canada and the United States. Wawanesa actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities where it operates, donating well above internationally recognized benchmarks for excellence in corporate philanthropy. Learn more at wawanesa.com
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For more information:
Brad Hartle
Senior Communications Specialist, Media Relations
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
Phone: 1-844-946-6282
media@wawanesa.com