Safety National Realigns for Growth, Deepening Global Tokio Marine Ties

ST. LOUIS, MO – January 29, 2026

Safety National Casualty Corporation, a leading specialty insurance and reinsurance provider, has unveiled a significant executive management reorganization set to take effect on April 1, 2026. The series of strategic transitions and promotions is designed to support the company's continued growth, ensure leadership continuity, and deepen its integration within the global framework of its parent company, the Tokio Marine Group.

The realignment involves the appointment of new officers to two critical C-suite positions, the expansion of responsibilities for several current executives, and a carefully managed succession for a long-tenured leader. This move signals a proactive approach to structuring the firm for the future, balancing internal stability with ambitious international objectives.

A Deliberate Succession Playbook

At the heart of the reorganization is a textbook example of long-term succession planning. After a distinguished career spanning more than three decades with the company, Tom Grove will retire as Chief Client Officer. However, his extensive institutional knowledge will not be lost, as he will transition into a new role as Executive Advisor. In this capacity, Grove will provide strategic guidance and work on special projects, ensuring a smooth transfer of responsibilities and continued mentorship for the leadership team.

In a statement, Safety National’s Chief Executive Officer Duane Hercules acknowledged Grove's impact. “Tom Grove has played an important role in helping to shape Safety National’s growth and long-term success," Hercules said. "We are grateful that he will continue supporting our succession efforts in an executive advisory role. When he ultimately retires, he will leave a legacy defined by commitment and achievement.”

Stepping into the crucial Chief Client Officer role is Rob Leitner, who is being promoted from his current position as Executive Vice President of Business Development. Leitner's promotion from within underscores the company's commitment to developing its internal talent pipeline. In his new capacity, he will have executive oversight of the Business Development, Client Engagement, Marketing and Communications, and Risk Control departments, consolidating the firm's client-facing functions under a single strategic leader.

Similarly, the Chief Financial Officer position will be filled through an internal promotion. Katie Flynn, the current Corporate Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, and Assistant Treasurer, will assume the role of Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Flynn will take charge of the Actuarial, Finance, and Ceded Reinsurance departments, placing a seasoned internal financial expert at the helm of the company's fiscal and risk management strategy.

Deepening Ties with Tokio Marine Group

While the internal promotions ensure continuity, the most significant strategic shift is arguably the expanded role for Executive Chairman Mark Wilhelm. While continuing as Chairman of the Board at Safety National, Wilhelm will also become the International Broker Relationships Leader for the entire Tokio Marine Group. This dual role is a clear signal of a deeper, more synergistic integration between Safety National and its global parent.

This move aligns directly with Tokio Marine Group's explicit global strategy. The Japanese insurance giant has been aggressively pursuing international expansion to diversify its risk portfolio, with its overseas business now contributing over half of its profits. A core pillar of this strategy is "Global Integrated Group Management," which seeks to leverage talent and create synergies across its international subsidiaries. Wilhelm's new role places him at the nexus of this strategy, tasking him with raising awareness of the group's collective strength among global brokerage leaders. By tasking a senior leader from its successful U.S. specialty insurance arm with this global responsibility, Tokio Marine is aiming to facilitate comprehensive domestic and global solutions for large clients.

This integration is a key component of Tokio Marine's Mid-Term Plan 2026, which emphasizes global risk diversification and aims for top-tier earnings growth. Wilhelm's appointment is a practical application of the parent company's "Glocal x Synergy" approach—using local expertise to drive global results.

Empowering a New Generation of Leaders

Beyond the key C-suite appointments, the reorganization broadens the responsibilities of other key executives, positioning them to address the evolving complexities of the specialty insurance market.

Cyndee Morton, the company's President, will add executive management oversight for the Safety National Re Treaty Reinsurance Department to her existing duties. This move consolidates strategic oversight of a critical risk-mitigation and profitability center under the firm's top leadership.

At the same time, Chief Operating Officer Nick Kriegel will take on additional responsibility for the Claims and Business Intelligence and Planning Departments. This combination is particularly noteworthy, as it links the core operational function of claims processing with the forward-looking, data-driven discipline of business intelligence. This structure is designed to enhance efficiency and leverage data analytics for more informed strategic planning and operational refinement, a critical advantage in today's market.

The continuity of Duane Hercules as Chief Executive Officer and Gus Aivaliotis as Deputy Chief Executive Officer provides a stable foundation upon which these strategic changes are built. The expanded roles for Morton and Kriegel reflect a trust in their leadership and a move to empower them to drive innovation and efficiency within their expanded purviews.

Navigating an Evolving Insurance Landscape

Safety National's reorganization is not occurring in a vacuum. It reflects broader trends shaping the global insurance industry, particularly within the competitive specialty sector. The industry is grappling with new risks, the imperative for digital transformation, and a relentless focus on customer-centricity.

The promotion of internal talent like Leitner and Flynn is indicative of the "war for talent" in insurance, where cultivating and retaining expert leadership is paramount. By creating a clear path for advancement, Safety National can better attract and keep the specialized expertise required in its field.

Furthermore, the structural changes appear directly aimed at industry challenges. Placing Business Development, Client Engagement, and Marketing under a single CCO in Rob Leitner creates a unified front for driving a holistic client experience, a key differentiator in a crowded market. Nick Kriegel's expanded role over Business Intelligence aligns with the industry-wide push to leverage data, analytics, and AI to improve underwriting, claims handling, and strategic decision-making. As insurers move from being mere risk carriers to comprehensive risk solution providers, the ability to harness data becomes a core competency.

The entire realignment, scheduled two years in advance, demonstrates a long-range strategic vision. It allows the company, its clients, and its partners ample time to prepare for the transition. By fortifying its leadership team and aligning more closely with Tokio Marine's global resources, Safety National is positioning itself not just to respond to the future of the specialty insurance market, but to actively shape it.