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Aflac names Teresa White president of U.S. operations [Columbus Ledger-Enquirer]
[September 30, 2014]

Aflac names Teresa White president of U.S. operations [Columbus Ledger-Enquirer]


(Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (GA) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Oct. 01--Aflac, shuffling its U.S. leadership once again after key changes a year ago, said it has promoted Teresa White to president of Aflac U.S. She succeeds Ken Janke, who returns "full time" to his position as deputy chief financial officer.



White, 47, rises from chief operating officer of the supplemental health and life insurance firm, which is headquartered on Wynnton Road in Columbus. It sells policies in the U.S. and Japan, the latter comprising about 80 percent of its business.

The move is not a demotion for Janke, 56, who remains executive vice president of Aflac Inc., with White reporting to him. Janke reports to Kriss Cloninger, president and chief financial officer of Aflac Inc.


Aflac Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dan Amos said the moves, on the heels of executive changes in May 2013, makes the company's leadership structure stronger in the long run.

"Our realignment in 2013 has successfully accomplished what it was designed to do, which was in part to grow our leadership bench, and that coupled with Ken and Teresa's outstanding performance is why we are able to make these announcements today," he said in a statement.

Amos, 63, has said he plans to remain as Aflac's top executive until at least age 70, while Kloninger, 66, is expected to continue as second-in-command until that age as well.

But Amos noted Janke's stint as Aflac U.S. president and his financial abilities make him a future candidate for the company's CFO position.

White is the first female and African-American president of Aflac U.S. She joined the company in 1998 and has risen steadily through the ranks, holding the job of senior vice president of sales support and administration, followed by chief administrative officer. She was promoted to chief operating officer last year.

"Teresa has performed exceptionally well as chief operating officer and continues to be respected as a top professional, both internally and externally," Amos said. "Teresa has an outstanding track record for serving our policyholders, employees, agents and shareholders. She is ideally suited to lead U.S. operations." Janke will take on more responsibilities, the company said, including financial reporting and actuarial duties. He also will be a key player in developing company strategy.

"Having Ken focus on these additional areas of responsibility will only make us stronger going forward," Amos said.

White also takes responsibility of Aflac Group Insurance, an operation in Columbia, S.C., that focuses on selling policies to individuals through their employers. Daniel Lebish, Aflac Group executive vice president and chief operating officer, will report to her.

The leadership shuffling comes with Aflac working to find ways to boost U.S. sales that have eroded over the last few years amid the deep recession, slow economic recovery and lingering uncertainty among U.S. business owners related to sweeping changes in the nation's health-care laws.

The company's moves a year ago included shifting Paul S. Amos II, the CEO's son, out of the job of Aflac U.S. president and putting him in charge of Aflac Japan and Aflac's Global Investment Division. He had led the U.S. operation for more than eight years.

Aflac racked up a profit of $3.1 billion on total revenue of $23.9 billion in 2013. The profit was up from $2.8 billion in 2012, while the revenue figure was down from $25.3 billion the year before.

Dan Amos has repeatedly called U.S. sales "disappointing," with the issue prompting the CEO to declare over the summer that he wants the problem fixed and with no excuses. Several changes, including the way sales agents are recruited and retained, are being made to address it.

Aflac has nearly 9,400 employees in the U.S. and Japan. Of the roughly 4,800 in the U.S., nearly 3,900 earn a paycheck in Columbus.

___ (c)2014 the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.) Visit the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Ga.) at www.ledger-enquirer.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

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