Press Releases

CHICAGO (October 13, 2003) - Carolyn M. Johnson has joined Bankers Life and Casualty Company as Senior Vice President, Operations.

"We feel very fortunate to be adding such an experienced operations leader as Carolyn to our senior team," said Edward M. Berube, President and CEO of the Chicago insurer. "Carolyn is an extraordinary insurance executive who brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to our organization."

Johnson's hiring marks the fourth female executive to join the senior leadership team of the company. Women executives at Bankers now make up 44% of the company's senior staff. The insurance industry average for female executives is 31% according to "The 1999 Catalyst Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners" (www.catalyst.org), and is much lower at the senior vice president level.

"I'm very pleased to have the opportunity to join such a progressive and dynamic insurance company. My job is going to be very exciting based on the quality of Bankers people, the company's excellent reputation in the senior market, and the aggressive growth strategy Bankers is in the process of implementing. If you're in the insurance business, the senior market with the influx of all those gracefully aging baby boomers, is certainly the place to be," said Johnson.

Johnson comes to Bankers following nine years with AEGON subsidiaries. She served as chief operations officer for Western Reserve Life; president of IDEX Investor Services, both in St. Petersburg, Fla.; and president of AEGON Alliances, Louisville.

Johnson has also served in various leadership positions with Providian, Louisville, Transamerica Occidental Life, Los Angeles, and Merrill Lynch Life Agency, Pasadena.

A California native, she began her career at Prudential Insurance Company of America in Pasadena. Johnson holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Finance from California State University, Los Angeles.

Established in 1879 and headquartered at the historic Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago, Bankers Life and Casualty Company focuses exclusively on the financial security needs of seniors. The company offers a broad portfolio of health and life insurance and retirement savings products designed especially for seniors. These products are distributed through a national network of professionally trained company agents. Visit us online at www.bankers.com.