OREANDA-NEWS. Cincinnati Financial Corporation (Nasdaq: CINF) today announced the upcoming retirement of two key officers and new roles and responsibilities among subsidiary officers.

President and Chief Operating Officer of The Cincinnati Life Insurance Company Retires
David H. Popplewell, FALU, LLIF, president and chief operating officer of The Cincinnati Life Insurance Company, will retire December 31, 2015. Roger A. Brown, FSA, MAAA, CLU, will assume leadership of the subsidiary as senior vice president and chief operating officer effective January 1, 2016.

Brown joined Cincinnati Life in 1997, after serving for four years as a member of the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of captain. Brown also served in the Army for 9 months during 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was appointed as an officer of Cincinnati Life in 2007. Brown moved quickly through the ranks and was promoted to vice president, leading the subsidiary's actuarial department, in 2010. He graduated from Purdue University in 1993 with a bachelor's in actuarial science. Brown will report to Steven J. Johnston, president and chief executive officer of Cincinnati Financial.

Johnston commented: "When Dave joined us in 1997 to lead our life insurance company, he was already an industry veteran with deep product knowledge and keen management skills. He's been instrumental in the success of our life insurance operations over the past 18 years. Since 1997, Cincinnati Life has increased its gross life insurance face amount in force from $11 billion to more than $88 billion at year-end 2014. Dave has built a strong leadership team, which will make his transition to retirement seamless for our agents and associates.

"Roger is prepared for this challenge. He's proven himself as a respected leader in our company and our industry. Roger's energy and focus will keep Cincinnati Life contributing as a vital part of our organization, bringing value to our agents and shareholders."

Also effective January 1, 2016, in connection with these leadership transitions, Steven J. Johnston, FCAS, MAAA, CFA, CERA, chief executive officer, becomes president of the subsidiary, aligning his title across all Cincinnati Financial insurance subsidiaries; actuarial officers C. Elaine Mackey, FSA, MAAA, CLU, and Michael T. Tiernan, FSA, MAAA, CPCU, are promoted to secretary.

Principal Accounting Officer of Cincinnati Financial Announces 2016 Retirement
Eric M. Mathews, CPCU, AIAF, principal accounting officer, vice president of Cincinnati Financial, and senior vice president for the insurance subsidiaries, will retire July 29, 2016. He joined the company in 1978 and quickly advanced through the accounting department. Mathews has been instrumental in developing the processes and procedures that have earned the company a reputation for ethical and transparent accounting disclosures.

Michael J. Sewell, senior vice president and chief financial officer, commented: "Eric's finance and accounting acumen have guided the decisions of many of our chief financial officers. I thank him for his many years of service and dedication. He has built a deep bench of accounting talent that is well-positioned to continue our strength in accounting and financial reporting."

Effective immediately, Theresa A. Hoffer, vice president and treasurer of The Cincinnati Insurance Company, begins to assume additional corporate accounting duties as Mathews nears retirement. In her 35-year accounting career at Cincinnati, Hoffer has assumed increasing levels of responsibility within the accounting operation, including overseeing the implementation and integration of new accounting technology systems. Hoffer holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Cincinnati and a master's of business administration from Xavier University.

Sewell continued: "Theresa and Eric have worked together for many years. Theresa's deep knowledge of the company's insurance operations and accounting combined with her high level of business ethics make her the right choice to assume a more senior leadership role in our corporate accounting department."

Senior Vice President Added to Cincinnati Insurance Commercial Lines Leadership
Stephen M. Spray, senior vice president, transitions to Cincinnati's commercial insurance operations effective January 1, 2016, establishing the leadership perpetuation plan for the segment. An insurance industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, Spray has been an agent, an underwriter and a field marketing representative. He most recently was responsible for property casualty sales and marketing, including management of field underwriters and independent agency relationships. Previously, Spray helped establish the company's excess and surplus lines operations and created the Target Markets division. Spray will continue to report to J.F. Scherer, executive vice president and chief insurance officer.

Scherer commented: "Steve has worn many hats for our company. He understands the advantages independent agents bring to the insurance buying experience, and he's adept at creating product suites to build on those advantages, deepening our relationships with agents and their clients.

"Bud Stoneburner, a proven and successful leader, continues to manage daily commercial insurance operations as senior vice president – commercial lines. Together, Bud and Steve will work to further enhance our agent-centered strategy, positioning our commercial lines operations for future profitable growth."

Also effective January 1, Sean M. Givler, CIC, CRM, secretary, assumes leadership of property casualty insurance sales and marketing operations. Givler currently oversees field marketing representatives and agency relationships in Alabama, Montana, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. Since joining the company in 1997, he has held positions of increasing authority and responsibility in underwriting and field sales marketing and was appointed as an officer of Cincinnati Insurance in 2012. Givler earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Tennessee and a master's of business administration from the University of Phoenix.

Scherer continued: "Sean understands the advantages created by our unique model of empowered field associates serving our independent agency partners. He's well known and respected by our agents. Sean's enthusiasm is evident; he's focused on finding new ways to serve the needs of our agents."