Horace Mann CEO guilty of DUI

Horace Mann Educators Corp., the insurer that sells policies to public-school employees, said Chief Executive Officer Louis Lower was placed on leave after pleading guilty to driving under the influence.

"There are no excuses to offer other than a lapse of personal character," Lower said in a statement today distributed by the Springfield-based insurer. "My promise is to learn from this extremely challenging period in my life."

Lower was sentenced to serve time in a county jail after pleading guilty Sept. 8 to the driving offense, which involved a traffic accident in Florida at the end of the Memorial Day weekend in May, the insurer said. Chief Financial Officer Peter Heckman has been asked to serve as interim CEO.

The insurer's board of directors "was understandably dismayed by this situation, placed Mr. Lower on leave of absence and will be considering whether additional disciplinary actions are appropriate," Chairman Gabriel Shaheen said in the statement. "In light of his exemplary service in the Springfield and insurance communities, his contrition and acceptance of full responsibility for his actions, and the fact that this is his first offense, he will return to his CEO responsibilities in late October or early November."

The insurer didn't say in the statement how long the sentence is for. A call to the company seeking comment wasn't immediately returned.

Horace Mann sells auto and homeowners insurance and retirement products. The company has climbed about 42 percent this year in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.