Allstate announces management shake-up, renewed focus on customers

Northbrook-based Allstate Corp. announced Wednesday a management shake-up in a reorganization aimed at focusing attention closely on customers and improving efficiency of operations.

Allstate said that Matt Winter, president of the company's personal insurance division, will move become president of Allstate and chief executive officer of Allstate Life Insurance Co. Winter will continue to be responsible for the brand-name property-casualty business and will integrate the life insurance operations into the personal insurance business.

Allstate's brand distribution will be reorganized to give a bigger adviser role to Allstate agents, the company said. James Haskins, president of Allstate's Western U.S. division, will become executive vice president for brand distribution. Several operations will be combined into one unit to be led by Jim DeVries, Allstate's chief administrative officer, who will become executive vice president for brand operations.

An emerging businesses unit will be comprised of businesses that serve multiple customer segments and markets, including business-to-business, Esurance, Answer Financial and annuities. It will be led by Don Civgin, who will become president of emerging businesses. Civgin currently is president and CEO of Allstate Financial and oversees Esurance.

Suren Gupta, executive vice president of technology operations, will take on the role of executive vice president for enterprise technology and strategic ventures. Harriet Harty, who has held various positions in Allstate's human resources department, will move up to executive vice president of human resources.

Shares of Allstate rose 54 cents or $67.75 in midday trading. Its shares have risen almost 30 percent over the past year.