Big Moves – Former head of State Farm Canada retires

Barbara Bellissimo, who worked her way up from underwriter to chief agent of State Farm Canada, has retired from Desjardins Group after a 33-year career in the industry.

Before her retirement on Jan. 1, she was managing vice-president for the Desjardins Agent Network. State Farm’s Aurora, Ont.-based Canadian operations were acquired by Desjardins Group in 2015.

“Barbara made a very significant contribution to what remains today as the most important transaction and integration program in Desjardins’ history,” stated Denis Dubois, Desjardins Group’s executive vice president of wealth management and life and health insurance, referring to the State Farm acquisition.

The new vice president of the Desjardins Agent Network is Benaaz Irani, who has worked at Desjardins for 18 years.

Bellissimo joined State Farm Canada in Ontario as an underwriter in 1986. She was chief agent from 2009 through 2014. Until recently, she represented Desjardins on the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR)’s board of directors. She has the Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) designation and served on the board of directors of the Insurance Bureau of Canada from 2009 through 2015. She will continue to serve on the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation Board.

WHO: Barbara Bellissimo

FORMER ROLE: Managing vice-president,  Desjardins Agent Network

P&C EXPERIENCE: 33 years

PROFILE: Chief agent for Canada at State Farm in 2015 when Desjardins bought State Farm’s Canadian operations. Until recently, she was chairwoman of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction.e Farm Canada in Ontario as an underwriter in 1986. She was chief agent from 2009 through 2014. Until recently, she represented Desjardins on the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR)’s board of directors. She has the Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP) designation and served on the board of directors of the Insurance Bureau of Canada from 2009 through 2015. She will continue to serve on the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation Board.

Geneviève Fortier is now CEO of Quebec City-based Promutuel Insurance. She came to Promutuel from SSQ Insurance, where she was
the senior vice president of sales and distribution.

Geneviève Fortier Appointed Chief Executive Officer of Promutuel Insurance (CNW Group/Promutuel Assurance)

Robert Lepine is now district manager for Western Quebec at ClaimsPro/IndemniPro, an SCM company. Lepine has held regional director positions for various national insurers over his 25-year career.

Robert Lepine, district manager for Western Quebec at ClaimsPro/IndemniPro,

Paul Tiller is now claims manager for Ontario-based Cayuga Mutual Insurance Company. He was a senior executive at Granite Claims Solutions, which was acquired by SCM. His career began in 1988 as a field adjuster at Crawford and Company Insurance Adjusters.