What’s new: In brief (September 22, 2004)

Western Financial Group has named Jim Dinning as chair of the board, to replace James A. Robb. Dinning had been vice chair of the board, and company CEO Scott Tannas says the change is in anticipation opportunities the company is facing in the western Canadian financial services market. Bill Yuill has also been appointed to the board, an entrepreneur coming from the cable and broadcast sectors. Robb will also continue to have an unspecified role in the company’s corporate governance.

The Insurance Corp. of B.C. has named Paul Taylor as its new CEO, to replace Nick Geer. Taylor is currently B.C.’s Deputy Minister of Finance, and has been with the provincial government since 2001. Prior to that he was CEO of the B.C. Automobile Dealers Association. Taylor says Geer is to be credited with leaving the public auto insurer in strong financial health. The CEO’s role had been filled in the interim by ICBC COO Bill Goble.

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has named Marilyn McLaren as its new CEO. McLaren has been with the public auto insurer since 1979, and takes over from Jack Zacharias, who is retiring after 10 years as CEO. McLaren most recently served as MPI’s vice president of corporate insurance operations, a position she held since 1997. She was responsible for developing the “personal injury protection plan”, and also the company’s customer service standards.