NICB President and CEO Robert M. Bryant to Retire
Susan Q. Hood, Claims Vice President, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and
Chair of the Board of Governors (BOG) of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) announced today that Robert M. "Bear" Bryant will retire as NICB President and Chief Executive Officer, effective at the close of business today, September 2, 2008.
At NICB, Mr. Bryant was the force behind the creation of Medical Fraud Task Forces and the Strategic and Tactical Information Department. He supported cutting-edge technology, such as license plate readers, bait cars and enhanced analytical tools for detecting fraud trends. He was an early and consistent voice nudging the NICB membership toward providing their salvage claims data to the public as a consumer protection against unsafe vehicles. His efforts materialized with the launch of NICB's member-supported VINCheckSM vehicle history service on June 30, 2008 -- a first-of-a-kind free benefit for the public.
In acknowledging the tenure of Mr. Bryant, Ms. Hood stated, "Mr. Bryant was responsible for remaking the NICB into the premier fraud-fighting organization it is today. His leadership, foresight and passion for excellence have touched every facet of NICB's operations delivering
efficiency, effectiveness, and a return on member investment that has grown from 2:1 upon his arrival to 8:1 presently. This is truly phenomenal and I know I speak for the rest of the Board of Governors in wishing Mr. Bryant a satisfying and well-deserved retirement. He will be missed."
The NICB Board elected NICB's Chief Operating Officer, Joseph H. Wehrle, Jr. to succeed Bryant as president and chief executive officer effective at the close of business today, September 2, 2008. "I am honored by the confidence the NICB Board has placed in me and I am excited to have the opportunity to lead this great organization. Thanks to Bob Bryant, the NICB is operationally sound and ready to move to the next level in our continued effort to accomplish our mission of combating insurance fraud and vehicle theft.
"I stand committed to continuing the cooperation that NICB extends to all of our partners including our member insurance companies, the entire property and casualty industry, law enforcement, state fraud bureaus, trade associations and all organizations focused on reducing the impact of fraud on the American public," said Mr. Wehrle.
"As a West Point graduate and retired Air Force Lt. General with over 33 years of service to the nation, Joe Wehrle brings a tremendous record of leadership and accomplishment to the NICB. His ability to attack the fraud problem while leading the NICB benefits from his previous experience as president of USAA Property and Casualty Group. He is uniquely qualified to direct the efforts of the NICB as it extends its excellent record of performance into new and challenging areas of insurance fraud activity," said Ms. Hood.
About NICB: The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation's premier not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training and public awareness. Learn more at www.nicb.org.
