Erie Insurance builds leadership strength with several promotions

(Erie, Pa.) Aug. 22, 2012 - Erie Insurance is pleased to announce the following leadership promotions.

• Richard Burt, Executive Vice President of Product. In this role, Burt will oversee ERIE's three business lines - personal, commercial and life insurance. He joined ERIE in July 2011, bringing more than 25 years of actuarial and business experience from firms including Deloitte Consulting; global insurance broker Willis, Coopers & Lybrand; and Aetna Life & Casualty. Burt earned a bachelor's degree in economics and physics from Bowdoin College and is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society. He succeeds Mike Zavasky in this role. Zavasky announced retirement plans last year.
• Christina Marsh, Senior Vice President of Services. In this newly created position, Marsh will be responsible for developing an enterprise project management office and oversee organizational effectiveness and ERIE's crisis prevention and management team. Marsh joined ERIE in 1994 as a corporate accountant and held several financial leadership roles before being named senior vice president of ERIE's HR division in 2008. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Mercyhurst University. Prior to joining ERIE, she earned a Certified Public Accountant designation while working for Ernst & Young.
• Dionne Wallace Oakley, Senior Vice President of Human Resources. In this role, Wallace Oakley will oversee ERIE's human resources division. She joined ERIE in January 2011 from State Farm where she served as the corporate human resources director. Wallace Oakley has more than 20 years of experience in both insurance and human resources. She holds a dual bachelor's degree in Marketing and Business from Delaware State University, and a master's degree in Human Resources Development from Towson State University.

Burt will begin transitioning to his new role immediately. Marsh and Wallace Oakley assume their new positions on September 6.

According to A.M. Best Company, Erie Insurance Group, based in Erie, Pennsylvania, is the 15th largest homeowners insurer and 12th largest automobile insurer in the United States based on direct premiums written and the 20th largest property/casualty insurer in the United States based on total lines net premium written. The Group, rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company, has nearly 4.5 million policies in force and operates in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Erie Insurance Group is a FORTUNE 500 company. Erie Insurance is proud to be named a J.D. Power and Associates' 2012 Customer Service Champion. ERIE is one of only 50 U.S. companies so named. Erie Insurance is also recognized on the list of Ward's 50 Group of top performing insurance companies, which analyzes the financial performance of 3,000 property and casualty companies and recognizes the top performers for achieving outstanding results in safety, consistency and financial performance over a five-year period (2007-2011).

News releases and more information about Erie Insurance Group are available at www.erieinsurance.com.

CONTACT:
Leah Knapp, Erie Insurance
(814) 449-6792, leah.knapp@erieinsurance.com