Symetra Appoints Kevin Byrne and Thomas Girard to Board of Directors
BELLEVUE, Wash.—Symetra Financial Corporation today announced the appointments of Kevin R. Byrne and Thomas J. Girard to its board of directors. Mr. Byrne is recently retired chief executive officer of Pacific Global Asset Management, and Mr. Girard most recently served as chief investment officer, Fixed Income for NYL Investors, from which he retired in June 2018. The appointments were effective March 31, 2023.
“We are very pleased to welcome Kevin and Tom to the Symetra board. Our new directors bring impressive backgrounds to the company. Their deep business and industry acumen will be invaluable as we pursue Symetra’s strategic vision and long-term growth. I look forward to their insights and contributions and to working with them,” said Tom Marra, chairman of the board for Symetra.
“Kevin and Tom’s collective years of experience and expertise add to the strength of our board,” added Margaret Meister, president and CEO of Symetra. “The dialogue and perspective among our board members is an invaluable asset to company management as we develop and execute company strategy. We are operating in a dynamic and rapidly changing marketplace, and I am grateful for what Kevin, Tom and the rest of our board members offer in support of successfully growing the business in this environment.”
Mr. Byrne retired from Pacific Life in January 2022. From 2018 to 2021, he served as chief executive officer of Pacific Global Asset Management. From 2012 to 2017, he was senior vice president and chief financial officer for Pacific Life's Retirement Solutions Division.
Prior to Pacific Life, Mr. Byrne spent over 20 years with Equitable Life Insurance, ultimately serving as executive vice president and chief investment officer for AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, with responsibility for the strategy and oversight of insurance investment portfolios, corporate finance, and corporate treasurer.
Mr. Byrne received an MBA in international business from New York University, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Fordham University. He is a member of the board of directors for New York Community Trust, serving as chair of the Investment Committee.
Tom Girard retired as the chief investment officer, Fixed Income, for NYL Investors, a wholly owned subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company. He oversaw the management of $145 billion in fixed income assets and was responsible for setting investment strategy and overseeing risk management of all fixed income portfolios. During his tenure, Mr. Girard was instrumental in building the firm’s third-party asset management business. He was a member of NYL Investors board of directors and senior leadership team and was responsible for providing annual reviews to the Investment Committee of the New York Life board of directors as well as credit rating agencies.
Prior to joining NYL Investors, Mr. Girard served as a managing director and head of Fixed Income for Robeco Investment Management, Weiss Peck & Greer, where he oversaw $11 billion and was a key architect of the overall investment philosophy and process. He was a member of the Operating Committee and the Investment Policy Committee.
Mr. Girard received an MBA in finance from Fordham University and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from St. John Fisher College. He is a member of the advisory board at Hollow Brook Wealth Management, and formerly served as an advisory board member at Schultze Asset Management, LP, and at the Fixed Income Forum.
About Symetra
Symetra Financial Corporation is a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent financial professionals and insurance producers. For more information, visit www.symetra.com.
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Media Relations:
Diana McSweeney
(425) 256-6167
diana.mcsweeney@symetra.com
