Leadership Team - Biography

Margaret Meister is president and chief executive officer of Symetra Financial Corporation and president of its insurance subsidiaries. She is also a member of the company’s board of directors.

Ms. Meister joined Symetra in 1988 as an actuarial student. She was appointed chief actuary in 2004 and chief financial officer (CFO) in February 2006, assuming responsibility for the company’s financial strategy and operations. She became president and chief executive officer in February 2018.

As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, Ms. Meister played a principal role in Symetra’s initial public offering in 2010, as well as its successful acquisition by Sumitomo Life in 2016. In addition to her responsibilities as CFO, she served as chief information officer from 2014 to 2016, leading the Information Technology department during the transition of the company’s data center. She also has had responsibility for Symetra’s brand strategy development through her oversight of the company’s marketing, advertising and communications programs.

Ms. Meister is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. She graduated from Whitman College with a bachelor’s degree in math. 

A member of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) board of directors, Ms. Meister also serves on the boards of the Washington Roundtable and The Henry Art Gallery.