Omaha National Insurance Company Adds Dennis Chookaszian, Geoff Banta to Board of Directors
OMAHA, Neb., May 14, 2019 – Omaha National Insurance Company, a provider of workers compensation insurance to small and mid-size businesses, has announced the appointment of Dennis Chookaszian and Geoff Banta as independent members of its board of directors.
Chookaszian is the former chairman and CEO of CNA Financial (NYSE: CNA) and currently an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He serves on the board of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (Nasdaq: CME) in addition to numerous other prominent board appointments for publicly traded and private companies, as well as not-for-profit organizations, including the national board for the Boy Scouts of America.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University, an MBA degree in finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics. Chookaszian is also a recipient of the Outstanding Directors Award from the Financial Times Outstanding Directors Exchange.
“Dennis brings so much to the board. He has a stellar reputation in the industry, tremendous connections, and deep experience in running a highly successful company,” said Reagan Pufall, president and CEO of Omaha National.
Banta is an independent consultant, focusing on the property and casualty insurance industry. In 2015 he retired from AMERISAFE (Nasdaq: AMSF), a workers compensation company, where he served as president, chief financial officer, and chief operating officer. During his 11-year tenure at AMERISAFE, the company went public and saw its book value plus capital returned grow by 15.6% on an annual basis.
On Omaha National’s board, he has been appointed chairman of the audit committee. Banta holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University, with joint majors in accounting and applied mathematics.
“Geoff has been a big part of our success from the beginning, providing us with valuable information, insight, and advice,” said Pufall. “We would not be where we are today without him and look forward to continuing to benefit from his wisdom.”
With the appointment of Chookaszian and Banta, Omaha National’s board consists of five members, including chairperson H. Scott Silverman, founder and CEO of Agman; Jeremy Smith, principal of Agman; and Reagan Pufall, president and CEO of Omaha National.
About Omaha National
Omaha National is a new insurance company that has grown to more than $30 million in premium after 19 months of marketing and is already generating a loss ratio significantly lower than industry average. The company employs the insurtech approach of gaining advantage through the development of proprietary software. Omaha National is expanding to become a national workers compensation insurer.
About Agman
Agman is a multi-strategy investment firm that traces its roots to western Iowa in 1923. Agman leverages its permanent capital base to partner with exceptional entrepreneurs building enduring businesses. Since its humble origins, Agman has grown into one of the largest family-owned investment firms in the United States, with thousands of employees and activities across the country.