Branch Hires Thommy Guerrero As First Chief Financial Officer

Guerrero brings significant leadership experience to the fastest-growing multi-line P&C insurance
company in the U.S.
Branch also announced the appointment of Joseph B. Anderson, Jr. to its Board of Directors

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Branch ®, a full-stack insurance company that uses data, technology, and automation to make home and auto insurance completely frictionless, announced the hiring of Thommy Guerrero as the company's first CFO. Guerrero comes to Branch following nearly a decade as an operator at a high-growth insurance-related business, and brings deep experience in M&A, fundraising and public markets.

"We could not be more excited about Thommy joining our leadership team," said Branch CEO and cofounder Steve Lekas. "His comprehensive understanding of insurance distribution models and his experience as a leader, mentor, and investor will be essential to our continued growth."

Said Guerrero, "Branch is in a class by itself, combining best-in-class technology with a deep core competency in insurance, creating an exciting runway for continued growth. I am thrilled to be joining Steve and the Branch leadership team on this exciting journey. I look forward to helping Branch build lasting relationships with customers and financial partners as the company continues to expand into new product and geographic areas."

Most recently, Guerrero served as the Head of Finance and Corporate Development at MediaAlpha, where he spent seven years developing new partnerships and overseeing M&A and fundraising efforts, including during MediaAlpha's IPO. He has served on the Finance and Capital Markets teams at Starwood, Ares Management, Morgan Stanley, and PWC. In addition, Guerrero is an investor and advisor to several organizations including Acrew Capital, Cap Table Coalition, Mundial Media, and Functional Finance. He also serves as a mentor at Black Ambition and as a SELF fellow at the Management Leadership for Tomorrow.

Guerrero is not the only exceptional leader to have recently joined Branch. The company also disclosed that Joseph B. Anderson, Jr. joined Branch as an Independent Director earlier this year. Anderson joined the Branch Board of Directors with an extensive career in leadership and business management. After serving two tours of duty with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam, Anderson began his business career with General Motors at Pontiac Motor Division, eventually rising to become a General Director within the Fisher Guide Division of General Motors Corporation. After 13 years, Anderson left GM to become the President and CEO of Composite Energy Management Systems, Inc (CEMSI). He is currently the majority owner, Chairman, and CEO of TAG Holdings, LLC, which owns several manufacturing, service and technology-based companies in North America. Over the course of its history, TAG Holdings has engaged in 15 acquisitions and joint ventures.

Anderson's role at Branch continues his career of board positions and upper-level company management. His past board positions include Chairman and Director roles at multiple companies including USAA, RiteAid, the Business Leaders for Michigan, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago-Detroit Branch, and the U.S. Department of Commerce Manufacturing Council.

"Big goals require big talent, and we could not have found a better fit with what we're doing than Joe. With his years of experience, In the short time he has served on our Board of Directors, Joe's counsel and experience have proved essential both to me and to Branch" said Lekas. "Joe is aligned with Branch's goals and his leadership strengthens our Board and brings valuable perspectives to our growing company."

With these recent additions, the leadership team guiding Branch has reached new levels of expertise while increasing the company's commitment to and understanding of community. Both Anderson and Guerrero bring decades of community leadership and involvement to their work at Branch.

About Branch
Branch is home and auto insurance that's simple to buy and built for savings. Through its revolutionary instant-bind capability, Branch removes all of the friction associated with getting covered, helping consumers bundle their home and auto with ease. Branch is a Public Benefits Corporation and manages a reciprocal exchange, an organization in which the policyholders are the actual owners of the policy premiums. The structure is built to align incentives and provide members with as much savings as possible. Branch further provides its members with access to a number of community-based products – which help members save even more by leveraging the power of their networks.

Branch was launched in 2019 by insurance veteran Steve Lekas and tech entrepreneur Joe Emison, and is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Branch is underwritten by the Branch Insurance Exchange, Everspan Insurance Company, and General Security National Insurance Company (GSNIC) and backed by SCOR. To learn more, visit Branch.com.

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SOURCE Branch Insurance