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Deals & People June 6, 2023
Ameritas Names New CEO, New President to start in 2024
Bill Lester will retire next year, with Bob Jurgensmeier set to succeed him as CEO and Susan Wilkinson as president and chief operating officer.
Reported by Natalie Lin
Ameritas announced this week that Bill Lester will retire as president and CEO of Ameritas Mutual Holding Co. and several related entities, and two separate successors will prepare for transitions effective on January 2, 2024.
“Bill’s legacy reflects 40 years of unwavering commitment to the Ameritas purpose and customers and to everyone associated with the organization,” Ameritas board chair Tonn Ostergard said in a statement. “The board and I thank Bill for his leadership and congratulate him on his retirement.”
Bob Jurgensmeier will succeed Lester as CEO, as selected by the board. In addition, Jurgensmeier and the board announced Susan Wilkinson as president and chief operating officer.
“Bob and Sue are smart, strategic leaders with a great vision for the future and a deep understanding of our industry and of the unique qualities that make Ameritas so special,” Lester said in a statement.
Lester oversaw the various business units of Ameritas, including a retirement division that focused on more tailored retirement plan solutions for plan sponsors, including the launch of its Ameritas GPS platform and 403(b) solution in 2020 to allow employers to create and manage plans. In March 2022, he promoted Jim Kais to executive vice president of retirement plans, noting the executive’s work in reworking the firm’s retirement plans distribution system and bringing on industry experts.
A Nebraska native, Lester began his career with Ameritas as a securities analyst in 1983. After holding several different positions in the firm, he became CEO in January 2020. He is a chartered financial analyst and is a member of the Omaha/Lincoln Society of Financial Analysts.
“Ameritas has been my career, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve come to know with this remarkable company,” Lester said in a statement. “Ameritas is strong and stable, with an outstanding team of dedicated associates and a growing network of excellent distribution colleagues. Now is a good time for me to take this step. Cindy and I look forward to having more time for family pursuits and continued community involvement.”