Kemper Corporation has named Stephen J. McAnena (pictured) as its new president and chief executive officer, bringing to a close a seven-month search that began when longtime CEO Joseph P. Lacher, Jr. departed abruptly in October 2025.
McAnena, who joins from Horace Mann where he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer, will assume the role effective June 1 and will also take a seat on Kemper's board of directors. Interim CEO C. Thomas Evans, Jr. will return to his position as executive vice president, secretary, and general counsel.
In a simultaneous announcement, Kemper said Anthony J. DeSantis has been appointed to its board of directors, also effective June 1.
The appointment ends a leadership interregnum that began on October 14, 2025, when Kemper's board determined that Lacher - who had led the Chicago-based insurer for nearly a decade - would step down immediately. Evans, a company veteran since 1992, was named interim CEO while the board established a search committee and engaged an outside executive search firm to identify a successor.
The transition came at a difficult moment for the company. Kemper's 2025 full-year net income attributable to the corporation came in at $143.3 million, down sharply from $317.8 million in 2024, while adjusted consolidated net operating income fell to $225.5 million from $381.5 million the prior year, according to the company's 2026 proxy statement.
Pressure has continued into 2026. In its first-quarter results, reported May 6, Kemper posted a net loss of $1.7 million - a stark reversal from net income of $99.7 million in the same period a year earlier. Management attributed the shortfall largely to elevated loss costs in California within its specialty personal automobile business. Adjusted consolidated net operating income for Q1 2026 was $12.5 million, compared with $106.4 million in Q1 2025.
Kemper's specialty commercial automobile segment offered a brighter spot, growing policies in force by 10% year over year while producing an underlying combined ratio of 92.4%. The company said restructuring initiatives are well underway, with $60 million in run-rate savings identified and $50 million already actioned.
McAnena brings more than 30 years of insurance leadership spanning property and casualty, group benefits, life, and annuity lines. At Horace Mann, he worked closely with the chief executive to drive profitable growth and expand market share, strengthening the company's position as a leading provider of insurance and financial solutions to educators and their families.
Gerry Laderman, Kemper's chairman of the board, said the board was confident in its choice following a rigorous search process.
"We are pleased to welcome Steve to Kemper," Laderman said in a statement. "He is widely recognized for his ability to align organizations around clear priorities, build and develop high-performing teams, and lead insurance companies through change and transformation. Following a thoughtful and rigorous search process, the board is confident Steve brings the experience and leadership needed to help Kemper execute on its priorities, strengthen performance, and create long-term value for our shareholders, employees, customers, and communities."
Laderman also acknowledged Evans' stewardship during the interim period, noting he had guided the company through "industry-wide headwinds across our core markets."
McAnena described the appointment as an opportunity he intends to seize.
"I am honored to join Kemper at this important point in the company's journey," he said. "Kemper has a strong foundation, a great brand, talented employees, and a long-standing commitment to serving its customers and communities. I look forward to working closely with the Board, leadership team, employees, and agents and distribution partners across the organization to build on that foundation, strengthen performance, and support Kemper's long-term success."
DeSantis, the incoming board member, brings more than 40 years of insurance industry experience to the table, with a background spanning personal and commercial lines, including non-standard auto - a core segment for Kemper. He has held senior leadership roles at American Family, The General, Farmers, and AIG.
Laderman said DeSantis's experience navigating multiple underwriting cycles would make him a valuable addition to the board.
Kemper operates approximately $12 billion in assets, serves over 4.5 million policies, and is represented by approximately 24,000 agents and brokers. Its roughly 7,300 associates are spread across its two primary consumer brands - Kemper Auto and Kemper Life.
The insurer has faced a combination of challenges common across the non-standard auto market: elevated claims severity in weather-exposed and litigious states, the ongoing cost of rate actions to restore profitability, and structural headwinds from its winding-down preferred personal lines business.
McAnena steps in with a mandate that, based on board communications, centres on execution - tightening underwriting discipline, completing the restructuring programme, and rebuilding investor confidence after a period of earnings volatility. His background in operational transformation is likely to prove central to that brief.
