NICB President and CEO Robert M. Bryant to Retire

NICB Board Elects Joseph H. Wehrle, Jr. as New CEO

DES PLAINES, Ill., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Susan Q. Hood,
Claims Vice President, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and
Chair of the Board of Governors (BOG) of the National Insurance Crime Bureau
(NICB) announced today that Robert M. "Bear" Bryant will retire as NICB
President and Chief Executive Officer, effective at the close of business
today, September 2, 2008.
At NICB, Mr. Bryant was the force behind the creation of Medical Fraud
Task Forces and the Strategic and Tactical Information Department. He
supported cutting-edge technology, such as license plate readers, bait cars
and enhanced analytical tools for detecting fraud trends. He was an early and
consistent voice nudging the NICB membership toward providing their salvage
claims data to the public as a consumer protection against unsafe vehicles.
His efforts materialized with the launch of NICB's member-supported VINCheckSM
vehicle history service on June 30, 2008 -- a first-of-a-kind free benefit for
the public.
In acknowledging the tenure of Mr. Bryant, Ms. Hood stated, "Mr. Bryant
was responsible for remaking the NICB into the premier fraud-fighting
organization it is today. His leadership, foresight and passion for
excellence have touched every facet of NICB's operations delivering
efficiency, effectiveness, and a return on member investment that has grown
from 2:1 upon his arrival to 8:1 presently. This is truly phenomenal and I
know I speak for the rest of the Board of Governors in wishing Mr. Bryant a
satisfying and well-deserved retirement. He will be missed."
The NICB Board elected NICB's Chief Operating Officer, Joseph H. Wehrle,
Jr. to succeed Bryant as president and chief executive officer effective at
the close of business today, September 2, 2008. "I am honored by the
confidence the NICB Board has placed in me and I am excited to have the
opportunity to lead this great organization. Thanks to Bob Bryant, the NICB
is operationally sound and ready to move to the next level in our continued
effort to accomplish our mission of combating insurance fraud and vehicle
theft.
"I stand committed to continuing the cooperation that NICB extends to all
of our partners including our member insurance companies, the entire property
and casualty industry, law enforcement, state fraud bureaus, trade
associations and all organizations focused on reducing the impact of fraud on
the American public," said Mr. Wehrle.
"As a West Point graduate and retired Air Force Lt. General with over 33
years of service to the nation, Joe Wehrle brings a tremendous record of
leadership and accomplishment to the NICB. His ability to attack the fraud
problem while leading the NICB benefits from his previous experience as
president of USAA Property and Casualty Group. He is uniquely qualified to
direct the efforts of the NICB as it extends its excellent record of
performance into new and challenging areas of insurance fraud activity," said
Ms. Hood.
About NICB: The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation's premier
not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and
defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis,
investigations, training and public awareness. Learn more at www.nicb.org.
SOURCE National Insurance Crime Bureau

Frank Scafidi of National Insurance Crime Bureau, +1-916-979-7025,
fscafidi@nicb.org