Skip to main content

Joe Swiderski, Regional Vice President of Merchants Insurance Group's Eastern Strategic Business Center in Hauppauge, New YorkJoe Swiderski Named Regional Vice President of Merchants’ Eastern Strategic Business Center

Joe Swiderski has been promoted to Regional Vice President of Merchants Insurance Group’s Eastern Strategic Business Center (ESBC) in Hauppauge, New York, effective June 24, 2024.

“I am pleased to have Joe Swiderski take the reins of our largest regional office at Merchants Insurance,” said Charles E. Makey, III, President and Chief Executive Officer of Merchants Insurance Group.

Mr. Swiderski will replace Andy Meehan, who retires in July 2024 after seven years as ESBC’s Regional Vice President.

“Joe is intimately familiar with the New York insurance market and has established meaningful relationships with many of our agency partners,” said Dan Bierbrauer, Sr. Vice President, Regional Operations. “We are confident Joe has the experience and knowledge to succeed Andy Meehan.”

Mr. Swiderski has over 25 years of experience in commercial lines underwriting and underwriting management. Prior to his promotion, he served as ESBC’s Regional Underwriting Manager since 2010. Mr. Swiderski started at Merchants in 2001 as Regional Underwriting Supervisor.

“I am honored to be selected for this new role and look forward to leading the ESBC team,” said Joe Swiderski. “The strength of the region has always been the staff, and I hope that I can be a mentor to them and help us reach our goals.”

As Regional Vice President, Mr. Swiderski will manage the company’s Eastern Strategic Business Center, overseeing regional operations such as underwriting, claims, sales, and agency management. Located in Hauppauge, New York, Merchants’ Eastern Strategic Business Center serves the Lower Hudson Valley and Long Island, New York.

“Merchants has always been a great place to work and has provided opportunities for professional growth while allowing a work-life balance that I value so much,” said Mr. Swiderski.

Joe Swiderski holds a bachelor’s degree in biology with a concentration in math from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York. He has also earned his CPCU and AU designations. A lifelong New Yorker, Mr. Swiderski resides in Jamesport, New York.

“Joe has been trained and mentored by a very talented prior Regional Management team over his Merchants career on Long Island,” said Mr. Makey. “I am extremely confident he will continue to take our Eastern regional office to new heights under his leadership.”

Katherine Trautwein

Merchants Insurance Group

Merchants Insurance Group sells its products through a network of more than 1,000 independent insurance agents in Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. We sell our products through independent insurance agents because we believe they provide value to policyholders through their broad range of products and their insurance expertise.