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Merchants Welcomes Michael Wolfe as Senior Vice President, Regional Operations

 

Headshot photo of Michael Wolfe - Senior Vice President, Regional Operations - Merchants Insurance Group - 2024Merchants Insurance Group has announced the appointment of Michael (Mike) Wolfe to Senior Vice President, Regional Operations at the company’s corporate headquarters in Buffalo, New York, effective October 7, 2024.

Mr. Wolfe has 37 years of experience in the insurance industry, many of which were spent in sales, marketing, and regional management positions with both national and regional carriers. Most recently, he served as Regional Leader for Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania for WeSure Insurance.

Prior to WeSure, Mr. Wolfe held leadership roles as Senior Regional Vice President, Senior Marketing Officer, Director – Sales Training, Director of Marketing & Sales, District Manager, and Assistant Vice President with several insurance companies, including Utica National Insurance Group, Nationwide Insurance, Celina Insurance Group, Farmers Insurance, and Erie Insurance.

“Michael brings a wealth of experience to Merchants Insurance Group. In this key leadership role, he will reinforce our ongoing efforts to position Merchants small and mid-market commercial lines business for profitable growth and deepen our commitment to delivering exceptional service and support to our independent agents,” said Charles E. Makey, III, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Michael is intimately familiar with Merchants’ operating territories and has relationships with many of our key agency partners. I am thrilled to have him join our leadership team.”

Mr. Wolfe will succeed Dan Bierbrauer, who retires in December 2024 after 26 years with Merchants.

“I’m thrilled to pass the torch to someone as highly qualified and experienced as Mike,” said Mr. Bierbrauer. “I have complete confidence that he will thrive in his new role.”

As Sr. Vice President, Regional Operations, Mr. Wolfe will oversee Regional Operations, Sales, and Marketing.

“Merchants is a high-performing organization with a rich history and strong culture. A Ward’s 50 carrier for four consecutive years, Merchants has also been named among Western New York’s Top Private Companies for five straight years,” said Michael Wolfe. “I am excited to join such an outstanding company with an exceptional group of insurance professionals.”

Mr. Wolfe earned his Bachelor of Science (BS) in Economics and his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania. He also holds CPCU, CIC, CRM, and AU designations. Mr. Wolfe taught CPCU courses for nearly 20 years, as well as economics and finance courses at his alma mater.

Mike Wolfe currently lives in Columbus, Ohio. He enjoys spending time with his wife and four children, physical fitness, and reading books on leadership and personal development.

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.