RENO, Nev.— November 2, 2006 — EMPLOYERS^SM today announced the appointment of Teresa Shappell as Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer. EMPLOYERS is a leading group of companies in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry specializing in providing workers' compensation insurance and services to America's small businesses. 

Chief Executive Officer Douglas D. Dirks said Shappell will help EMPLOYERS effectively focus on new initiatives and opportunities as the business grows.

“Shappell brings a wide variety of operational and executive experience to EMPLOYERS,” said Dirks. “We are very pleased to have her strong business and market knowledge to help us identify opportunities and develop the strategies necessary to sustain EMPLOYERS' growth and success,” Dirks said. 

Prior to joining EMPLOYERS, Shappell was Chairman of Shappell, Inc., a consulting firm providing executive coaching and business strategy support. She also served as vice president of Marketing and Product Management for Intuit Inc.'s Outsourced Payroll Division, served as vice president of U.S. Sales and Commercial Operations for Bausch & Lomb, and led a strategy group for the office of the CEO at Dell Computer Corporation. Shappell also has held a series of management positions with Cummins Engine Company, Chiquita Brands International, and Armco Steel. Shappell served as interim CEO and an advisory board member for eCalibre Technologies, Inc., and has served as an advisor and board member for several start-up ventures.

Shappell served in the U.S. Army as a combat medic and was in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1986 to 1996. She serves on the board of directors of the Nevada Discovery Museum. She earned her B.S. in management science from Virginia Tech and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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EMPLOYERS^sm is a trade name for a group of companies providing workers' compensation insurance and services to America's small businesses. Insurance and services are offered through Employers Insurance Company of Nevada and Employers Compensation Insurance Company—both rated A– (Excellent) by A.M. Best for financial strength. Learn more about EMPLOYERS at www.eig.com.

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CONTACT:   Trish White, EMPLOYERS Corporate Communications Director 
E-mail: twhite@eig.com
WEBSITE:    http://www.eig.com 

© 2006 EMPLOYERSSM