Citizens, Inc. announced the election of a tenured life insurance executive as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors and the election of an industry respected technology executive as its Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, as well as Board of Directors changes. Citizens announced that Jerry D. Chip" Davis, Jr. has been elected as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company effective February 11, 2020. Mr. Davis, age 69, succeeds Dr. Robert B. Sloan, Jr. as Chairman. Mr. Davis currently serves on the Company's Compensation Committee and Investment Committee. Mr. Davis has had a 43-year insurance career with National Farm Life Insurance Company (NFLIC") and currently serves as chairman of the board of NFLIC. During his career, Mr. Davis served as President, Chief Executive Officer, Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer at NFLIC, having begun his career as the Mortgage Loan officer. Mr. Davis is a seasoned and proven life insurance executive, having served at the highest levels of executive management and on the board of directors of a respected life insurance company. Citizens announced that Gerald W. Shields has been elected as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company effective February 11, 2020. Mr. Shields, age 61, succeeds Dr. E. Dean Gage as Vice-Chairman. Mr. Shields currently serves on the Company's Audit Committee and Investment Committee. Mr. Shields, FLMI, is a Director of IT Practice at Robert E. Nolan Company, Inc. Mr. Shields previously served as Chief Information Officer at FirstCare Health Plans and Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. Mr. Shields has more than 30 years' experience in health insurance management, as well as professional certifications from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Chief Network Officers Program, and Aubrey Daniels International. Citizens announced that Geoffrey M. Kolander, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Company effective February 11, 2020. Mr. Kolander succeeds Grant G. Teaff, age 86 who retired from the Board effective February 11, 2020, after serving on the Board for 16 years. Mr. Teaff served as Chairman of the Company's Compensation Committee. Mr. Kolander joined the Company in 2006 and has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company since November 2016. In September 2017, Mr. Kolander was also appointed to the role of President. Prior to serving as Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kolander was Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Strategy Officer. Mr. Kolander served as a Director from 2007 to 2008. On February 11, 2020, Grant G. Teaff, Chairman of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Citizens, Inc. retired from the Board. Mr. Teaff has served on the Company's Board since 2004.
Citizens, Inc. is a diversified financial services company. The Company is providing life, living benefits and final expense insurance and other financial products to individuals and small businesses in the United States, Latin America, and Asia. The Company operates through two segments: Life Insurance, and Home Service Insurance. The Life Insurance segment sells United States dollar-denominated ordinary whole life insurance, endowment, and critical illness policies to non-United States residents, located principally in Latin America and the Pacific Rim, internationally. Also, this segment domestically sells whole life insurance, life insurance with living benefits, critical illness, credit life and disability products throughout the United States. Home Service Insurance segment sells final expense life insurance policies to middle- and lower-income households, as well as whole life products with higher allowable face values, in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.