8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 28, 2021 (September 22, 2021)

Assurant, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Delaware	001-31978	39-1126612
(State or Other Jurisdiction<br>of Incorporation)	(Commission<br>File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer<br>Identification No.)

55 Broadway, Suite 2901

New York, New York 10006

(212) 859-7000

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of Each Class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common Stock, $0.01 Par Value	AIZ	New York Stock Exchange
5.25% Subordinated Notes due 2061	AIZN	New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Item 5.02.     Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On September 28, 2021, Assurant, Inc. (the “Company”) announced that Keith Meier was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) at a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company on September 22, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, succeeding Gene Mergelmeyer. Mr. Mergelmeyer has notified the Company on September 22, 2021 that he intends to retire in January 2022.

Mr. Meier, 51, most recently served as Executive Vice President of the Company and President of the International business unit of the Company and as a member of the Company’s Management Committee, since 2016. Previously, Mr. Meier served as Senior Vice President, Global Strategy and M&A from 2013 to 2016. Mr. Meier has held various executive positions since joining the Company in 1998.

Mr. Meier will receive the following compensation effective January 1, 2022: (i) an annualized base salary of $610,000, (ii) a target annual incentive award opportunity of 100% of his annual base salary under the Company’s Short Term Incentive Plan and (iii) a target long-term incentive award opportunity of 230% of his annual base salary under the Company’s Long Term Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (“ALTEIP”). Mr. Meier will continue to participate in the compensation and benefit programs available to executive officers of the Company, including the Executive 401(K). These plans and programs are further described in the Company’s Proxy Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

Exhibit No.	Exhibit
99.1	News Release, dated September 28, 2021.
104	The cover page from this Current Report on Form 8-K, formatted in Inline XBRL.

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	ASSURANT, INC.
Date: September 28, 2021	By:	/s/ Mariana Wisk
		Name: Mariana Wisk
		Title: Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary

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Document

Exhibit 99.1

Assurant Announces Chief Operating Officer Retirement and Leadership Appointments to Accelerate Business Strategy

Gene Mergelmeyer to Retire at Year-end

Keith Meier Named Chief Operating Officer

NEW YORK, September 28, 2021 — Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ), a leading global provider of lifestyle and housing solutions that support, protect and connect major consumer purchases, today announced that Gene Mergelmeyer, chief operating officer, with 34 years of tenure with the company, plans to retire at the end of 2021. As a result, president and incoming CEO Keith Demmings is announcing leadership appointments to support its go-forward business strategy. The appointments, all of which will be effective January 1, 2022, are focused on advancing Assurant’s business strategy and market leadership in the connected world with a focus on delivering superior customer experiences. Keith Meier, president, Assurant International will succeed Mergelmeyer as COO. Federico Bunge, president of Assurant’s Latin America operations will succeed Meier to lead International and will report to Biju Nair, EVP and recently named president, Global Connected Living.

“Our business momentum is strong and we need to continue to evolve our organization and operations to strengthen our advantage, continue to drive profitable growth, and most importantly, to best serve the ever-changing needs of our clients and their customers,” said Demmings. “These appointments underscore the strength of our talent bench and reinforce our commitment to unlocking the full potential of our business to adapt and grow globally.”

During his decades at Assurant, Mergelmeyer made significant contributions to the business globally through the deep client partnerships he fostered, creating differentiated market-leading positions, and producing strong profitable results. He has held numerous leadership roles, including the company’s Global Housing segment that he successfully navigated through the financial crisis in 2008. He also oversaw the growth and development of the company’s Multifamily Housing business, which is a key growth driver for Assurant today. In 2016, he was appointed chief operating officer with oversight for the Assurant business units. He then assumed responsibility to bring together the company’s Technology, Data Analytics, Customer Experience and Operations Transformation teams to drive efficiency and global effectiveness for the company. He has shepherded organizational transformation and improved customer experience through global technology initiatives and other large-scale digitally-led operations transformations.

“Gene has left an indelible imprint on this organization,” said Demmings. “His recent initiatives, in particular, will serve as a framework for operational transformation and effectiveness that will have lasting impact. He will be missed, but his legacy will carry forward.”

Mergelmeyer shared, “It has been an honor to work with such a strong leadership team and dedicated group of employees to deliver value for our clients and customers. I am very confident that Keith Meier is the perfect choice to succeed me and take Assurant to the next level.”

Keith Meier will assume the chief operating officer role at the start of 2022. Meier has led the expansion and profitable growth of Assurant’s global operations including defining a path toward market-leading positions in Japan and Australia, while strengthening operations in LatAm, Canada and

Europe. He has served as senior vice president, Global Strategy and M&A between 2013 and 2016, led the Emerging Markets business, focused on Asia-Pacific, and also held responsibility for extended service and vehicle service contract businesses. His deep strategic and business acumen, coupled with a relentless focus on talent and profitable growth across the world position him for success in the COO role.

“Having witnessed the ability Keith has demonstrated in growing and developing our business across the world, I have every confidence he will deliver in the COO role,” added Demmings. “He is well-positioned to take us to the next level of customer experience.”

Federico Bunge, currently president of Assurant Latin America, will succeed Meier to lead the company’s international business operations. Bunge will report to Biju Nair, EVP and recently named president, Global Connected Living. Nair’s responsibility encompasses the global mobile, retail and connected product and service offerings, and several of Assurant’s most valuable client partnerships. Japan will continue to be led by Junichi Fujimoto, president of Assurant Japan, who will report into Nair.

“These changes demonstrate our focus on continually evolving our structure to best align our organization to support our business strategy for growth,” added Demmings. “We are committed to putting the right leaders in place to best support the development of our global organization to meet our evolving client needs, while catalyzing our growth potential.”

About Assurant

Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ) is a leading global provider of lifestyle and housing solutions that support, protect and connect major consumer purchases. Anticipating the evolving needs of consumers, Assurant partners with the world’s leading brands to develop innovative products and services and to deliver an enhanced customer experience. A Fortune 500 company with a presence in 21 countries, Assurant offers mobile device solutions; extended service contracts; vehicle protection services; renters insurance; lender-placed insurance products; and other specialty products. The Assurant Foundation strengthens communities by supporting charitable partners that help protect where people live and can thrive, connect with local resources, inspire inclusion and prepare leaders of the future.

Learn more at assurant.com or on Twitter @AssurantNews.

Media Contact:

Linda Recupero

Senior Vice President, Enterprise Communication

Phone: 201.519.9773

linda.recupero@assurant.com

Investor Relations Contacts:

Suzanne Shepherd

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations and Sustainability

Phone: 201.788.4324

suzanne.shepherd@assurant.com

Sean Moshier

Assistant Vice President, Investor Relations

Phone: 914.204.2253

sean.moshier@assurant.com

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