Briefly:

(June 3, 2008) SSQ General Insurance Company has shuffled its executive suite, naming a new chief executive officer and three new senior vice-presidents.

Gilles Mourette has been named CEO, having served as senior vice-president of information technology at SSQ, Life Insurance Company since 1999. He succeeds Marie-Josée Blanchette, who has been CEO since 1998.

“We have made strong, steady progress under her leadership and have been successful in carving out a choice position among Quebec’s property and casualty insurers,” said Mr. Germain Ménard, chairman of the board of directors. “We are very pleased that Mr. Mourette has agreed to join our team. We are convinced that [he] will contribute to the ongoing success of our company and meet the new challenges before him brilliantly.”

Blanchette has been moved over to SSQ Financial Group as the firm’s new senior vice-president, investments. SSQ Financial Group also named Serge Boiteau as senior vice-president, finances and compliance. Boiteau is currently senior vice-president of corporate actuarial and investments. Michel Loranger has been appointed the new senior vice-president of information technology, replacing Gilles Mourette.

The three SVP appointments are effective July 1, 2008.

Contest seeks top model…portfolio

(June 3, 2008) Claymore Investments, Inc. is launching an investment contest that allows Canadians to test their investment acumen, building model portfolios strictly using the company’s TSX-listed exchange-traded funds.

Dubbed Claymore’s Next Top Model Summer ETF Competition, the contest will award a grand prize of either $1,000 cash or a donation of $1,500 to a registered Canadian charity of the winner’s choice.

“This competition is a great way for Canadians to see just how simple it is to use the Claymore family of ETFs to build full portfolios that cover the entire market,” said Claymore president and CEO Som Seif.

The deadline for entry forms and portfolio submissions is Friday, June 13, at 5:00 pm. Claymore’s Next Top Model Summer ETF Competition runs for eight weeks from June 16 to August 8, 2008. There is no purchase required to enter Claymore’s Next Top Model Summer ETF Competition.

Contest rules are available on the Claymore website.

(06/03/08)

Staff

The staff of Advisor.ca have been covering news for financial advisors since 1998.