Through our insurance subsidiaries, we pursue a strategy of offering traditional insurance products in niche markets where we believe we are able to achieve competitive advantages.
Citizens, Inc. is an insurance holding company incorporated in Colorado serving the life insurance needs of individuals in the United States since 1969 and internationally since 1975. Citizens, Inc. is a publicly traded company that has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CIA) since 2002. Through our insurance subsidiaries, we pursue a strategy of offering traditional insurance products in niche markets where we believe we are able to achieve competitive advantages.
50 Years of Experience
Citizens operates through its insurance subsidiaries: CICA Life Insurance Company of America (“CICA”), CICA Life (“CICA Life”), which constitute the Life Insurance segment and Security Plan Life Insurance Company (“SPLIC”), and Magnolia Guaranty Life Insurance Company, which constitute the Home Service Insurance segment.
CICA Life and CICA Life of America issued ordinary whole life policies, final expense insurance, credit life and disability, and accident and health related policies, throughout the U.S.
Magnolia Guaranty Life provides industrial life policies through independent funeral homes in Mississippi.
Our vision statement carries with it responsibility for all who are associated with Citizens – our board, our employees and our independent consultants and agents. Citizens’ vision statement can be defined by our seven core values.
WE ARE committed to selflessly serve others by delivering financial security and peace of mind to individuals and families around the world.
INTEGRITY
We will build trust through fair, honest and ethical relationships by adhering to a strong moral compass.
PERSEVERANCE
We will steadfastly pursue our mission despite obstacles, difficulties or delays in achieving success.
EXCELLENCE
We will deliberately pursue high standards and are committed to achieving higher standards.
SELFLESS SERVICE
We promote the assistance of others, not for personal gain, but for the enhancement of others.
LEADERSHIP
We identify and take ownership of our areas of influence; guiding, developing and mentoring others along the way.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We are responsible for our actions and we accept the outcome of those actions.
COMMITMENT
With dedication we pursue this mission, vision, and core values to bring success to our employees, policyholders, shareholders, agents and associates.
President and CEO
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer, and Treasurer
Vice President, Chief Legal Officer & Secretary
Vice President, Chief Actuary
Bryon Matthew Lewis
Vice President, Operations
Jon Stenberg was appointed President of the Company in March 2024 and Chief Executive Officer of the Company July 1, 2024. Mr. Stenberg has been in the life insurance industry for over 30 years, most recently acting as partner of Blackbird International, consulting for several companies in the life insurance industry. He previously served as Executive Vice President of the lndividual Life Division of Symetra Life Insurance Company from 2017 through 2022; General Manager and Executive Vice President of Ameriprise Financial / Riversource Life from 2011 to 2017; Head of Retail Insurance and Senior Vice President of New York Life from 2008 to 2010; Head of Insurance and Executive Director / President of UBS Insurance Agency from 2006 to 2008; various positions with Lincoln Financial Group from 1997 to 2006; and various positions with Aetna’s life division from 1990 to 1997. In addition, Mr. Stenberg served as ACLI Chair of the Life Insurance Committee from 2020 to 2022 and on the American College Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2020. He holds a ChFC, FLMI with distinction (formerly FINRA series 6/63/7/26/24). Mr. Stenberg is a Veteran of the U.S. Army.
Jeffery P. Conklin joined the Company in May 2017 and serves as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Investment Officer and Treasurer. Mr. Conklin has also served as Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of the Company since September 2017, and Chief Investment Officer since March 2019. Prior to assuming his current positions, Mr. Conklin served as Interim Chief Financial Officer from March 2019 to September 20, 2019, and Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer from May 2017 to September 2017. Mr. Conklin came to the Company with over 20 years of life insurance and financial reporting experience, having worked at American International Group, Inc. from 2004 to 2017 in various capacities, including Vice President of Financial Reporting and Vice President of Special Projects. In addition to financial reporting, Mr. Conklin brings the Company expertise in budgeting, financial analysis and implementation of strategic accounting initiatives.
Ms. Kinlaw has been appointed to serve as Chief Legal Officer of Citizens, Inc. She has 20+ years of experience as senior level and general counsel for public and private companies in primarily the financial products and technology industries. She has led cross functional teams with respect to securities, finance, M&A, governance, compliance and general corporate matters. She has been senior level in-house counsel with 2 publicly traded companies – FIC Insurance Group (Austin) and THQ (Los Angeles), as well as General Counsel at Fallbrook Technologies (Austin).
Prior to joining Citizens as Chief Legal Officer, Ms. Kinlaw built her own law practice acting as dedicated outsourced general counsel or specialized counsel for companies without the resources to hire full-time counsel, or for companies that need to supplement their in-house legal staff. Clients included both insurance carriers and independent marketing organizations that distribute insurance products.
Ms. Kinlaw holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics / International Studies from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Juris Doctor from the University of Texas, Austin.
Harvey J. L. Waite has served as Vice President, Chief Actuary of the Company since April 2020. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Waite served as Interim Chief Actuary from August 2018 to April 2020 and Pricing Actuary Consultant from November 2017 to July 2018. Mr. Waite came to the Company with over 20 years of actuarial, product and financial experience, including life insurance company experience. Previously, Mr. Waite worked at Bank of America from 2006 to 2017 in various capacities, including Senior Vice President, Actuarial Risk Executive, and Senior Vice President, Credit Risk Executive.
Prior to that, Mr. Waite served as Vice President, Actuary at Fleet Credit Card Services (which was acquired by Bank of America in 2004) from 2000 to 2006. Mr. Waite also served in various capacities at Academy Life Insurance Company (an AEGON company) from 1996 to 2000, including Vice President and Chief Actuary and Assistant Vice President and Actuary. Mr. Waite is owner of Waite Actuarial Consulting LLC, a company specializing in providing actuarial consulting services to life and health insurance companies and has owned such company since 2017.
Bryon Matthew Lewis was appointed as an Executive Officer of the Company in March 2024. He has served as Vice President, Operations since November 2021 and as an Operations consultant for the Company from July 2021. Mr. Lewis is an operations and technology senior leader who prior to joining Citizens was the IS Director of HP Infrastructure and Planning at Baylor Scott and White Health from 2019 to 2021 and AVP of IT Operations from July 2017 to 2019, and prior to that served as Project Engineering Director at E2Open from December 2013 to 2017.
We are implementing our enduring value customer-centric growth strategy, in cooperation with our Board of Directors. In doing so, we are focused on our core strengths, as we strategically realign our Life and Home Service Insurance segments. We anticipate significant transformation with an emphasis on people, processes and technology. In our current operational environment, change is seen as a positive and is now taking root in our culture, creating the best atmosphere for value creation and value capture for all our stakeholders.
Dr. Terry S. Maness
Christopher (Chris) W. Claus Mr. Claus had a 20-year career as an executive at USAA of San Antonio, Texas serving in various roles, including Executive Vice President of USAA’s Enterprise Advice Group from 2013 to 2014, President of USAA’s Financial Advice and Solutions Group from 2007 to 2013, and President of USAA’s Investment Management Company from 2001 to 2006.
Mr. Claus is an experienced executive with insurance and asset management expertise critical to the success of our Board. In his role as Chairman of our Investment Committee, Mr. Claus has strengthened the Board’s oversight of the Company’s assets under management. Further, having served as President of USAA’s Investment Management Company, Mr. Claus strengthens the Board’s oversight function of our executive team’s strategic initiatives.
Cynthia H. Davis Ms. Davis is a seasoned executive in the life insurance industry with over 30 years of underwriting in both the carrier and brokerage side. She is currently the Vice President and Senior Underwriting Consultant at NFP/Partners Financial providing underwriting expertise specializing in complex high net worth cases, foreign nationals and offshore insurance. Previously, Ms. Davis was the Chief Underwriter at Financial Industries Corporation (FIC) and Great American. Ms. Davis is also involved with the Texas Wide Underwriting planning board.
Ms. Davis’ brings to the Board deep knowledge of the insurance industry, which she developed during her long and successful career in the life insurance industry. With significant global experience with both reinsurers and high net worth foreign insureds, she adds valuable and unique expertise to our Board.
J.D. (Chip) Davis Jr. Mr. Davis is a seasoned and proven life insurance executive, having had a 43-year insurance career with National Farm Life Insurance Company (“NFLIC”). Mr. Davis began his career with NFLIC as a Mortgage Loan officer in 1977 and become Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer in 1981. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of NFLIC from 2004 to January 2016. Mr. Davis has served on the board of NFLIC since 2004 and currently serves as chairman.
Mr. Davis’ career as a life insurance executive and service as Chief Investment Officer of a life insurance company brings tremendous experience to our Board and Investment Committee. Specifically, he has experience dealing with state insurance regulators and auditors. His service as as Chief Investment Officer of NFLIC strengthens the investment Committee’s oversight of the Company’s assets under management.
Gerald W. Shields Mr. Shields, our Chief Executive Officer and President, is a seasoned life insurance executive who brings life insurance and information technology experience to our Board. He 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. He has been named twice in CIO Magazine’s Top 100 CIOs of the Year and has also been the recipient of ComputerWorld’s Top 100 CIO Award.
Prior to Citizens, Mr. Shields served as Chief Information Officer at FirstCare Health Plans from July 2015 to October 2018, and as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at American Family Life Assurance Company of New York from 2002 to 2011.
Mr. Shields’ significant technology and insurance experience are instrumental to the Board’s oversight as the Company advances its strategic technology objectives. Mr. Shields recently completed the Cyber Security Oversight Certificate from Carnegie Mellon Institute.
J. Keith Morgan Mr. Morgan has decades of experience as a senior legal executive, most recently (2015 – 2018) as Chief Legal Officer & Senior Executive VP at TIAA-CREF, a $1 trillion retirement, insurance and asset management company. Mr. Morgan specializes in securities law, financial regulation, international transactions and mergers and acquisitions. Prior to TIAA-CREF, he spent nearly 20 years at GE, serving as general counsel and senior vice president of GE Commercial Finance Ltd. and GE Capital Corporation. Before joining GE, Mr. Morgan served as the managing partner of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s London, Paris, and Saudi Arabia offices. Earlier in his career, he served in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
Mr. Morgan’s experience as the Chief Legal Officer of major insurance and asset management companies has provided him with a substantive understanding of the risks, including investment risks, related to a highly regulated company such as Citizens.
Mary Taylor Ms. Taylor is a Certified Public Accountant and recognized tax and auditing expert with over 30 years of experience in the public and private sector. Since February 2020, she has served as the Vice President, Operations and Finance at Northeast Ohio Medical University. During 2019, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Welty Building Company and from August 2019 through March 2020 also served as the Chair of the Finance and Operations Advisory Committee.
She has served in the following elected positions: • 2011 to 2019 – Lieutenant Governor of Ohio ◦ Served as the Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance from 2011 to 2017 • 2007 to 2011 – Auditor of State of Ohio • 2003 to 2006 – State Representative in Ohio ◦ Served on the Finance, Ways and Means, and Education Committees
Ms. Taylor has extensive experience in transforming operations, implementing automation in insurance and delivering results in complex tax cases with the IRS and the Department of Labor. Her unique mix of experience gives her a valuable perspective and ability to oversee management’s efforts to grow and develop Citizens’ business and its interactions with regulators as well as the ability to enhance shareholder value by leveraging her financial and risk management expertise and deep understanding of the insurance business.
Dr. Terry S. Maness Dr. Maness has served as Dean at Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business since 1997 and will be namedDean Emeritus upon his retirement effective August 1, 2022. Previously, Dr. Maness served as Acting Dean at Baylor University from 1996 to 1997, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Baylor University from 1978 to 1981 and Chairman of the Department of Finance, Insurance and Real Estate at Baylor University from 1985 to 1996. Dr. Maness is an owner of Business Value Consultants and has owned such company since 1989.
Dr. Maness’ background as Dean of one of America’s leading business schools brings a strong academic presence to our board. He has operated effectively at the highest levels in the academic and business community. He is the author of five books about financial analysis and financial management, and also a contributing author to various publications, such as Journal of Finance, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Financial Education, Journal of Portfolio Management, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Journal of Futures Markets, Journal of Cash Management and Corporate Controller.
Since 2017 Citizens Inc. has been dedicated to volunteering and donating to the Central Texas Food Bank located here in Austin. They are an amazing organization that’s mission is to nourish hungry people and lead the community in the fight against hunger. The Central Texas Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief charity in Central Texas.
As an organization we make sure that each year we dedicate our service day to the food bank as well as make a yearly donation. We close our offices and spend our day volunteering and working at the food bank. This day is very important to us as an organization because as members of the greater Austin community we understand the impact that we can have by supporting the Central Texas Food Bank, an organization that focuses on getting food to the people in our community who need it. Every year our team members look forward to our service days and we plan to continue the tradition.
During this time of economic stress, we are committing to the food bank with an additional donation to show our continued support for the community and for the amazing work that they do.
Find out more about our company and how to join the team!
