14 Nov 2017

Pan-American Life Insurance Group Names New Board Member, New Lead Board Director

Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG), a leading provider of insurance and financial services throughout the Americas, announced today the appointment of Suzanne Mestayer to the company’s Board of Directors. She will also form part of the Board’s Audit and Finance Committees.

Ms. Mestayer is Managing Principal of Thirty North Investments, LLC, an independent Registered Investment Advisory firm which provides advisory services to individuals and their families, institutions and retirement plans. She currently serves as Chair of the Ochsner Health System Board of Directors and sits on the boards of Sanderson Farms, Inc., the National WWII Museum and the New Orleans Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Ms. Mestayer has a deep commitment to local and national community service and actively commits her time and energy to civic endeavors in the Greater New Orleans area. She is past chairwoman of the Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region, past chairwoman of Loyola University New Orleans, and emeritus board member and past chairwoman of Greater New Orleans, Inc.

Ms. Mestayer’s board work inspired her and ThirtyNorth to develop the Women Impact Strategy, a gender lens impact investment product addressing the value add that gender diversity brings to corporate boards and executive teams. She has been featured in several publications, including Financial Advisor Magazine, Investment Advisor, Financial Planning, Think Advisor, and Philanthropy Women.

Prior to ThirtyNorth Investments, Ms. Mestayer was Executive Vice President and New Orleans President of Regions Bank with responsibility for four Louisiana markets.  She began her career at public accounting firm Arthur Andersen & Co. where she served as a partner and a member of the national Estate and Gift specialty team. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University.

“We are very pleased to have Suzanne on PALIG’s Board of Directors. Her experience as a professional in the financial services industry and corporate leadership roles will add an invaluable perspective to our group,” said José S. Suquet, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Pan-American Life Insurance Group.

The company also announced that current Pan-American Life Insurance Group Lead Board Director Kenneth Mlekush, who plans to retire from the PALIG Board at the end of 2018, will be stepping down from his role as Lead Director as of November 14, 2017. He will be succeeded in that role by existing Board member Dr. Patrick J. Quinlan.

Dr. Quinlan has been a member of PALIG’s Board of Directors since 2011 and is Chairman of the Organization and Compensation Committee. Dr. Quinlan joined Ochsner in 1998, and retired as CEO Emeritus of the Ochsner Health System in 2017. Prior to that, he was Chief Medical Officer of Lovelace Health Systems in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Dr. Quinlan currently serves on the Advisory Board of IberiaBank, President’s Council of St. George’s University as well as the International Advisory Board to the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia. He is a former board member of the Louisiana Hospital Association; Café Reconcile; and past chair of Greater New Orleans, Inc.. He holds a B.A. from the University of Texas, an M.D. from the University of Texas and an M.H.S.A. from the College of St. Francis.

“Dr. Quinlan is an unparalleled, nationally recognized health care leader. His strategic perspective and depth of expertise bolsters our core mission,” added Suquet. “We have been privileged to have him as a Director for several years and look forward to his tenure as Lead Director.”