PLM names new president and promotes three executives

By AI, Created 11:07 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company announced leadership changes on May 6, 2026, promoting Steve Firko to president and elevating three other executives. The moves are designed to support PLM’s profitability, growth and innovation as the mutual insurer continues serving wood-related businesses nationwide.

Why it matters: - PLM is reshaping its top leadership while keeping continuity at the CEO level, a move aimed at protecting growth and profitability. - The changes affect core functions including underwriting, claims, operations, technology and customer service. - PLM serves more than 5,500 businesses in the lumber, woodworking and building material industries.

What happened: - Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company announced several executive promotions on May 6, 2026. - Steve Firko, CPCU, became president effective immediately. - John K. Smith, CPCU, remains chief executive officer and Firko now reports to Smith. - Lindsey N. DiGangi, CPCU, was promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer. - BJ Gardner was promoted to assistant vice president of information technology. - Ray Rogers was promoted to assistant vice president of claims.

The details: - Firko will oversee claims, accounting, regulatory, human resources and information technology as president. - Firko has more than two decades of service at PLM and nearly 40 years of total industry experience. - Firko joined PLM as a field manager and later held leadership roles in marketing, underwriting, claims, loss control, customer service and operations. - Firko most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer. - Smith has more than 27 years of experience at PLM. - DiGangi will oversee underwriting, field operations, loss control, marketing, customer service, operations and agency operations through Green Tree Risk Partners. - Gardner most recently served as director of IT and has nearly 20 years of experience at PLM in systems architecture, infrastructure and technology operations. - Rogers most recently served as director of property claims and has more than two decades of experience at PLM after joining the company in 2001. - Firko said he is honored to step into the presidency and continue building on PLM’s 130-year mutual foundation. - Smith said Firko has been a valuable resource to the team and policyholders.

Between the lines: - PLM is elevating leaders with long internal track records, signaling a succession plan built around institutional knowledge rather than outside hires. - The promotion of leaders across operations, IT and claims suggests PLM is tightening execution in areas that directly affect service and underwriting performance. - The focus on innovation and future readiness points to a defensive and offensive strategy at the same time: preserve the mutual model while adapting to industry change.

What’s next: - Firko will lead execution of PLM’s strategic vision across the company’s key departments. - DiGangi, Gardner and Rogers will step into expanded roles across operations, technology and claims. - PLM says the leadership changes are intended to support continued growth, profitability and innovation. - More information is available on PLM’s website.

The bottom line: - PLM is betting on internal promotions and a stable CEO-president structure to guide the insurer’s next phase of growth.