Our Leadership

John J. Marchioni

John J. Marchioni is Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Selective Insurance Group, Inc.

Mr. Marchioni joined Selective in 1998 as a Government Affairs Specialist. He was promoted to Assistant Vice President of Government Affairs in 2000, and to Vice President, Director of Government Affairs, in 2003. Mr. Marchioni was appointed Vice President and Strategic Business Unit Leader in 2004, and Senior Vice President, Director of Personal Lines and Flood in 2005. He was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Field Operations Officer in 2007 and President and Chief Operating Officer in 2013. Mr. Marchioni was President and Chief Executive Officer from February 2020 until May 2022, at which time he assumed his current role.

Ainar D. Aijala, Jr.

Ainar D. Aijala, Jr. has served as an Independent Director since 2020.

Mr. Aijala most recently served as Senior Advisor to the Global CEO at Deloitte, retiring in May of 2020 after nearly 40 years at Deloitte and its predecessor company. During his tenure, he held several senior leadership positions, including Chief Global Corporate Development Officer and Global Managing Partner of Consulting and Human Capital. Mr. Aijala began his career as a senior manager with Coopers & Lybrand Consulting. He is an Enrolled Actuary pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

Mr. Aijala currently serves as Town Commissioner for Ocean Ridge, Florida and is an Emeritus Governor of Junior Achievement Worldwide. He previously served as a board member of Junior Achievement Worldwide and Junior Achievement USA, and as Chairman of Junior Achievement Worldwide. Mr. Aijala was formerly a member of the Board of Managers at DLED, Inc.

Lisa Rojas Bacus

Lisa Rojas Bacus has served as an Independent Director since 2020.

Ms. Bacus was previously Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer for Cigna Corporation and Executive Vice President and Chief Marketer of American Family Insurance Group. She was also an Executive Director, Global Marketing Strategy and held other senior positions at Ford Motor Company.

Ms. Bacus currently serves as a Director of Douglas Dynamics, Inc., including as Chair of the Compensation Committee and as a Member of the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. She is also a Board member of Teradata Corporation, Culver’s Franchising System Inc., and PetSmart Charities Inc. Ms. Bacus is a member of Latino Corporate Directors Association.

Terrence W. Cavanaugh

Terrence W. Cavanaugh has served as an Independent Director since 2018.

Mr. Cavanaugh was President and Chief Executive Officer of Erie Indemnity Company from 2008 until his retirement in 2016. Prior to that, he spent more than 30 years with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, where he held a range of increasingly senior roles, including Chief Marketing Officer of Chubb Group and Chief Operating Officer of Chubb Surety & Trade Credit.

Mr. Cavanaugh is the founding partner of Accretive Consulting LLC. He is a board member of Highmark Health and on the Board of Commissioners of Naples Airport Authority.

R. Kelly Doherty

R. Kelly Doherty has served as an Independent Director since 2015 and Lead Independent Director since May 2022.

Mr. Doherty is the Managing Partner of Caymen Partners. Previously, he was Vice Chairman of Bankers Trust Company and Bankers Trust New York Corporation, where he was a member of the management committee and spent more than 16 years in various roles within the firm's global trading and investment operations.

Mr. Doherty serves as Non-Executive Chairman, Director, and Audit Committee Member of Harding Loevner Funds, Inc. He was a Director of Cyota, Inc., where he served as Non-Executive Chairman.

Thomas A. McCarthy

Thomas A. McCarthy has served as an Independent Director since 2018.

Mr. McCarthy spent more than 30 years with Cigna Corporation, where he held various positions throughout his career. His positions included Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, Finance, Treasurer, and Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development.

Mr. McCarthy currently serves as a Director and Chairperson of the Audit Committee of Privia Health, as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American University of Rome, and as a Director of the Avenue of the Arts. He previously served on the Board of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties.

Stephen C. Mills

Stephen C. Mills has served as an Independent Director since 2020.

Mr. Mills served as President and General Manager of the New York Knicks from 2013 to 2020. He previously was President and Chief Operating Officer of MSG Sports as well as Executive Vice President, Franchise Operations of the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden (MSG). Mr. Mills was a founding partner and Chief Executive Officer of Athletes & Entertainers Wealth Management Group LLC from 2010 to 2013 and worked in the NBA league office in various positions for sixteen years.

Mr. Mills currently serves as a Director on Project Level, Madison Square Garden Sports Corp, and AMC Networks. He is also a director of the Ladies Professional Golf Association, serving as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee and a member of the Tournaments and Finance Committee, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Hospital for Special Surgery. Mr. Mills previously served on the Board of Trustees of Ariel Investments and as a director of MSG Networks.

H. Elizabeth Mitchell

H. Elizabeth Mitchell has served as an Independent Director since 2018.

Ms. Mitchell previously was President, CEO, and Director of Renaissance Reinsurance U.S. Inc. Before that, she held various executive positions with Platinum Reinsurance, Inc., including President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Director.

Ms. Mitchell currently serves as a Director and Audit Committee member of Principal Financial Group and as a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Enact Holdings, Inc. She previously was an advisor to Hudson Structured Capital Management, Ltd.

Cynthia (Cie) S. Nicholson

Cynthia S. Nicholson has served as an Independent Director since 2009.

Ms. Nicholson is a managing member of Band of Sisters, LLC and serves as an advisor to Tangelo (formerly known as Tangerine/Feed Each Other/Forkcast), where she was formerly Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Previously, Ms. Nicholson was the Chief Marketing Officer of Softcard^®, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Equinox Holdings, Inc., and Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Pepsi-Cola North America.

Ms. Nicholson previously served on the boards of Heartland Consumer Products Investments Holdings and the Association of National Advertisers. She was also an advisor for Yext, Inc., GamesThatGive, Inc., and Lavit, LLC.

Julie Parsons

Julie Parsons has served as an Independent Director since 2025.

Ms. Parsons spent more than 30 years at Allstate Corporation, most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Property and Liability Insurance. Her prior leadership roles included Executive Vice President of Product Operations, Vice President, Chief Actuary, and other executive roles leading pricing, risk management, product management, and operations. Ms. Parsons began her career as an actuarial analyst.

Ms. Parsons currently serves as the Chicago Advisory Board Chair and as a member of the National Board and Finance Committee of The Posse Foundation.

Kate E. R. Sampson

Kate E. R. Sampson has served as an Independent Director since 2024.

Ms. Sampson is the Founder of Merinn Advisors LLC. She previously served as managing director and partner at Anthemis Group and as Vice President of Risk Solutions at Lyft Inc. Earlier in her career, Ms. Sampson held various senior leadership roles at Marsh McLennan, ultimately becoming head of the San Francisco/San Jose office.

Ms. Sampson serves as an advisor to several leading Insurtech companies. She previously served on the Duke University FinTech Advisory Board.

John S. Scheid

John S. Scheid has served as an Independent Director since 2014.

Mr. Scheid is the owner and sole member of Scheid Investment Group, LLC. Previously, he was a senior partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, where he held several leadership positions, including leading their Global Insurance Assurance Practice Leader.

Mr. Scheid currently serves as a Director of Groupware Technologies Holdings Inc., Sprecher Brewing Company, and Catholic Relief Services, where he is Chairperson of their Audit and Risk Committee. He also serves as Chair of the Finance Council for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, is an Emeritus Director of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Foundation, and is a member of the Golden Angels Investment Group LLC. Mr. Scheid's past board service includes roles as Director of Extraordinary Re Holdings LTD and Extraordinary Reinsurance Bermuda, Chairman of the Board and a Director of Messmer Catholic Schools, member of the Investment Committee of the Marquette University High School, and Chairman of the Wisconsin Accounting Examining Board.