Thomas R. Watjen

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Biographical Information

"Mr. Watjen is President and Chief Executive Officer of Unum, a Fortune 250 company and a leading provider of employee benefits in the U.S and U.K. The company markets its products under the Unum and Colonial Life brands, with a commitment to providing employers and their employees with flexible benefit choices and unsurpassed service.

"Under Watjen’s leadership, Unum has achieved strong, sustainable financial results while expanding its market leadership position and building a culture of responsibility, which has earned the company a spot on numerous “Best Places to Work” lists and on Newsweek magazine’s list of the “Greenest Companies in America.”

"Mr. Watjen joined Provident Companies, Inc., a Unum predecessor, in 1994 as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and was later named Vice Chairman and director of Provident. Following the company’s merger with UNUM Corporation in 1999, he became Executive Vice President of finance and risk management for UnumProvident Corp. In 2002, he was promoted to Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of the merged company and elected to its board of directors. In 2003, he was named President and Chief Executive Officer of UnumProvident, whose name was changed to Unum in 2007.

"Prior to joining the company, Mr. Watjen was a Managing Director at the investment banking firm of Morgan Stanley and Co. He also was a partner with Conning & Co. and worked in corporate finance and investments for Aetna Life and Casualty.

"Mr. Watjen serves on the board of directors of SunTrust Banks, Inc. and The Financial Services Roundtable. He is a former board member of The American Council of Life Insurers and America's Health Insurance Plans.

"Mr. Watjen received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Virginia Military Institute in 1976 and a master’s in business administration from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia in 1981. "