Company Press Release

National Life Group Announces Organizational Changes At Sentinel Investments

MONTPELIER, Vt. – National Life Group announced today that Christian Thwaites has stepped down as president and chief executive officer of Sentinel Asset Management, Inc. Mehran Assadi, the president and chief executive officer of National Life Group, said that Thwaites is leaving to pursue other opportunities.

“Christian came to National Life Group in 2005 with a mission to build a strong asset management firm for the company,” said Assadi. “We are very proud of Sentinel and its reputation in the marketplace today.” Assadi said that Thomas H. Brownell, CFA, National Life Group’s chief investment officer and a senior vice president of Sentinel Asset Management Inc., will serve as the interim CEO of Sentinel Asset Management Inc. while the company searches for a new leader.

“Tom has been a critical strategic partner in the growth of Sentinel and has been intimately involved in the formulation and execution of Sentinel’s strategy,” said Assadi. “He is well qualified to ensure that Sentinel meets the needs and expectations of our clients.”

Brownell, who has been chief investment officer since 2005, joined National Life in 1992 and has held a number of positions within what was formerly National Life Investment Management Company and later became Sentinel Asset Management Inc.

Prior to being named chief investment officer, he held positions including corporate bond portfolio manager and head of the fixed income group. As CIO, Brownell is responsible for setting the investment strategy and asset allocations for the Group’s investment portfolios. He also chairs the Investment Transaction, Asset Allocation and Investment Risk Management committees.

Before joining National Life Group, Brownell was an associate in GE Capital's Corporate Finance Group in Stamford, Connecticut. He earned his CFA designation in 1994, his undergraduate degree at Bowdoin College, and an MBA from Babson Graduate School of Management.