Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance at the work site in the United States, announced today that Eric Kirsch, the company's global chief investment officer, has been named to the Power 100 List of CIOs by Chief Investment Officer Magazine. It is the first time that Kirsch and Aflac have been represented on this prestigious list. According to CIO Magazine, Kirsch brought a "track record of vision and success" to Aflac when he was hired in 2011.

"We are pleased and proud that Chief Investment Officer Magazine recognized Eric's contributions to our company with this tremendous accolade," Aflac Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Frederick Crawford said. "Eric's leadership in building a top-tier investment practice has been critical to creating and defending shareholder value in volatile capital markets.  As a member of executive management, Eric's efforts have enhanced our strong franchise in the US and Japan ensuring the security that our customers need when they choose Aflac as their voluntary insurance provider."

According to CIO Magazine, the Power 100 was selected based upon five categories: innovation (30 percent), collaboration (30 percent), talent development (20 percent), fund size (15 percent) and asset-owner tenure (5 percent).

"Eric Kirsch caught our attention initially because of his stellar background. Having led the investment activities of the insurances divisions for the most prestigious investment firms, his choice to manage a portfolio in-house spoke to his passion for this industry," said Chief Investment Officer Magazine Managing Editor Leanna Orr. "But it's what he did with Aflac's fund that earned him one of just two U.S. insurance CIO positions on the Power 100: Building a team almost from scratch, opening a brand-new office, engaging with peer CIOs, overhauling the portfolio to manage a very specific risk profile and continuing to serve the community as a Baruch College investment board member."

Kirsch is responsible for Aflac's $104 billion investment portfolio and is charged with a mission of achieving high average asset quality through diversification and by identifying attractive investment opportunities around the world, while mitigating risks. Kirsch manages a team of more than 50 investment professionals.