MONTPELIER, Vermont (July 6, 2026)—Vermont Mutual Insurance Group® recently named Sarah Jarvis Vice President & Chief Administrative Officer. Ms. Jarvis joins the Montpelier-based insurer from another New England mutual insurer, where she led Human Resources and also served as Senior Vice President of Legal & Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Secretary.
Sarah Jarvis Brings Legal, Human Resources and Public Service Experience
Before entering the insurance industry, Ms. Jarvis served as a staff attorney for the Vermont League of Cities and Towns. She also held roles as Chief of Staff at a Vermont higher education institution, staff attorney in private practice, and Deputy State’s Attorney in the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Ms. Jarvis has been deeply engaged in the Montpelier community, serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Foundation for a Resilient Montpelier, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Montpelier Development Corporation, President of the Board of Directors of Montpelier Alive, and City Councilor for the City of Montpelier. She is a member of the Vermont Bar Association and holds SHRM accreditation from the Society for Human Resource Management.
New Role Includes Human Resources, Community Engagement and Charitable Giving
In her new role at the company, Ms. Jarvis will lead all human resources responsibilities and serve in a newly created community liaison role, helping to build an even stronger connection with the Montpelier community. She will also serve as Executive Director of the Vermont Mutual Charitable Giving Fund, which provides more than $1.0 million annually to local charitable organizations.
Mark McDonnell, Vermont Mutual’s President and CEO, stated “We are very pleased to welcome Sarah Jarvis to the Vermont Mutual Team. Sarah brings not only a diverse set of valuable business skills and strong legal acumen, but she has also played many important leadership roles within our community.” Mr. McDonnell added “We are fortunate to be able to attract someone of Sarah’s caliber to Vermont Mutual.”
Vermont Mutual Announces Additional Executive Leadership Changes
Additionally, several other moves at the senior level of the company were announced. Notably, the company’s Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Shaun Farley, has announced his upcoming retirement, remaining in his current role until the end of 2026.
Vermont Mutual’s Executive Vice President and COO, Brody Gilbert, stated “Shaun has been an invaluable asset to Vermont Mutual and was instrumental in building the important relationships we share with our valued agency partners. Additionally, Shaun’s extensive knowledge of the industry, his agency experience and strong leadership qualities have gained him the respect of his peers, agents and of all those lucky enough to work with him. He will be greatly missed by us all.”
Jonathan Becker to Become Chief Marketing Officer
Upon his retirement, Mr. Farley’s position as Chief Marketing Officer will be assumed by Jonathan Becker, Vermont Mutual’s current Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer. Mr. Becker has been in the insurance industry for nearly 30 years and brings extensive technical and leadership experience in both underwriting and field marketing to his new role. He enjoys many strong relationships within the company’s agency partner network and a smooth transition is expected.
Sarah Young Named Future Chief Underwriting Officer
Mr. Becker’s transition to Chief Marketing Officer in 2027 has allowed the company’s current Vice President and Chief People Officer, Sarah Young, to take over the role of Chief Underwriting Officer beginning January 1, 2027. Ms. Young brings 17 years of insurance experience to her new role, having begun her career as an independent agent and later serving in leadership positions across personal lines underwriting, commercial lines underwriting, marketing and human resources during her time with Vermont Mutual.
Succession Planning Supports a Smooth Leadership Transition
Vermont Mutual’s President and CEO, Mark McDonnell, noted “While these Officer changes are not effective until January 1, 2027, all parties have begun to work even more collaboratively than before and will do so for the remainder of the year to ensure a seamless transition of all responsibilities. Mr. McDonnell added, “We’ve dedicated significant resources to succession planning at Vermont Mutual and are very fortunate to have such talented professionals to support the execution of a multi-faceted plan such as this on our senior management team.”
