Allstate Corp. names Wilson new president and COO.

Thomas J. Wilson has been named president and chief operating officer of Allstate Corp., the company said.

Allstate said the newly created position, which became effective June 1, places Wilson in charge of all of Allstate's insurance operations, including those of Allstate Protection, the property/casualty segment, and Allstate Financial, the life segment. He will continue to report to Edward M. Liddy, Allstate Corp.'s chairman and chief executive officer. Wilson, 47, also will remain president of Allstate Protection, which combines the Allstate and Encompass property/casualty offerings through Allstate and independent agencies, respectively.

Liddy said in a statement Wilson's new duties would "enable us to continue the momentum that has been demonstrated over the last several years with the implementation of our better, bigger and broader strategy." Liddy said the company has had profitable growth at both Allstate Protection and Allstate Financial, and "bringing the two organizations closer will help us focus accelerating that progress."

"This approach further refines our delivery of an enhanced level of service to all our customers," Liddy said.

Jay Gelb, an equity

analyst with Lehman Bros. Equity Research, said in a statement, "Mr. Wilson is an excellent choice for this position in our view, because he has done a great job of increasing profit and reducing volatility in Allstate's P&C business. In our view, Wilson, 47, would be an excellent choice as an eventual successor to chairman and CEO, Ed Liddy, 59, who we believe would leave big shoes to fill as he continues to drive outstanding performance at Allstate."