Executive

Rick Faucher is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Connected Pet Company, LLC, a one-of-a-kind, multi-pronged digital marketing and insurance brokerage agency focused on connecting pets and their human parents to pet health insurance solutions, products and related services. The Connected Pet Company is dedicated to helping pets thrive and live the longest, happiest lives possible.  

Prior to joining his co-founders in forming The Connected Pet Company, Rick was the President of the Pet Health Division at Independence American Insurance Company (IAIC), a member of the IHC Group, and also served as an officer of IHC Specialty Benefits, a sales and marketing agency within the IHC Group. While at IHC, Rick expanded IHC’s pet insurance operations through leading the acquisitions of Petpartners, Inc. and PetPlace.com, the creation of MyPetInsurance.com, and by increasing its underwriting footprint as a carrier for plans offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC, PetPartners, Inc (including the AKC Pet Insurance brand), PetFirst Healthcare, LLC (MetLife Company), and Figo Pet Insurance, LLC.

Rick was a part of the IHC Group’s executive management team for over 22 years, holding various senior executive positions in the areas of product management, sales, marketing and operations, including Chief Operating Officer at one of IHC Group’s administration companies. Prior to that, he served in management roles at Celtic Life Insurance Company, Star Marketing & Administration Inc. (Starmark) and Golden Rule Insurance Company.

A graduate of  the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Economics, Rick is also a Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI), and holds the designation of Health Insurance Associate awarded by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). He has been a member of the board of directors for the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) since 2014.

Rick is a lifelong pet parent. He and his husband currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona, along with their pets Parker, a rescued long-haired miniature dachshund, and newest family member, Piper, a mini goldendoodle puppy.

Bob Capobianco is Senior Vice President of Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group™. A natural born leader and strategic thinker, he can often be found with sleeves rolled-up in deep discussion about a particular area of the business. It’s this drive to fully dissect a topic, in the trenches with the team, that makes Bob an inspiring, effective leader.

Prior to joining the team in 2019, Bob spent 14 years at American Modern Insurance, serving in various leadership roles, including Vice President of the company’s pet health insurance program.

Bob has a B.A. in economics from Vanderbilt University and an M.B.A. from Rollins College. He and his wife, Barbara, have two adult children and share a home with their cat, Hank.

Bill Horan is the AVP, Pet Health Product Manager at Physicians Mutual, where he is responsible for the design, development, and deployment of a new Pet Health Insurance program. Bill has more than a dozen years’ experience in the pet health insurance market as part of his 30+ years in the insurance industry, with the majority of that time involved with property and casualty products. In his previous senior management roles, first with American Modern Insurance Group, next with IHC Group, Specialty Benefits, and subsequently with FIGO Pet Insurance, Bill has specialized in enhancing pet health products as well as maintaining corporate partners and growing key agency relationships.

Prior to his P&C experience, Bill began his career as a Business Analyst for Humana, so he also brings his insights from human health insurance to the pet insurance marketplace. Bill holds a B.S. in Math from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY and is also a Certified Management Accountant. A native of Louisville, KY, Bill currently resides in Omaha, NE with his Bernese Mountain Dog, Bentley.

Deborah Meyers is an Associate Vice President for Operations at Nationwide Pet. Deborah is a strategic mobilizer, responsible for strategy, operational effectiveness, and execution of key initiatives for Customer Service, Policy Administration, Premium Processing, and Fulfillment Operations.

After a twenty-year career as a Finance professional in the human healthcare industry, she joined Nationwide (formerly Veterinary Pet Insurance), and branched out into operations. She received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Accounting, and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Azusa Pacific University. She also holds an associate in Personal Insurance from the Insurance Institute of America.

Deborah and her husband are enjoying empty-nesting and sharing their lives in new ways with four young adult children and one new son-in-law.

Since joining NAPHIA as its Executive Director in early 2010, Kristen has played an integral role in helping the organization expand from just a handful of members, to become a dynamic international trade association, with 30+ members and representing an industry that produced more than $3 billion U.S. in annual gross written premium in recent years.

With her ability to look ahead and connect the dots, Kristen has played a stewardship role in branding and evolving NAPHIA. Whether she is hosting large Board meetings and conference events across the United States and Canada, developing new programs, publishing industry reports or launching campaigns, she loves the challenge, variety and autonomy of working with the NAPHIA Board and greater membership. Kristen thrives in the exchange of ideas, in bringing together many viewpoints and in creating a welcoming environment that is built on respect and rooted in collegiality. Her deep belief in the value of pet insurance is where she feels she can leverage her greatest strengths.

Kristen is also President & Director of Strategy for KIK Partners, a brand, creative and public affairs agency. As a senior consultant, Kristen provides business development, brand, and marketing strategy expertise to entrepreneurs, executives and senior leadership teams across a broad range of industries and markets, for businesses and non-profit organizations. She brings the insight she gains from this work and her unparalleled entrepreneurial spirit to the pet insurance and pet health space through her role in NAPHIA. 

Due to lifelong allergies, Kristen was never able to have a pet. When she first began working in pet insurance, it felt inauthentic not to have one, so she decided to give it a go. It appears that falling in love with a pet can overcome anything so she now has two dogs – Dash and Tabby – who rule the home that she shares with her partner, Gerry.