Independence Pet Holdings Names Sharon Fernandez Chief Executive Officer

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Pet Holdings ("IPH"), one of North America's leading pet insurance organizations, today announced the appointment of Sharon Fernandez as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. IPH is an affiliate of JAB Pet Holdings, a leading global pet insurance organization, and the parent company of Independence Pet Group, Embrace and Pumpkin. In addition, IPH owns PetPlace, a diverse portfolio of pet health and wellness services including pet adoption solutions and lost pet recovery services.

"I'm excited to announce the appointment of Sharon, which helps further our mission of building a better future for pets and pet parents," said Dirk Beeckman, CEO of JAB Pet Holdings. "With Sharon's extensive experience and proven results in the financial services industry, we're well-positioned to continue building and elevating products and solutions to simplify the pet parenting journey and improve the well-being of pets."

Fernandez is a seasoned insurance industry executive who brings more than 25 years' experience in the industry to her new role. She most recently served as CEO Insurance and Corporate COO of Buckle Insurance, a start-up that provides insurance products and car leasing to the gig economy, and prior to that held several executive positions at Farmers Insurance, including as President of Farmers Commercial Insurance, President of Bristol West Insurance, and EVP of Operations. She started her career at USAA, where she held several roles and leadership positions.

"I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead IPH at this exciting time," added Fernandez. "With a full stack of resources, capital, and services that support a multi brand and omni channel approach, our talented leadership team is ready to take our brands and services to the next level to create a better future for pets and pet parents."

About Independence Pet Holdings
Established in 2021, Independence Pet Holdings is a holding company that manages a diverse and broad portfolio of modern pet health brands and services across insurance, pet education, lost pet recovery services, and beyond across North America.

SOURCE Independence Pet Holdings