In April, 2009, Stephen Collesano joined The ACE Group as Senior Vice President, Global Research and Development. ACE is one of the world’s leading global commercial property and casualty insurance and reinsurance organizations, with operations in more than 50 countries and a client base spanning more than 140 countries. He joined ACE with a two fold mandate: (1) upgrade and expand internal research capabilities; and (2) design and develop a commercial client and prospect data base. Two months after starting work, he was given a third mandate: (3) coordinate all eBusiness activities throughout the ACE Group.
For 24 years prior to joining ACE, Stephen was with American International Group. As Vice President of the parent company he was responsible for four corporate departments, collectively know as the Business Information Group. The four departments were: (1) Corporate Research and Development, a centralized, in-house research facility with offices in New York, London, Paris, Dubai, Beijing, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong and Tokyo; (2)Global Risk Assessments, which responded to a variety of AIG specialty information and underwriting needs relating to security and socio-political issues around the world; (3) the AIG InfoExchange, which answered both internal and external queries about AIG; and (4) Corporate eBusiness, which was responsible for AIG’s corporate web properties and setting standards for the group.
In addition to his professional duties, Stephen was a member of the adjunct faculty at New York University for eight years where he taught a series of graduate courses in research methods. He has also lectured at The Ohio State, American University, St. Johns and William Paterson University. For eight years prior to joining AIG, he was Director of Survey Research for The American Council of Life Insurance in Washington, DC.
Dr. Collesano holds a BA in philosophy from William Paterson College, an MA in sociology from Kent State University, and a Ph.D. in sociology from The American University in Washington, DC. He has been a spokesperson on a wide range of information and research issues at professional gatherings, and on radio and television. In 1983 he co-authored a research handbook entitled Applied Research in Aging, published by Little Brown. He is a founding member of the DACKKS Group for Supportive Housing, a 501c3 organization that provides affordable housing. He also serves as a member of the advisory board to the Dean of the Business School at William Paterson University.