Westfield Small Business: Strong Underwriting. Seamless Experience. Shared Success.
We’re excited to introduce John Ryznar as Westfield’s new Head of Small Business Underwriting, a newly created leadership role designed to elevate the underwriting experience and enhance the support and success of our Small Business agents.
Bringing 20+ Years of Proven Small Business Underwriting Leadership
As we continue to invest in our Small Business portfolio, strong underwriting leadership has never been more important. John Ryznar brings more than two decades of hands-on Small Business underwriting and leadership experience. Throughout his career—including progressive roles at The Hartford— he has earned a reputation for establishing a high performing culture focused on driving profitable growth, innovation, and disciplined execution.
John has consistently delivered results by understanding the agency perspective, combining underwriting rigor with strategic insight, driving profitable growth through program development and strong business acumen. His expertise will help sharpen our underwriting discipline, accelerate automation, and deliver a seamless, consistent experience for agents—while ensuring we stay responsive, relationship-focused, and committed to achieving a mutually beneficial relationship with your agency.
A Mindset Built for the Future of Small Business Underwriting
John’s philosophy is to empower teams to be strong, decisive underwriters who excel at being solution-oriented and relentless problem solvers—always thinking outside the box. Coupled with his deep operational and strategic expertise, this mindset positions us to advance our automated underwriting capabilities through the use of 3rd party data and technology to deliver a fast and seamless experience, that is consistently easy to do business with.
Committed to Agency Success
John’s arrival underscores our ongoing commitment to making Westfield Small Business a destination for top talent and trusted agency relationships. His leadership will support the next stage of our Small Business journey, one that makes it easier for you to serve your clients and grow your business. We’re excited about what’s ahead, and we believe you’ll see the positive impact in every interaction.
Please join us in welcoming John to Westfield! We’re confident that his leadership will bring added momentum to our shared mission of delivering value to Small Business customers and growing together with your agency.
“Great underwriting isn’t just about assessing risk—it’s about building trust. My goal is to empower Small Business underwriting teams to deliver smart decisions quickly, and to be the kind of underwriter that agents want to work with again and again.”
— John Ryznar, Head of Small Business Underwriting