20+ Years of Doing It Better!
Robert
Lehmann, founder and president, started HSA in 1984 as a small home warranty
company serving five states. In 1987, when a then Better Homes and Gardens (now
GMAC) signed on HSA as a national partner, the company grew from five states to
30 in about one year.
In mid-1998 Lehmann sold 90 percent of his company to Chicago insurance giant
CNA. While the CNA purchase was short lived, its effects held lasting
significance for Lehmann and HSA. First, the cash from the sale to CNA enabled
Lehmann to buy back all of the franchises and consolidate the ownership of the
company. Secondly, CNA guided HSA to the technology frontier and launched its
current software program, "CSS." Finally, CNA brought in chief operating
officer, Mike Clear.
Clear joined HSA as COO in November, 1999 during the CNA period. He had been
running a Canadian warranty company called Cornerstone. Another CNA addition was
Steve Dedo who had spent 16 years in the audit departments of CNA. Lehmann and
Clear recruited Dedo over to HSA when the company was bought back, knowing that
his strong insurance background would be integral to the current management mix.
Finally, the HSA management team also includes vice president of sales, Gary
Lombardo. Lombardo was brought on by Lehmann around 1990 as a sales rep in the
St. Louis market, and was promoted to his current position in 1999. Lombardo
oversees all of HSA's sales and marketing efforts.