By Colin Kellaher

First American Financial has fired its chief executive, Kenneth DeGiorgio, who earlier this month was charged with assault in connection with an incident on a cruise ship.

First American on Tuesday said it terminated DeGiorgio's employment without cause and elevated its chief financial officer, Mark Seaton, to serve as CEO.

According to several published reports, DeGiorgio faces a federal assault charge for allegedly choking a man on a cruise ship following an incident that involved his wife in international waters on a Virgin Voyages cruise ship. DeGiorgio's legal team has said he was protecting his wife.

First American said DeGiorgio, who joined the Santa Ana, Calif., company in 1999 and had been CEO since February 2022, is entitled to severance under his employment agreement, which specifies a payment of two times the sum of his base pay and the median of his last three annual bonuses.

Seaton, 47 years old, joined First American in 2006 and had been chief financial officer since 2013.

First American said Matt Wajner, who had been vice president and treasurer since 2020, succeeds Seaton as finance chief. Wajner, 49 years old, joined First American in 2009.

First American also said Chairman Dennis Gilmore, who served as CEO for more than a decade before handing the reins to DeGiorgio, will now serve as executive chairman.

Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

By Colin Kellaher

First American Financial has fired its chief executive, Kenneth DeGiorgio, who earlier this month was charged with assault in connection with an incident on a cruise ship.

First American on Tuesday said it has terminated DeGiorgio's employment without cause and elevated its chief financial officer, Mark Seaton, to serve as CEO.

According to several published reports, DeGiorgio faces a federal assault charge for allegedly choking a man on a cruise ship following an incident that involved his wife in international waters on a Virgin Voyages cruise ship. DeGiorgio's legal team has said he was protecting his wife.

First American said DeGiorgio, who joined the Santa Ana, Calif., company in 1999 and had been CEO since February 2022, is entitled to severance under his employment agreement, which specifies a payment of two times the sum of his base pay and the median of his last three annual bonuses.

Seaton, 47 years old, joined First American in 2006 and had been chief financial officer since 2013.

First American said Matthew Wajner, who had been vice president and treasurer since 2020, succeeds Seaton as finance chief. Wajner, 49 years old, joined First American in 2009.

First American also said Chairman Dennis Gilmore, who served as CEO for more than a decade before handing the reins to DeGiorgio, will now serve as executive chairman.

Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 15, 2025 10:37 ET (14:37 GMT)

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