USAA Announces New Senior Leaders

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – (October 13, 2021) Today, USAA announced the appointment of three senior-level C-suite executives including Brandon Carter, president of USAA Life Insurance Company; Gilbert Gitiche, EVP and chief audit executive; and Ameesh Vakharia, EVP and chief strategy and brand officer to the company’s Executive Council, reporting to USAA President and CEO Wayne Peacock.

“As mission-focused leaders, Brandon, Gilbert and Ameesh have made their mark in leading their organizations and teams, fueled by a deep commitment to take great care of our members and teammates,” said Peacock. “They are helping to lead the way in preparing our association to ensure that we are at our best now and in the future.”

As president of USAA Life Insurance Company since 2014, Brandon has been instrumental in leading the digital transformation of USAA’s life and health businesses. He joined the company in 1997 and has held several leadership positions including general manager of the company’s Phoenix campus, executive leadership roles in wealth management, building the wealth contact center, member experience sales and marketing campaign management.

Since joining in 2020, Gilbert has made an immediate impact with his deep internal audit, risk management, process improvement and governance experience, helping USAA build and sustain a best-in-class audit function. Prior to USAA, Gilbert was the chief audit executive for Freddie Mac. He brings more than 20 years of leadership experience with other large financial institutions including Bank of America, GE Capital and American Express.

Ameesh joined the company in June and is responsible for bringing together the strategy, digital and brand teams to increase our focus on innovation and member-centric strategies for the USAA membership. He brings 20 years of experience in financial services, joining USAA after 10 years at Truist Bank, where he held strategy, deposits and omnichannel leadership roles. Prior to Truist, he was an associate principal at McKinsey & Company as a leader in strategy, distribution, mergers, and operations for retail banking and property casualty clients.

“These appointments reflect the leadership each has brought to their respective teams and horizontally across our organization,” added Peacock. “Moving forward, each will have a critical role in ensuring we can deliver competitive products and services to military families.”

USAA
Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and investment and retirement solutions to 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, TX, USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 35,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.