Death of MassMutual SVP Millan Determined to Be a Homicide
November 24, 2014 by Fran Matso Lysiak
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The death of a senior vice president at MassMutual Financial Group has been determined to be a homicide, according to a statement from the Simsbury, Connecticut Police Department
In a statement, the Springfield, Massachusetts-based MassMutual said it is “deeply saddened by the passing of our friend and colleague, Melissa Millan, senior vice president. Our thoughts and prayers are with Melissa’s family during this extremely difficult time.”
Millan joined MassMutual in 2001. She most recently led the company’s worksite insurance business. “Melissa and her team have been instrumental in extending MassMutual’s products and services to consumers through benefit programs at the workplace,” MassMutual said.
Simsbury police and the Connecticut state police major crime squad are probing the death of Millan, 54, found stabbed in the chest on a bike path on Iron Horse Boulevard, according to press reports. According to the Hartford Courant, police responded to a call from a motorist around 8 p.m. Nov. 20 and found her lying next to the street with an apparent stab wound to the chest. Millan was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead, according to the press reports.
“Melissa’s tremendous leadership qualities, business acumen and deeply caring nature will be missed by those who had the opportunity to work with her,” MassMutual said. “As this is a matter under active police investigation, it is not appropriate for us to comment.” MassMutual said it’s cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation.
In a memorial page dedicated to Millan on the Team Training New England page, it was noted that she “has been a pillar of the TTNE community since she first trained with us in 2006. Regardless of her formidable responsibilities at home and at work, she made every effort to mentor ‘newbie’ triathletes and provide moral and other support to her team members year in and year out, without fail.”
The memorial page also said that “Although her presence will always be missed, her spirit will live on in all the people whose lives she has touched.”
The Simsbury Police Department “is using resources within the agency and town as well as the surrounding communities to investigate this crime. The department will maintain increased patrol and police presence on Iron Horse Boulevard for an undetermined amount of time,” the police statement said.
In the summer of 2011, MassMutual said that Millan, senior vice president, was to lead an expanded and centralized services and operations division that was to include new business underwriting and operations, along with claims and medical/vocational functions in its U.S. insurance group (Best’s News Service, July 1, 2011).
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. currently has a Best’s Financial Strength Rating of A++ (Superior).
(By Fran Matso Lysiak, senior associate editor, BestWeek: fran.lysiak@ambest.com)