CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 4, 2026--
Great American Insurance Group is pleased to announce the promotion of Kenneth (Ken) W. Schneider to Divisional President, Specialty Equipment. Mr. Schneider will succeed Victor (Vic) G. Villegas, who will retire in April after more than 35 years of service.
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Mr. Schneider joined Great American Insurance Group in 1999 and, since that time, has held positions of increasing responsibility. He most recently served as Divisional Senior Vice President, leading business development, underwriting and product management for its Specialty Equipment Division.
Mr. Schneider earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Northern Kentucky University and is a licensed property and casualty agent.
About Great American Specialty Equipment
Great American’s Specialty Equipment Division goes beyond physical damage insurance to provide embedded insurance solutions to businesses across the U.S. and Canada. Dedicated to speed, ease and trust, Great American Specialty Equipment leverages digital solutions, a team-based consultative approach and 40+ years of industry expertise to create valuable customer experiences across your entire leasing lifecycle. In the US, policies are underwritten by Great American Insurance Company, Great American Assurance Company and Great American Spirit Insurance Company, authorized insurers in all 50 states and the DC.
About Great American Insurance Group
Great American Insurance Group’s roots go back to 1872 with the founding of its flagship company, Great American Insurance Company. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, the operations of Great American Insurance Group are engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance, focusing on specialty commercial products for businesses. Great American Insurance Company has received an “A” (Excellent) or higher rating from the AM Best Company for more than 115 years and is currently rated “A+” (Superior). The members of Great American Insurance Group are subsidiaries of American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), also based in Cincinnati, Ohio. AFG’s common stock is listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFG.
Websites:
www.GreatAmericanInsuranceGroup.com
www.AFGInc.com
Kenneth W. Schneider
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to use a new voter-approved congressional map that is favorable to Democrats in this year’s elections, rejecting a last-ditch plea from state Republicans and the Trump administration.
No justices dissented from the brief order denying the appeal without explanation, as is common on the court's emergency docket.
The justices had previously allowed Texas’ Republican-friendly map to be used in 2026, despite a lower-court ruling that it likely discriminates on the basis of race.
Conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote in December that it appeared both states had adopted new maps for political advantage, which the high court has previously ruled cannot be a basis for a federal lawsuit.
Republicans, joined by the Trump administration, claimed the California map improperly relied on race, as well. But a lower court disagreed by a 2-1 vote. The Justice Department and White House did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
The justices' unsigned order keeps in place districts that are designed to flip up to five seats now held by Republicans, part of a tit-for-tat nationwide redistricting battle spurred by President Donald Trump, with control of Congress on the line in midterm elections.
Last year, at Trump's behest, Texas Republicans redid the state's congressional districts with an eye on gaining five seats.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who is eying a 2028 presidential run, pledged to respond in kind, though he had to win over voters, not just lawmakers, to do so.
Newsom celebrated the court's decision, saying on social media that Trump had “started this redistricting war” and would end up losing out in the November midterms, when control of Congress is at stake.
The California Republican Party, which brought the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
One longtime party strategist, Jon Fleishman, a former executive director of the California Republican Party, said in a post on X that the decision means “this year’s elections will take place on the new lines shrinking the already very small Republican delegation from California."
Filing for congressional primaries in California begins on Monday.
Associated Press writers Michael Blood in Los Angeles and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom reacts after being asked by local media about a potential run for the U.S. presidency following a news conference at the California High-Speed Rail Authority's 150-acre Southern Railhead site in the Wasco/Shafter area, where he announced the next phase of construction that will bring the state closer to passenger service with track installation between Merced and Bakersfield, in Wasco, Calif., Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
The U.S. Supreme Court is photographed after a snowstorm Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
