Exhibit 99.1

Allmerica Financial Corporation Announces Leadership Change


Allmerica  Financial  Corporation  today announced to its employees and property
and  casualty  insurance  agents that Robert P.  Restrepo,  Jr. has  resigned as
president of the Allmerica Property and Casualty Companies. Restrepo, who joined
Allmerica  in 1998,  plans to leave the company  later this year to pursue other
career opportunities.

In a memo to  employees,  Allmerica  Financial  Corporation  President and Chief
Executive  Officer  Frederick H. Eppinger  said,  "After much  conversation  and
consideration  about  Allmerica's  increased  focus on our property and casualty
operation,  Bob  Restrepo  and I have  concluded  that the property and casualty
business  should  be  directly  managed  by me as  chief  executive  officer  of
Allmerica, with the support and input of the group's leadership team."

Restrepo  plans to leave the  company  later  this year to pursue  other  career
opportunities,  and has  agreed to work  over the next  several  weeks  with Mr.
Eppinger and the property and casualty  operation's  leadership  team to clarify
and sharpen the company's property and casualty subsidiaries.

In the memo,  Eppinger told employees "I appreciate Bob's many  contributions to
Allmerica, as the leader of our property and casualty business and more recently
as a member of the  Office  of the  Chairman.  Under  Bob's  direction,  we have
improved the  profitability of our commercial lines business,  instilled greater
discipline in our  underwriting  and claims  processes,  upgraded our technology
platform, focused greater resources in support of our better agents, and refined
our regional  company  strategy,  beginning the journey toward  becoming a world
class insurance organization.  In particular,  we have benefited from his strong
leadership as we have successfully managed many of the challenges of the past 10
months.  I hope you will join me in wishing Bob well as he considers  his career
options and begins a new chapter in his professional life."

Mr.  Eppinger  joined  Allmerica  last month,  succeeding  John F. O'Brien,  who
resigned as Allmerica's president and chief executive officer last year.