Sun Life Financial Services of Canada Inc. (NYSE, TSX: “SLF”) announced Wednesday the appointment of Robert Salipante as president, Sun Life Financial U.S., effective February 25.

Salipante will be based at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Wellesley Hills, Mass., and will report to James Prieur, president and Chief Operating Officer, Sun Life Financial.

“We are delighted to have someone with the track record of success that Bob has taking the helm of our U.S. operations,” said Prieur. “Over the course of his career, Bob has had direct experience with each of the businesses in which Sun Life Financial competes in the U.S., enabling him to make an immediate contribution to our growth strategy.”

Salipante will succeed James McNulty, who will retire effective June 30. McNulty announced his intention to retire last year, and he was actively involved in the selection of his successor. He has agreed to remain on the board of directors of Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada (U.S.).

Most recently, Salipante held the position of president and general manager, U.S. Financial Services with ING. He joined the insurance industry in 1992 as senior vice president and CFO with Reliastar Financial Corp., shortly after its demutualization. At Reliastar he was appointed to several leadership positions until Reliastar was acquired by ING.

Salipante is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, from which he received a Masters of Science, majoring in Management.