He was the former President & CEO of Peerless Insurance
Michael Ray (Mike) Christiansen, age 71, of Keene, NH passed away peacefully on March 26, 2025 from complications related to a brain aneurysm. He was born on November 23, 1953, in Providence, Rhode Island to Donald W. and Patricia (Ray) Christiansen. He grew up in Trenton, New Jersey and attended The Hun School of Princeton. Mike graduated from Denison University in 1975 with a B.A. in Economics. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. Mike received his MBA from The University of Massachusetts, Amherst and completed the Advanced Executive Education Program at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. His insurance designations included Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM).
Mike began his career in the insurance industry with Kemper Insurance Company in Quincy, MA in 1975. He moved to Peerless Insurance Company in 1984. He served as Regional Vice President of three regional offices: Falmouth, ME; Rocky Hill, CT; and Syracuse, NY. In 2000 he relocated to Keene to serve as President and CEO of Peerless Insurance. When Peerless was acquired by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, Mike served as Regional President, Business Insurance. Mike also worked as Regional President, Northeast Division of The Hanover Insurance Group. Following his retirement from Liberty Mutual in 2015, Mike worked as Managing Director, Strategic Business Development, for Renaissance Alliance Insurance Group, and as Executive Ambassador at DAIS Technology.
Mike was an active member of the community, serving on the Boards of Directors of the Monadnock United Way and The Colonial Performing Arts Center. He was a member of the United Church of Christ. He previously served on the Church Council, served as a Stephen Minister, and as a volunteer for the Hundred Nights overflow shelter.
Mike met his wife, Betty, in college at Denison. They married in Louisville, Kentucky and were married for 46 years. He was a proud father who was devoted to his family. He enjoyed running and completed four marathons, including the 100th Boston Marathon. He also enjoyed hiking and climbed Mt. Monadnock regularly. He was an avid Boston Red Sox fan. He shared his passion for art history and international travel with his family. Among his favorite trips were Florence, Italy, Cuba, and Egypt. They also enjoyed many family vacations on Long Beach Island, New Jersey and Port Clyde, Maine.
Mike is survived by his wife, Elizabeth (Betty) Clark Christiansen, his daughters Susan Phillips Christiansen of West Palm Beach, Florida and Alison Ray Christiansen (husband Evan D. Friedell) of Ithaca, New York. He is also survived by his mother, Patricia Ray Christiansen of Freehold, New Jersey, and his brother Carl F. Christiansen (wife Jane E. Simpson) of Pennington, New Jersey. He is also survived by his cousins and nephews. He was predeceased by his father and his infant son, Michael R. Christiansen, Jr.
