yer ▁began ▁working ▁for ▁The ▁Hart ford ▁after ▁receiving ▁his ▁Ph . D . ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁Ram ani ▁A yer ▁became ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁Hart Re , ▁The ▁Hart ford ' s ▁re ins urance ▁subs idi ary ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁president ▁of ▁Hart ford ▁Special ty ▁Company ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁and ▁senior ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁The ▁Hart ford ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁He ▁then ▁became ▁executive ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁The ▁Hart ford ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁and ▁president ▁and ▁CO O ▁of ▁the ▁company ' s ▁property - cas ual ty ▁operations ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁After ▁being ▁elected ▁CE O ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁took ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁chairman ▁and ▁CE O ▁of ▁The ▁Hart ford ▁on ▁ 1 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁A yer ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁three ▁foreign - born ▁Indian - origin ▁execut ives ▁to ▁run ▁a ▁Fort une ▁ 1 0 0 ▁company . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁after ▁facing ▁pressure ▁from ▁the ▁company ▁share hold ers , ▁Ram ani ▁A yer ▁announced ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁The ▁Hart ford ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁He ▁stepped ▁down ▁as ▁CE O ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁He ▁received ▁a ▁$ 3 9 . 9 ▁million ▁l