John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co., Boston,...

John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co., Boston, has named Stephen L. Brown to succeed E. James Morton as chairman and chief executive of the nation’s ninth-largest insurance company as of next Jan. 1. Brown, 53, is Hancock’s president and chief operations officer. Morton will retire at year-end upon reaching age 65, as required by company bylaws. Chief Financial Officer William L. Boyan, 53, will replace Brown as president and chief operations officer.