Sullivan confirmed as Conn. commissioner

The Connecticut House of Representatives has confirmed the nomination of a former claims executive with The Hartford, Thomas R. Sullivan, to be the state’s insurance commissioner. The confirmation, a voice vote on a resolution offered by Rep. Claire L. Janowski, 56th District, came after a favorable recommendation from the Executive and Legislative Committee. No Senate vote is necessary.

Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell named the claims administration executive to the post, replacing Susan Cogswell who is stepping down from the post she has held for almost seven years.

Sullivan most recently served as senior vice president of Specialty Risk Services, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. Specialty Risk Services, LLC, is a large property-casualty third party administrator for workers’ compensation and general liability claims with 2006 revenues of $252 million. It also provides auto, general and product liability, integrated disability, claims administration and risk management services nationwide.

Sullivan resides in Southington. He graduated from Western Connecticut State University and earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut.

Cogswell is not leaving the department. She has accepted the position of deputy insurance commissioner and will focus her energies on health care access and affordability issues.

Cogswell, a Torrington resident, was appointed by former Gov. John Rowland in June 2000 to be insurance commissioner. She was the state’s first female commissioner.

Rell kept Cogswell in the post in July, 2004 when she was sworn in to succeed her three-time Republican running mate, former Gov. Rowland, who resigned amid a corruption investigation.