People
The Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina announced the election of Kathy Lance of The L.N. Davis Co. in Waynesville, as its new president.
Lance, the first female to hold the office, has been a member of the IIANC board of directors for six years. She has been heavily involved in the North Carolina political action committee as chairperson.
In addition to Lance, the IIANC Executive Committee elected as follows:
President-Elect Cleve Folger of TriSure Corp., Raleigh; Vice President Neil Annas of Granite Insurance Agency Inc., Granite Falls; Secretary/Treasurer Charlotte Hicks of Glasgow Hicks Co., Wilmington; Past President Bill Bingham, The Lake Agency, Cornelius; State National Director Don Evans, Coastal Insurance, Shallotte.
Two directors were also elected to the IIANC board during the convention: D. Scott Evans of Coastal Insurance in Shallotte and James “Jim” R. Mozingo of Independent Insurance Group Inc., in Fayetteville.
Several North Carolina independent insurance agents received kudos for leadership, service and dedication at the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina annual convention.
The 2006 Agent of the Year is Richard A. Heckle, vice president of Dean, Heckle & Hill Inc., in Matthews, N.C. Heckle received the award for his outstanding service to his agency, IIANC, the insurance industry, his community and family.
The 2006 Company Professional of the Year award was given to Stanley A. Wilson, national account executive for Travelers Insurance Company in Charlotte, N.C., for his outstanding contributions to IIANC during the past year.
The 2006 Ernest F. Young Education Award was presented to William B. Williamson, president of Hutton Vincent Williamson McLean in Asheville, N.C., for his leadership in establishing an InVEST program at Asheville Buncombe Community College.
The recipient of the 2006 AAMGA Achievement Award, sponsored by the American Association of Managing General Agents, is the IIANC Trusted Choice Big “I” Junior Classic Committee for their successful golf tournament for North Carolina’s junior golfers year after year.
A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to William G. Ervin, president of Commercial Insurance Group Inc., in Charlotte. Ervin was honored for his 50-year career.
Gramercy Insurance Co. reported that Antonio R. Barner has been named vice president of operations. The Texas domestic insurance company’s executive offices are located in Atlanta. Barner was selected to lead Gramercy’s operations as director in 2001. Prior to joining Gramercy, Barner served as senior financial analyst for the Georgia insurance commissioner.
The Insurance Information Institute has named Michael F. Barry as director of media relations. In this role, Barry will be developing strategic communications and will serve as a spokesperson for the institute. Barry joins the I.I.I. from the New York State Insurance Department, where he served since 2004 as the agency’s director of public affairs.
The Professional Insurance Agents of Florida announced new officers, whose positions became effective Oct. 1, 2006. This is the new lineup: Bob Fowinkle, president; Brian Samberg, vice president; Patricia Cummings, secretary and treasurer.
Fowinkle owns Moore Fowinkle & Schroer Agency in Bradenton. He recently served a term as the Florida District Governor of Kiwanis.
Samberg is president and founding principal of Southeast Insurance Agency in Boca Raton.
Cummings is president and owner of Insurance by Kaiser Inc., in Key Largo.
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has named Johnny Junkin, of Natchez, to the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission for a term ending Dec. 31, 2012. Junkin will serve in a position that must be filled by an attorney.
Junkin has been practicing in a private law firm since 1976. From 1978 to 1980, he served as the Natchez City Prosecuting Attorney. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives from 1980 to 1988; vice president and operator of Main Street Restaurant Inc., d.b.a. Scrooges from 1984 to 1998; and is currently vice president of St. Catherine Gravel and Ready Mix Concrete Co., Inc.
Merastar Insurance Co. in Chattanooga, Tenn., which sells auto and home insurance to employee groups, associations and customers of financial institutions in 47 states, has appointed Tim Grant as vice president of financial institution marketing and Carolann Lotsey as director of marketing operations.
Grant is responsible for expanding Merastar’s partnerships with banking and financial institutions. His previous position was executive, personal lines sales at Westfield Insurance in Westfield Center, Ohio.
Lotsey will oversee the daily operations of the marketing department’s group sales efforts. Her previous positions were as retention manager and senior partnership manager for GEICO Insurance.
Tom Rodell, resident managing director of Aon Risk Services of San Francisco, has been named the 2007 chairman of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers. Rodell succeeds Charles R. Daniels III, executive vice president of Rose and Kiernan, Inc., of East Greenbush, N.Y.
Rodell has held a number of key positions with Aon including executive vice president and chief operating officer of Aon Risk Services Inc. of Illinois and managing principal of Aon Risk Consultants, Inc. In his current job as resident managing director for Aon Risk Services of San Francisco, he oversees all management responsibilities for the office.
As chairman of The Council, Rodell will lead a committee of officers that includes Vice Chairman George A. Steadman, president and chief operating officer of Rutherfoord of Roanoke, Va.; Treasurer Markham McKnight, executive vice president and director of BancorpSouth Insurance Services Inc., Baton Rouge, La.; and Secretary H. Wade Reece, president of BB&T Insurance Services of Raleigh, N.C.