People

Austin-based Medicus Insurance Co. named Eugenie Shea president and chief operating officer. She will also serve as executive vice president of the parent company, Medicus Insurance Holdings Inc.

Sheldon Davidow assumed the role of CEO of the medical professional liability insurance company and will become CEO of the holding company in August.

The management changes come in preparation for Howard Lamb’s planned retirement as chairman and CEO of the parent company in August 2008. Lamb will continue in a consulting role to Medicus and help develop the company’s future growth.

Shea has nearly 30 years of experience in medical professional liability insurance and has served in senior management roles in all facets of insurance.

Prior to joining the Medicus team, Shea was the head of Catlin Group Inc.’s medical professional liability underwriting agency in Houston. Shea has also held senior management positions with Gallagher Healthcare, Advocate, MD Insurance Co., Farmers Insurance Group, NORCAL Mutual Insurance Co. and the Doctors Co.

Dallas-based SIG Insurance Professionals appointed Jennifer Duncan executive vice president of the organization.

SIG Insurance Professionals consists of Southern Insurance Group, Sovereign Insurance Group Inc. and SIG Financial Services Inc., with expanding operations in Austin, Houston and Ft. Worth.

Duncan will guide the retail agency and companies, while continuing to work with its affiliated agencies in Texas.

She was hired in October 2001 as the vice president and general manager of Southern Insurance Group. Southern is a master agency of the national alliance SIAA (Strategic Independent Agents Alliance).

Prior to working with the SIG companies Duncan worked with independent agents for Progressive Insurance and Blanch Wholesale. She has earned her CIC designation and has been in the insurance industry for 16 years.

Lloyd’s appointed LoriAnn Lowery as its new president for North America.

Lowery will oversee all business operations across the U.S. and Canada, including business development and distribution, communications and marketing.

Lowery, who takes over from Wendy Baker, has more than 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry. She most recently served as managing director and national practice leader for risk management and financial products for Wells Fargo Insurance Services. She has previously held positions at Marsh & McLennan, Sedgwick and Intercontinental Brokerage.

National wholesale insurance broker AmWINS Group Inc. named James Drinkwater president of its AmWINS Brokerage division.

Drinkwater will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the division, which is focused on property and casualty insurance brokerage operations.

Prior to being promoted to this role, Drinkwater served as the division’s chief operating officer, where he worked with the company’s retail agency clients and insurance markets and led the division’s sales and marketing strategy.

Drinkwater succeeds Mark Smith who has served as president of the division since April 2005. Smith will continue to work with the company as a consultant.

AmWINS Brokerage is based in Charlotte, N.C.

Warren Blesh was picked to lead the Gibraltar Group’s new office in Goldthwaite, Texas.

Blesh has more than 25 years of commercial insurance experience. In his position as a broker, he will be responsible for account management, sales and consulting services with a focus on agricultural, manufacturing and retailing businesses in Central and West Texas.

Prior to joining The Gibraltar Group, Blesh served as the president of the Dallas office of Palmer and Cay. Also, for six years, he managed an agriculture-based business in Goldthwaite, expanding his knowledge of the industry and strengthening his capacity to relate to agribusiness clients.

Based in Lubbock, the Gibraltar Group provides local, national and international clients with risk management and commercial insurance services.

Todd Richardson joined State Auto Insurance Company’s Austin, Texas-based Middle Market and Large Account (SAMMI) facility.

Richardson brings more than 19 years of experience to his new role as a SAMMI account executive. He will build the SAMMI presence in Texas and develop its agent and customer relationships.

Richardson reports directly to SAMMI Zone Underwriting Manager Gina Wallisa.

Previously, Richardson served as senior middle market sales underwriter for The Hartford Insurance Company in Austin and with Great American Insurance Company in sales and marketing capacities.

Richardson began his career as a casualty claims adjuster with Transamerica and moved into supervisory roles with Foremost Insurance Company and Great American.

Richardson is the 10th Austin-based employee hired since SAMMI opened its Austin office in August 2007.

Bermuda-based Argo Group International Holdings Ltd. appointed Robert F. Thomas as president of its newly formed Houston-based subsidiary, Argo Surety.

Thomas has more than 21 years of experience in both the insurance and reinsurance markets. Prior to joining Argo Group, Thomas held several executive level positions simultaneously at HCC Insurance Holdings, including president and CEO of its Surety Group, CEO of its Credit Group, and president of HCC Risk Management, the organization’s ceded reinsurance administration arm.

Prior to his work with HCC, Thomas was president and CEO of American Contractors Indemnity Company, a California mono-line surety acquired by HCC in 2004.

General Re Corp. promoted I. John Cholnoky to president of General Reinsurance Corp. and manager of Gen Re’s global direct property and casualty operations. He will lead General Re’s direct treaty, both marketing and underwriting, facultative and claims divisions.