People and Places

Thomas McDaniel was named president of Kemper Auto and Home. McDaniel previously served as Kemper Auto and Home’s senior vice president of product management, overseeing the company’s Underwriting, Product Management and Pricing departments. McDaniel has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. He joined Kemper Auto and Home in 1998 and led the development of an automated underwriting system as senior vice president of product management. McDaniel has also been responsible for Kemper Auto and Home’s Reinsurance. Prior to joining Kemper, he held management positions at Continental Insurance Companies and Hanover Insurance Companies.

Florida-based Bankers Financial Corp. has named Brian Keefer executive vice president and chief operating officer for Bankers Financial Corp. and Bankers Insurance Group. Keefer will be replacing Douglas Pierce who is retiring at the end of the year. Keefer joined Bankers in 2003 as vice president of special projects, responsible for corporate strategic planning and business development. He has a 20-year background in strategic planning, business development, marketing and turnaround management. Previously he managed the states of Louisiana and Mississippi for Progressive Insurance. Prior to Progressive, Keefer worked for Koch Industries, a diversified energy company. He managed turnaround and start-up companies as well as mergers, acquisitions and capital expansions.

Heath Insurance Brokers of Connecticut LLC announced that Woodrow M. Baird has joined their Farmington, Conn., office as a vice president responsible for the marketing and production of commercial casualty accounts. Prior to joining Heath, Baird held the position of area vice president/branch manager at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., in its Hartford, Conn., office where he was responsible for the performance of the branch and large account production. He previously held the position of president at Conn.-based Gow & Hanna Inc. He began his insurance career in 1980 at CG/Aetna in its corporate management training program.

Argonaut Group Inc., based in San Antonio, appointed Rodney Sargent as vice president of corporate marketing and communications. Sargent’s experience includes executive management with several well-known national insurers. He held multiple leadership roles with Seattle-based SAFECO, including positions as corporate marketing officer and corporate e-commerce officer. Prior to joining Argonaut Group, Sargent was vice president of marketing for the property/casualty companies of United Services Automobile Association (USAA).

John D. Sorrell Jr. joined the Los Angeles office of Lemac & Associates Inc. as assistant vice president. His responsibilities include enhancing Lemac’s property capabilities and expanding its client base. He will concentrate on his specialties, including property accounts, layered programs, catastrophe coverage, DIC, construction, inland marine and international business. Sorrell has more than 24 years of experience in the property/casualty insurance industry. He recently held lead underwriting positions with GE Global (IRI) and AXIS Capital, handling large property accounts and E&S business. He began his career at Reliance Insurance Co. as a claims adjuster in New York City. In 1987, he transitioned to an underwriting position at CIGNA Special Risks in its New York office and also worked for Transamerica’s specialty risk division in New York and Los Angeles. After serving as a regional international manager for AIG, Sorrell joined Sumitomo Marine Management (USA) in Los Angeles and headed up production and underwriting for the western zone.

Preserver Group Inc., headquartered in Paramus, N.J., announced that Patrick Haveron has been promoted to president and CEO. He had previously served as co-CEO. Haveron started his career with the public accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand. He joined Preserver Group in 1988 as its controller and was promoted to CFO in 1993. He was made co-CEO in September 1999.

Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based auto insurer American Service Insurance Co. appointed Tom Ossmann its president and CEO. Ossmann had previously served as chief operating officer of ASI and has been with the company for nearly 14 years, holding various positions in underwriting, operations analysis and management. Jim Durkin, the former senior vice president of claims, has been appointed senior vice president and COO. Durkin has more than 20 years of insurance industry experience working in field operations, marketing and claims. He will administer the operational areas of claims, underwriting, marketing and information technology.

Fair Isaac Corp. appointed Kimberly Wiswell to the post of vice president of Insurance Service Bureau Operations. She will be based in Fair Isaac’s Irvine, Calif., office. Wiswell brings more than 20 years of experience in insurance claims and operations management, including management of workers’ compensation operations and product management for both a large managed care organization and a premier carrier. Prior to joining Fair Isaac, Wiswell served as vice president of Provider Network Management for First Health Group Corp., managing its PPO network. She also held senior positions with Kaiser Permanente, Fremont Compensation Insurance Group, Diversified Healthcare Consultants, Medata and Beech Street Corp.

The Houston office of Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Burns & Wilcox Ltd., added Edie Alcott in the position of commercial lines underwriter. She is responsible for underwriting and servicing commercial lines risks for new and renewal business. Prior to joining Burns & Wilcox, Alcott served as a senior commercial lines underwriter with U.S. Risk Group Ltd.