People & Places

Toledo, Ohio-based agency Hylant Group announced the promotion of James B. Allen to vice president of risk management and vice president legal counsel. In the newly created position of legal counsel, he will assume the additional role of inside legal counsel where he will be responsible for setting the overall philosophy and strategy of the organization regarding legal matters.

Allen will continue his account management responsibilities within the Hylant Group risk management department. In addition to the headquarters in Toledo, Hylant has offices in Ann Arbor and Troy, Mich.; Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland, Ohio; as well as Indianapolis, Bloomington and Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Gary Gibboney has joined the Independent Mitigation and Cleaning/ Conservation (IMACC) network at its Indianapolis office. In his new position, Gibboney will be responsible for expanding IMACC membership, while he works directly with IMACC members in the development of IMACC services. Additionally, he will develop and implement member-related marketing and recruiting strategies. Gibboney will report to IMACC President Pat Harmon.

Gibboney comes to IMACC with a wealth of experience. Most recently, he served as the vice president of sales and marketing for Cornerstone Communication, an independent software vendor, where he created a new marketing message and new sales model. All told, Gibboney has more than 30 years of experience in both sales and marketing. Naperville, Ill.-based IMACC is dedicated to linking the best insurers with the best mitigation and restorative services through training, powerful communication and informational technologies, and relationship-building programs that promote their mutually profitable relationships.

ACE USA, the U.S.-based retail operating division of the ACE Group of Cos. appointed Stephen Dennison as senior vice president and regional executive of their Northwest region. Based in San Francisco, Dennison will be responsible for setting and driving the overall strategic direction for ACE USA’s northwest region, which comprises Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah. He will be responsible for the regional production plan, regional distribution, product sales and marketing, producer management, general operations and staff management.

Dennison was previously senior vice president, west operations for ACE US International, a division of ACE USA that provides global programs and specialty coverages for a broad range of mid- to large-sized U.S.-based companies. In this role, he was responsible for USI’s client service, revenue production and underwriting profitability. Dennison joined ACE in 1993 and has also served as the USI regional manager for the Midwest and West Coast.

A 30-year veteran of the insurance industry, Dennison has extensive executive experience managing property/casualty insurance operations at the branch, regional and home office levels. Before joining ACE, Dennison held various management positions at Commercial Union and the Home Insurance Co.

John B. Collins and Associates Inc. named John Daum vice president of their New York office. In his new role, Daum will be responsible for establishing new reinsurance brokerage client relationships as well as serving the needs of existing clients. He brings 25 years of insurance and reinsurance experience to the company begining his career in London before joining General Reinsurance Corp., later joining E.W. Blanch. Daum most recently served with US Re.

William Ledbetter Jr. will serve as an employer commissioner of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission as confirmed by the Texas Senate. He was appointed to the commission in April 2004. Ledbetter is director of human resources for Justin Brands Inc., a multi-plant, multi-state footwear manufacturing company with approximately 1,000 employees.

The commission’s board is composed of six members, three representing employees and three representing employers, who are appointed by Gov. Rick Perry with the advice and consent of the senate. The primary role is to set policy, adopt rules that enforce the Texas Workers’ Compensation Act and related statues, and implement legislation.

The North American unit of Zurich, one of the nation’s largest commercial property/casualty insurance providers, announced the promotion of Bill Casey to senior vice president of regional management of its North America commercial marketing operations. In this newly created position, based in Schaumburg, Ill., Casey will coordinate Zurich’s regional marketing and distribution efforts in North America.

Seven regional marketing and regional management executives will report to Casey in his new role. Casey most recently worked as the regional vice president responsible for marketing and business development in New York, New Jersey and New England. Before joining Zurich, Casey worked at Allied Coverage Corp. as vice president of the environmental, wrap-up and risk engineering divisions. He also held senior positions at Willis Corroon, Reliance National and American International Group.

Farmington Hills, Mich.-based wholesaler Burns & Wilcox named Howard Felber assistant branch manager of the newly established Kansas City, Kan., service center. Felber is responsible for managing underwriting, marketing and staff development of the new service center in collaboration with Burns & Wilcox of St. Louis.

With more than 30 years of industry experience in management, underwriting and marketing, Felber served as vice president–underwriting for an excess and surplus brokerage firm in Overland Park, Kan. Burns & Wilcox of Kansas City is located at 7300 West 110th St., 7th Floor, Overland Park, Kan., 66210. Contact by phone: (866) 476-0439, (913) 451-3135; fax: (913) 451-3156; or e-mail: hlfelber@burns-wilcox.com.