People & Places

Farmington Hills, Mich.-based national specialty insurance wholesaler Burns & Wilcox appointed Thomas M. Weidemann assistant branch manager of the Chicago office. The addition represents Burns & Wilcox’s continuing growth strategy to offer global insurance resources through local service centers, the company said in a statement.

Wiedemann is responsible for managing underwriting, marketing and team development of the Burns & Wilcox Chicago office. Wiedemann’s broad range of insurance experience in underwriting, management and marketing includes more than 16 years with Marsh USA, Inc. in Chicago as senior vice president.

During his tenure he was responsible for the creation and implementation of the Midwest middle market excess umbrella practice and the national excess workers’ compensation Practice. A notable career accomplishment also includes the creation of a national public marketing group for middle market public entity business, the company said.

The board of directors of the Main Street America Groupin Jacksonville, Fla., appointed Ed Kuhl senior vice president and chief financial officer, Toni Porterfield senior vice president, Jack Crawford assistant vice president, Bill Garvey assistant secretary, and Steve Sauthoff assistant actuary.

Kuhl joined the Main Street America in 1988 as controller. He has served as treasurer of all of its operating companies since 1999 and became a vice president in March 2000. In 2002, he was appointed as chief financial officer. Kuhl oversees of all financial activities of the organization including accounting, treasury, tax, planning and internal audit functioning. Kuhl was formerly vice president and chief financial officer at Sedgwick James of Pennsylvania Inc. He began his insurance career as an accountant in the International Division of INA.

Porterfield joined in May 2004 as vice president of human resources. She strategically directs and implements all human resources products and services throughout the organization. Porterfield’s background includes training, marketing, communications and human resources.

She worked for Chrysler Motors as field sales manager and marketing trainer. She began her insurance career in corporate training and development at Travelers and Maryland Insurance Group. She joined Zurich in 1994, where she held several senior management positions including vice president, marketing; senior vice president, corporate development; and most recently, senior vice president, human resources, organizational development and rewards for Zurich North America.

Crawford allied with the Main Street America in 1976 and has held several positions including assistant secretary and corporate counsel; underwriter; manager, commercial insurance products; lead underwriter; and district marketing manager. Prior to joining Main Street America, Crawford worked for USF&G as a line underwriter and home office underwriter.

Garvey most recently was director, systems analysis and programming. He started with the company in 1985 as director, claims technical. His other roles have included technical director, systems and director, customer relationship management. Garvey worked for Royal Insurance Company of America as an examiner before joining Main Street.

Sauthoff joined Main Street last July as director, personal lines pricing. Prior to that he was a director and regional product manager for Encompass Insurance, a division of Allstate Insurance Co. He has also held management roles with CNA Personal Insurance, Continental Insurance Co., Allstate and Maryland Casualty Co.

Linda Peters joined Yates and Associates’ Santa Ana, Calif., office as the newest underwriter and broker. Peters will bring in revenue from both contract markets and brokerage markets. She started her insurance career with Allstate as a commercial rater and had previously worked with Risk Placement Services in Orange, Calif., MTS Insurance Services and Monarch E&S.

Emily Crane is the new manager of media relations for the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America where she will serve as an information resource for trade and consumer print media on all non-legislative issues. Additionally, she will be the communication liaison for various Big “I” programs, including InVEST, Best Practices and Trusted Choice, among others.

Crane comes to the Big “I” from Campbell-Crane and Associates, a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm, where she coordinated the firm’s fundraising activities, arranged meetings with members of Congress and staff, provided legislative research on various economic and health-care issues, and also gave logistical support to clients including the American Burn Association, The Chubb Group, Raytheon, Merck & Co., and others.

Shreveport, La.-based Specialty Risk Associates Inc. added Thomas Garland as the new vice president of Underwriting and Marketing. Garland will coordinate the underwriting and marketing efforts of the home office in Shreveport with the three branch offices: Dupuy Specialty Risk in Jackson, Miss.; Sunbelt Special Risks in Baton Rouge, La.; and Metro General Agency in Fort Worth, Texas.

Garland comes to Specialty Risk from another managing general agency where he opened and managed the Louisiana office for the past eleven years. Prior to that, he worked for Gainsco Inc. in Fort Worth, Texas, marketing commercial products to managing general agencies.