People
Higginbotham & Associates, a privately held insurance brokerage firm based in Fort Worth, Texas, named commercial property and casualty broker Scott Fitzgerald as vice president to reflect his increased 2004 sales volume. Fitzgerald also transitioned to Higginbotham’s Energy Division, joining brokers Phillip Luebbehusen and Robert L. Carson, in January 2005.
Fitzgerald joined Higginbotham in 2002 after five years’ experience in the energy industry and one year at Liberty Mutual. A certified insurance counselor, Fitzgerald is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Texas Wesleyan University. He has completed The University of Texas Petroleum Extension Service Drilling School and Leadership Fort Worth Institute. In addition, Fitzgerald is a member of the Fort Worth Wildcatters, an oil and gas association.
Austin, Texas-based Combined Agents of America LLC announced its newly elected management committee for 2005:
Chairman Jerry Boles, president of Grona Boles & Martin Insurance & Financial Services, San Antonio. Boles is a graduate of Texas A&M University and was a past president of the Texas A&M Association of Former Students.
President Brent Borgstedte, president of GBS Insurance Agency Inc., Bellaire. Borgstedte is also a member of the Independent Insurance Agents of Houston’s board of
directors.
Executive Vice President Michael Sachse, vice president of Walthall Sachse & Pipes Inc., San Antonio.
Second Vice President Johnny Shropshire, president of The Shropshire Agency Inc., Lubbock. Shropshire is the former president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Lubbock. He was recently invited to serve on the United Fire Agents Council beginning August 2005.
Secretary Don C. Jones, president of Crockett Insurance Service, president of Houston-Walker Counties Insurance Service and Crockett Financial Service, Crockett.
Treasurer Bill Bridges, executive vice president of Duncan, Fraser & Bridges, Pampa. Bridges has served on the Texas Mutual Agents Council and Republic’s Commercial Lines Council. He previously served as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of the Panhandle.
Past Chairman Jim Whorton, president of Whorton Insurance Services, Austin, and Round Rock Insurance, Round Rock. Whorton previously served as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin, as the chairman of property committee and regional vice president of IMPACT for IIAT, and previously chaired CNA’s PACER panel. He was also one of the original founders of CAA.
Each management committee member is elected to serve a two-year term and is selected by CAA’s board of members based on their leadership abilities and contributions to the organization.
CAA also reported its members achieved over $304 million in production for 2004.
Toni Campbell with RISC Inc. has received the Insurance Professional of the Year Award given by the Dallas Association of Insurance Professionals.
Campbell has 35 years of Dallas insurance experience and currently serves RISC as marketing manager. Among her many accomplishments, Campbell has been a member of the Dallas Association of Insurance Professionals for almost 20 years and has served on many committees as well as being president of the association. She also is a past president of the Federation of Insurance Women of Texas, of which DAIP forms part of its membership.
Burns & Wilcox, national specialty insurance wholesaler, underwriter and managing general agent, appointed Lee Milliner as an underwriting trainee in the company’s Dallas/Fort Worth office.
As underwriting trainee, Milliner will be responsible for learning and implementing the skills to provide quality underwriting service in excess and surplus lines coverage to the Dallas area.
Milliner earned a risk management and insurance degree from Troy University in Troy, Ala. He also brings agency experience from his employment with SanBuck Insurance, an independent agent in Troy.
Thomas Wilson has been elected president and chief operating officer of the Allstate Corporation, effective June 1. In this newly created position, Wilson will be responsible for all of Allstate’s insurance operations, including those of Allstate Protection and Allstate Financial. Wilson will continue to report to Edward Liddy, chairman and CEO of The Allstate Corporation.
Wilson is currently and will remain president of Allstate Protection, which combines the Allstate and Encompass property and casualty offerings through Allstate and Independent Agencies,
respectively.
The Central Oklahoma Chapter of the CPCU Society announced it has elected officers for the 2005-2006 Chapter Year.
The new officers are: President Barbara Anderson, Sullivan Insurance Agency; Vice-President Barry Quillin, Bituminous Insurance Companies; Treasurer Denise Engle, Express Personnel Services; and Secretary Mark Binder, Farmers Insurance Group.
Lloyd’s U.S. office announced the appointment of Thor Valdmanis as vice president, Communications, for North America. In the newly created post, he will be responsible for all media activities and promotions in the region.
He will be based in Lloyd’s New York office and will report to Wendy Baker, president of Lloyd’s America.
Lloyd’s also noted that it will occupy new offices alongside the Museum of Modern Art.
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