People

Rhonda Cabrinha, vice president of Ellis Moreland Ellis Inc. in Syracuse, New York, was named the Insurance Person of Distinction during the recent annual Syracuse I-Day event. Cabrinha rose through the ranks to become an owner of Ellis Moreland Ellis Inc., the first non-family member in its 128-year history to do so. Cabrinha is an active member of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York Inc. She is currently secretary of the Independent Insurance Agents of Central New York, having served two one-year terms as president. Cabrinha helped inaugurate IIACNY’s annual charity golf tournament. A volunteer on the Syracuse I-Day board, she is responsible for securing keynote speakers for the annual event.

The Professional Insurance Agents of New York State Inc. elected officers for the 2005-2006 administrative year. J. Carlos “Shawn” Viana of Latham, N.Y. was elected president. He is senior vice president of Marshall & Sterling Inc. in Glenville, N.Y.

David Dickson of Fairport, N.Y. was elected vice president. He is a member of Bailey, Haskell and LaLonde of Oneida, N.Y.

D. Scott Liebert, CIC, of Nanuet, N.Y. was elected vice president. He is chairman of CLG Financial Corp. in Nanuet.

Leslie Rogoff of New York City was elected vice president. She is principal of Insurance Marketing Solutions in New York City.

Michael Paluba, LUTC, of Middle Island, N.Y. was re-elected secretary. He is owner of Hermitage Insurance Brokerage in Middle Island.

Martin Koles of Forest Hills, N.Y. was re-elected treasurer. He is principal of M. Koles & Associates LLC in Forest Hills.

N. Stephen Ruchman of Hewlett, N.Y. will serve as immediate past president. He is president of Ruchman Associates Inc. in Rockville Centre, N.Y.

Paul T. Tetrault will represent the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies as state affairs manager for the Northeast from a base near Boston. Tetrault, an attorney and former editor of The Standard, an insurance trade weekly, will advocate on behalf of NAMIC members in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Tetrault served as editor of The Standard from 1995 to 2003. Since then, he has practiced law at Melick, Porter & Shea, LLP in Boston, concentrating on litigation defense and insurance coverage. Former Northeast State Affairs Manager Tami Stanton will assume advocacy responsibilities in the Midwest and elsewhere.

Thomas A. Sarnese was named assistant vice president of Harleysville Insurance Co.’s Mid-Atlantic claims service center. In this new role, he is responsible for directing all activities of the claims center, which is located in Moorestown, N.J. Before joining Harleysville, Sarnese was responsible for American International Group’s personal lines claims division’s strategic fraud initiative. Prior to that, he was with GE Property & Casualty, serving as a regional claims director. While at GE, he also directed the company’s special investigations and risk management organizations. He began his insurance career in claims with Prudential Insurance. Harleysville Insurance currently operates in 32 eastern and midwestern states.

MedRisk Inc. in King of Prussia, Pa. named Ruth Estrich vice president of marketing and development. Estrich will be responsible for marketing, networks, vendor partnerships, client services and research and product development. The company provides claims management services to the workers compensation industry. Serving most recently as MedRisk’s director of product development, Estrich joined the company in 2002. She previously held senior positions at Liberty Mutual and CNA Insurance Companies.

John P. Murphy joined the American Insurance Association in its northeast regional operation as regional vice president. Murphy will manage offices in Boston and Albany, which are responsible for advancing AIA’s legislative and regulatory agendas in New York, New Jersey and the six New England states. Murphy brings 16 years of experience from Liberty Mutual Insurance where he most recently served as assistant vice president and senior legislative counsel. He joins AIA from the New England Conservatory where he was the major gift officer since 2003. Murphy replaces Paul Moran, who left AIA this past summer.

Integro named two new principals to serve in the company’s New York offices. Robert E. Terracciano has been named principal for casualty insurance, and Ryan A. Barber will serve as principal property practice leader for New York operations.

Terracciano has more than 20 years of experience with large casualty client risk, most recently as senior vice president and deputy director of casualty syndication for Aon Risk Services. He also held positions with Acordia, Hugh Wood, Frank B. Hall, Coroon & Black, and AIGRM.

Barber, with more than a decade of insurance expertise, specializes in property risk management program design, placement implementation and service. He most recently served as senior vice president, Willis of New York Inc. Prior to joining Willis in 2002, he held positions with Marsh, Northwestern Mutual and Baird Securities.

Garry P. Barney joined Gowrie Barden & Brett in Westport, Conn. as senior vice president. Barney has more than 30 years experience in the insurance industry, most recently as senior vice president of TDBanknorth Insurance Agency, Inc. In his new role at Gowrie Barden & Brett, he will work with large corporate accounts. Gowrie Barden & Brett offers commercial and personal insurance through its six locations in Conn., Rhode Island, North Carolina and California.

Carolyn Payne joined Bollinger Insurance in Short Hills, N.J. as vice president in the commercial insurance division. She is based in the firm’s Wall Street office which includes among its specialties insurance programs for financial management companies for leading hedge funds, private equity and real estate investments funds. In her new position, Payne is responsible for professional liability production. Previously, Payne was a financial lines producer with Frank Crystal & Co., Inc.