People and Places

Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s board of governors voted unanimously to recommend interim President Scott Wallace be appointed to the post permanently. Wallace was selected from more than 70 candidates by a special board search committee during a teleconference meeting.

Wallace, the former senior vice president of operations, was appointed to the interim position after Bob Ricker, who had been president of Citizens for three years, announced he would leave the position Nov.1, 2006.

The Florida Senate likely will hold Wallace’s confirmation hearing during the regular session of the Legislature, which begins in March. Wallace’s salary will be $220,000 annually, the same as Ricker’s, who left his position to spend more time with his family.

If confirmed by the Senate, Wallace would be the second president of Citizens, a not-for-profit public corporation created by the Legislature in 2002 to provide insurance for Florida residents who cannot obtain it in the private market.

Lloyd’s of London announced that Julian James, its director-worldwide markets, will be leaving at the end of April to join Lockton International.

James has been responsible for all Lloyd’s commercial activities outside the UK, including the management of its 72 trading licences. In addition he oversees Lloyd’s global branding and market development including communications, media relations and Government affairs. He joined Lloyd’s in December 1997 and prior to that, he spent five years in senior positions with Sedgwick in North America.

Kansas City-based Lockton, Inc. acquired Alexander Forbes International Risk Services, the international brokerage operation of Alexander Forbes Limited, for around $170 million. The main international office is in London.

Deloitte & Touche USA LLP’s insurance industry group reported that Howard Mills, who served as superintendent of the New York State Insurance Department from 2004 to 2006, has joined the organization as chief advisor with its insurance industry group, working with both U.S. and global insurance clients. At Deloitte, Mills will focus on strategic advisory work in areas such as growth, globalization, regulatory issues and compliance.

Gov. George E. Pataki appointed Mills insurance superintendent in December 2004. Mills served as commissioner of the International Commission on Holocaust Era Insurance Claims, was a member of the Presidential Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee and was also a member of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors. A former state legislator, Mills was first elected to the New York State Assembly in 1998 and was twice re-elected.

John J. Quinn, principal and chief operating officer for Engle Martin & Associates, Inc., has been named president of the Atlanta-based independent loss adjustment firm. Quinn works in the firm’s Philadelphia regional office, one of Engle Martin’s 21 locations. Founder Kevin L. Engle, CEO and former president, is now chairman of the board.

Quinn has 18 years experience in the industry, specializing in property, inland marine, catastrophe response and management and claims audits.

Mercator Risk Services, a wholesale insurance broker with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, New York and San Francisco, has opened an office in Boynton Beach, Florida. Industry veteran Al Colosimo, currently serving as a managing director at Mercator, will head the office in coordination with Mercator’s existing Southeast operation.

David McKinney, chief executive officer and chairman at J. Rolfe Davis Insurance of Maitland, Fla. named John A. Turner as the company’s new president. Turner served as vice president at J. Rolfe Davis during the year immediately preceding this appointment.

MarketScout, the Dallas, Texas-based eInsurance Exchange, has named Tina Harris as property underwriting manager.

Harris has 17 years of insurance industry experience. Prior to joining MarketScout, Harris was a senior underwriter with XL Insurance Group for 15 years.

Argonaut Group Inc., based in San Antonio, reported that Gregory M. Vezzosi has joined the organization as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Vezzosi will report to Mark E. Watson III, president and chief executive officer, who explained that Vezzosi will guide the company’s core business strategy.

Vezzosi brings 30 years of insurance experience, mainly in large specialty operations, to the insurer group. Prior to joining Argonaut, Vezzosi served as senior vice president, Specialty Commercial, for St. Paul Travelers.

Marsh Inc. has appointed David Bagnall as new sales and business development leader in the London office of its Financial and Professional Services Practice (FINPRO), the broker’s worldwide professional services division. He will be responsible for growing the business at a UK and international level.

Bagnall joins Marsh from the law firm of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer where he was Global Head of Bank Relationships.

National Interstate Corp. announced that Alan R. Spachman will become its chairman and chief executive officer and David W. Michelson will be promoted to the positions of president and chief operating officer.

Ohio-based National Interstate Corp said the moves are related to management changes that were started in 2005.

Spachman is the company’s founder and has served as president since 1989 and chairman since 2004. As chairman and CEO Spachman will focus on the transition of his responsibilities related to the daily operations to Michelson. The transition is expected to take place during the next 12 months.

Michelson has served as the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2005 and has held several other key positions since joining National Interstate in 1992. He has 27 years of insurance experience and since 2005 has overseen the company’s new business development, underwriting and claims. As president he will also focus on the other aspects of the company’s operations.

National Interstate Corp. is a specialty property and casualty insurance company with a niche orientation and focus on the transportation industry.