People & Places
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 licenses. 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. It formed Lockton International when it combined its international operations with the business acquired from Alexander Forbes. 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.
Additional recent senior-level hires include: Stephen Packard, a director with Deloitte Consulting LLP, from The Hartford, where he was vice president of national client practices; Bertha Fortney, a director with Deloitte Consulting LLP, from a global technology company, where she was the insurance and investment management practice head; Carl Groth, a director in Deloitte & Touche LLP, from the Willis Group Ltd, where he was responsible for their enterprise risk management and structured risk financing practices; and two additions to Deloitte Tax LLP, principal James Mannello and director Stephen Yarina, who have almost a half-century of industry experience between them.
Boston-based broker William Gallagher Associates announced the appointment of Michael J. Andersen as principal. Andersen has been with WGA since 1996 and currently manages its regional offices. Among other accomplishments in the life sciences and financial services sectors, particularly in the venture capital arena, Andersen established WGA’s aviation practice in Atlanta, its healthcare practice in Princeton, N.J., and has integrated the energy practice between the Princeton and corporate headquarters office in Boston.
Prior to joining WGA a decade ago, Andersen worked for New Jersey based Schering-Plough Corp., an international pharmaceutical and healthcare products company, as the director of corporate risk management.
Workers’ compensation insurer MEMIC Indemnity Co. recently hired Jeff Funk as an executive underwriter to lead underwriting and agency management responsibilities in MEMIC’s new Connecticut and New York offices. Funk brings 24 years of insurance industry experience to MEMIC including executive positions at OneBeacon Insurance and Aspen Insurance.
MEMIC Indemnity Co., based in Manchester, N.H., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Co. and is a member of The MEMIC Group. It is licensed to write workers’ compensation policies in more than 35 states.
Charles N. Robinson, president of Rogers & Gray Insurance Agency, Inc. in South Dennis, Mass., announced the election of Carol Aimone to vice president of the agency. Aimone joined Rogers & Gray in June of 2001 following a move from Westport, Conn. where she was vice president and human resource manager for a local insurance agency. Rogers & Gray has seven offices within southern Massachusetts in Orleans, South Dennis, Hyannis, Sandwich, Falmouth, Wareham and Plymouth.
Maryland Insurance Commissioner R. Steven Orr has appointed Kimberly Yvette Robinson as director of government relations at the Maryland Insurance Administration. Robinson succeeds Brett Lininger who resigned the agency in December to form his own government relations firm.
Robinson joined the Maryland Insurance Administration in March 2001 as a staff attorney for life and health, rising to assistant director of government relations in August 2005.
Raymond L. Deschene, a 30-year insurance professional, has joined the national wholesale agency The Demetriou Group as branch manager for the New England region.
Deschene was vice president of operations for Narragansett Bay Insurance Co., which specialized in personal lines. He has served with several local and regional carriers, and from 1985 to 2003 was the vice president of product implementation and human resources for Pawtucket Mutual Insurance Co. in Pawtucket, R.I. More recently, he played a role in the rehabilitation and sale of Pawtucket Mutual.
The Professional Insurance Agents of New York State Inc. presented Jerry Fastman with its Industry Professional Executive of the Year award at its annual Metro Regional Awareness Program. Fastman is a former principal of Capitol Payment Plan. Since Capitol’s sale to Premium Financing Specialists on Nov. 1, 2006, he has been marketing manager for Premium Financing Specialists, which provides insurance premium financing services in all 50 states. Active in the industry, Fastman is co-founder and a board member of the New York Auto Alliance.
Vermont Governor Jim Douglas has appointed Paulette Thabault as the Commissioner of the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA). Thabault steps into the position upon the retirement of John Crowley, who has served as BISHCA commissioner since 2003. She is a former deputy commissioner for BISHCA.