People

Denver-based Van Gilder added three persons to its staff. Tony Dodd joined the firm as an account executive specializing in homeowner association risk management programs. Kyle Krisman assumed the role of business development with a focus on employee benefits consulting. And James R. Bell was named director of the Surety Bond Division.

Dodd has worked in the Colorado insurance industry for several years.

Krisman received a bachelor’s degree in business communications from Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Bell has worked in the surety and bond business for more than 20 years, most recently in the Rocky Mountain region.

California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund named Hilda Padua assistant to the president, a position that includes managing the executive support staff. Padua began her State Fund career in 1989 as a student assistant in personnel services. In 2001 she moved up to supervision, with a promotion to broker processing supervisor in the Marketing Department. Concurrently she also served on several State Fund special-project teams.

Atlanta, Ga.-based Beecher Carlson, a commercial insurance brokerage firm, appointed Steve Denton as president.

Denton has served as the chief operating officer since July 2006. In his expanded role, Denton will plan and direct the execution of Beecher Carlson’s client services and growth initiatives.

Denton has also been elected to Beecher Carlson’s board of directors. He originally joined Beecher Carlson in 2004 as managing director.

Tom Golub remains as chairman and CEO of Beecher Carlson.

Denton has more than 20 years of experience in commercial insurance and risk management. Prior to joining Beecher Carlson, he held several senior management positions at Aon Risk Services. He also worked at Marsh and began his risk management career at Ford Motor Co.

Kathy Wood has been promoted to staff services manager in the State Compensation Insurance Fund’s Human Resources Department.

In January 1992 Wood began her State Fund career as a customer service representative in the San Francisco District Office. Soon afterward she transferred to Policy Analysis in Insurance Services, and in 1993 she was promoted to workers’ compensation insurance representative in Marketing.

Wood’s experience in Human Resources began in 1999, when she accepted a position as associate personnel analyst. A year later her work expanded into Labor Relations and training. In 2006 Wood returned to Insurance Services with a promotion to supervisor, where she applied her personnel management skills.

Heffernan Insurance Brokers based in San Raphael, Calif., appointed Adam Cox director of wellness, to implement a fitness and wellness program for all employees.

Networked Insurance Agents appointed Cindy DeKay as territorial sales vice president for Metro Los Angeles.

DeKay comes to Networked from Mendota Insurance Co., where she was responsible for appointing and training insurance agencies. Prior to Mendota, DeKay served as a sales manager for Cabrillo General Insurance Agency and successfully launched several new programs throughout Southern California.

San Mateo, Calif.-based Edgewood Partners Insurance Center hired Jim Johnson as senior vice president. He will be responsible for new business production, renewal business retention, co-managing of carrier relations, surety business and management of a designated group of producers in the Orange, Calif., office.

Johnson joins EPIC after a 29-year career in the insurance and surety industry in Southern California. Johnson was recently with UnionBanc Insurance, formerly known as Armstrong/Robitaille.

Edgewood Partners also appointed Russ Gunn senior vice president, and Rich Gunn assistant vice president. Both will work out of the Orange County, Calif., office.

Russ has 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and recently joined EPIC from Sullivan Curtis & Monroe Insurance Services. For the past 24 years, he has been a broker specializing in metals processing and fabricating, commercial real estate, construction and healthcare accounts.

Rich has been in the insurance industry for approximately 18 months, and also came to the company from Sullivan Curtis & Monroe Insurance Services. He previously worked in the mortgage lending industry.

Brown & Brown Inc. named Kenneth Walton western region director of acquisitions and mergers. The company also announced that David Lester was named the new profit center leader for the Las Vegas office, to fill Walton’s former position.

Walton joined the company in January 2006 as profit center leader of the Las Vegas office. Perviously, he was with The Hartford Insurance Co. for 14 years.

Lester has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial insurance industry and has been part of the company’s Las Vegas operation since 1999.

EMB America, a property and casualty actuarial consulting firm, named Robin Harbage senior consultant. He will work in the company’s San Diego office. Prior to EMB, Harbage worked for Progressive and Nationwide in both actuarial and product development functions.

Robert Swayze, executive vice president of Eustis Insurance & Benefits in New Orleans, was elected president of RiskProNet International, a network of 26 independent insurance brokers throughout the United States and Canada.

Three new board members also have been elected. They are Gerry O’Connor, senior vice president of Old National Insurance in Indianapolis; Bradley Potter, vice president of operations of BFL Canada in Vancouver; and Phil Marsh, senior vice president of Wick Picher Insurance Inc. in Phoenix.

San Francisco-based Wells Fargo Insurance Services named Kevin Brogan managing director, national practice leader, casualty. He will be based in Chicago. Brogan will work with national and regional insurance carriers to assist field offices with difficult casualty placements, resolving claim and coverage issues, and negotiating the best terms, conditions, and pricing for customers.

Brogan comes to Wells Fargo Insurance Services from Marsh.

Arrowhead Wholesale Insurance Services, based in San Diego, named Katie Hagler marketing coordinator. Hagler has a Bachelors of Science degree in risk management and insurance. Prior to joining AWIS, she worked as a commercial lines assistant for The Norton Agency in Georgia.

San Mateo, Calif.-based Edgewood Partners Insurance Center hired Jim Halbleib as a principal and executive vice president for the San Mateo office. Halbleib will manage property casualty accounts, focusing on global risk management, real estate, staffing, nutriceutical, technology, manufacturing, financial institutions and retail.

From 1993 to 2007 Halbleib was the area executive vice president at Arthur Gallagher and Co., Risk Management. Prior to Gallagher, Halbleib worked at Willis.

The company also named Laurie Martin vice president. Martin’s focus will be on global risk management, real estate, staffing, nutriceutical, technology, manufacturing, financial institutions and retail.

From 1999 to 2007 Martin worked for Arthur J. Gallagher and Co., Risk Management as area vice-president. Prior to her tenure with Gallagher, she worked at Richard N. Goldman (now Willis).

McGriff, Seibels & Williams of Irvine, Calif., a BB&T Co. broker, appointed Timothy J. Mooney senior vice president in its Northern California operations. Mooney has more than 20 years of insurance experience and will be responsible for business development, recruitment and will assist in merger and acquisition activities for Northern California. Mooney most recently was with Union Banc Insurance Services in Northern California.

Swett & Crawford recently appointed Meredith Dyson as senior vice president. Dyson, who will assist the company with its marketing efforts and other related activities, will be based in New York.

Most recently, Dyson was with Mercator Risk Services Inc. as senior vice president and Northeast property manager. She began her career in 1990 at Marsh & McLennan Inc. in the risk management property division. In 1998, Dyson moved to Aon Specialty Re. In May 2000, Dyson returned to Marsh Inc. as an account executive in the Japan client service group. She joined the global division of Marsh Inc. in July 2001.

Prior to working for Mercator, Dyson was a founding associate of RMC2 LLC, a start-up wholesale insurance brokerage. She was instrumental in launching the company, as well as in developing market appointments and serving as a marketing resource. RMC2 was sold to American E&S in July 2003.