People

August 4, 2008

Jacksonville, Florida-based insurer The Main Street America Group named Joe Meholic president of its Richmond, Virginia region.

In his new role as regional president, Meholic will be accountable for the direction, management and performance of the Richmond region, which encompasses Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Meholic joins the company from Zurich North America, where he has spent the last 29 years in a variety of management roles. Most recently, he was regional vice president of Zurich’s Southeast region. Prior to being appointed regional vice president in 1999, Meholic’s roles at Zurich included field vice president, regional staff officer, assistant branch manager and regional marketing manager.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Montgomery Insurance, a Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional company, appointed James Woodall as territory manager for Mississippi.

Woodall will manage existing agency relationships and identify prospects for agency plant expansion and new business premium growth in Mississippi. He will report to Donna Egyed, regional vice president, Montgomery Insurance.

Woodall comes to Montgomery from Zurich Small Business, where he was a senior sales executive. He also worked previously at Grain Dealers Mutual as a field underwriter, and with USF&G as a market development manager.

Virginia-based brokerage Thomas Rutherfoord Inc., has named John Hamilton senior vice president/division manager of its Atlanta office.

Hamilton is the former chairman and managing director of Wachovia Insurance Services in Georgia. Prior to his position at WIS, he worked as chairman and chief executive officer of Hamilton Dorsey Alston.

Thomas Rutherfoord Inc. also announced that Craig Perry, vice president, will assume new duties in the Atlanta office.

Perry will spearhead the development of risk management and international accounts and the office’s due diligence practice. Prior to joining Rutherfoord Perry worked for Marsh Inc. in New York and Atlanta, where he served as managing director. Before joining Marsh, Perry spent 17 years with Johnson and Higgins in New York and London. He joined the Atlanta office of Rutherfoord in 2004.

Paul McCulloch joined American E&S Insurance Brokers as senior vice president and broker in its Nashville, Tenn. office.

McCulloch will focus on building national programs and facilities. He has more than 20 years experience in the industry, and specializes in financial institutions, professional liability, fidelity and technology coverages. He most recently served as chief executive officer of Goldleaf Technologies, and previously worked with Swett & Crawford and Crump.

Erie Insurance Group named Terrence W. Cavanaugh president and chief executive officer, and an elected member of the firm’s board of directors.

Cavanaugh joins Erie from Chubb Corp. where he most recently served as senior vice president and chief operating officer for its surety business. The Chicago native had a 33-year career with the Chubb Group.

Wholesale insurance brokerage Swett & Crawford in Atlanta has appointed Rick Spivey as marketing manager for Risk Reducers, a workers’ compensation unit acquired by Swett & Crawford in January.

Before joining Swett & Crawford, Spivey was a state sales manager with Alfa Vision Insurance of Little Rock, Arkansas. Spivey began his career in 1985 as the branch manager at Superior Federal Bank in Little Rock. He then moved to Farmers Insurance Group, Inc. of Little Rock in 1990 in claims management.

United America Indemnity Ltd. appointed Scott Reynolds president of United National Group, one of UAI’s three U.S. divisions.

Reynolds has more than 20 years of industry experience and most recently served as president of the Specialty Underwriting Division of AmWINS Group Inc., where he oversaw AmWINS’ program business. From 2002 through 2006, Reynolds served as chief actuary of AmWINS. Prior to his time at AmWINS, Reynolds was a manager at Royal & Sun Alliance responsible for all commercial lines pricing, filings and statistical reporting. He began his career in 1987 at Royal & Sun Alliance within its actuarial department and later served as division actuary of Liberty Mutual’s Business Markets division.

North Texas-based wholesale insurance brokerage Insential Inc. named new vice president/brokers for its operations in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest regions. All three will oversee broker production, development and management of broker relationships in their respective regions.

Mike Veniard is a new assistant vice president/broker for the Southeast. Angela Needham was appointed vice president/broker for the Northeast marketplace. In the Midwest, Byron Sinclair was named senior vice president/broker.

Veniard brings more 10 years of experience including marketing, underwriting and relationship management.

USG Insurance Services Inc., a national wholesale broker of commercial insurance, is expanding operations nationwide with the addition of a dedicated underwriter to Mississippi and Alabama.

Debbie Rogers is the new contact for the designated region. Rogers has 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, focused in commercial lines, personal lines and the management operations of a managing general agency.

USG now has 12 locations nationwide.