People
General Star Management Co. appointed Gregory J. Diorio chief operating officer and Joseph L. Majsak chief marketing officer. Diorio will oversee all underwriting divisions while Majsak will oversee the new marketing services division. P. Cole Palmer will replace Majsak as manager of the company’s casualty division and will also manage the professional brokerage division. Within the casualty division, James M. Richardson will be Western regional manager, while Michael Keane be Eastern regional manager.
San Jose, Calif.-based Thoits Insurance Service Inc. appointed Eric Nielsen chief financial officer.
Nielsen’s financial experience spans more than 20 years. He started as an accountant with KPMG Peat Marwick. He worked in the real estate industry when he became a finance officer for The Marcus & Millichap Co. and CFO of its subsidiary, SummerHill Homes. He remained in the real estate industry until joining Thoits Insurance in May 2008.
Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co.’s Specialty Business named Michael Berg vice president and product executive for inland marine and related property. He will lead product strategy and client relationship management for the entirety of the Fireman’s Fund inland marine product line. Berg will be based out of the Fireman’s Fund Specialty office in New York City.
Berg served as the former product director of inland marine from 1982 to 2000. He is returning to the company after working at OneBeacon Insurance, where he managed inland marine and monoline property underwriting staff for the western region. He has more than 30 years of experience in the inland marine insurance business.
Gallagher Benefit Services in Bellevue, Wash., named Kevin Cipoletti area vice president, sales and marketing. He has more than 20 years of employee benefits experience,. Previously, he spent four years at Great-West Healthcare.
L/B/W Insurance & Financial Services, an independent insurance agency in Santa Clarita, Calif., promoted Haley Wiener from group benefits manager to vice president of employee benefits.
Wiener started in the insurance industry in 1988 working in life and disability. She has spent time both on the broker side and also on the carrier side. She joined L/B/W Insurance & Financial Services as account manager in 2003.
Poms & Associates Insurance Brokers Inc. of Woodland Hills, Calif., named Seth Ford Gilman and Bryce W. Eddy vice presidents, to work out of the company’s headquarters.
Gilman is responsible for new business development and managing client relationships in the corporate sector. Additionally, he is the division leader for the Preferred Client Group, specializing in providing risk management and insurance placement for affluent individuals and families. Gilman was formerly with Kessler Risk and Insurance Services, and prior to that with Marsh and KPMG.
Eddy will join the company’s Associates Employee Benefits Consulting team. In addition to his focus on the development of middle to large market corporate clients, he plans to expand the company’s Group Life and LTD Practice area. Eddy also came from Kessler, where he was a senior vice president and sales leader. Past experience includes time with Peter Foy & Associates.
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Nautilus Insurance Group, part of W. R. Berkley Corp. announced the following promotions:
Veronica Monteilh was promoted from assistant vice president-underwriting to vice president-underwriting for the north region. She has been with Nautilus for 17 years, and has more than 28 years of industry experience.
Mindy Sheble was promoted from assistant vice president-underwriting to vice president-underwriting for the west region and admitted underwriting department. She has been with Nautilus for 10 years and has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience.
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. From 2002 through 2006, Reynolds served as chief actuary of AmWINS. Prior to AmWINS, Reynolds was a manager at Royal & Sun Alliance responsible for all commercial lines pricing, filings and statistical reporting. He also worked for Liberty Mutual’s Business Markets division.
Bridge Insurance Partners, a new national commercial property/casualty agency opened its first operating office in Dallas. Industry veteran and Managing Principal Jeff Turner spearheaded the campaign to open shop in Dallas after leading a local office of a Ft. Worth, Texas-based firm, where he served as managing director. Joining him in the new venture are Tommy Saxon and Ryan Perry.
This is the second joint business venture for Turner and Saxon, who have known each other since junior high.
The agency will target middle market clients across the United States.
Colemont Insurance Brokers named Stephanie Lymore financial services broker in its San Francisco office.
Lymore joined Colemont in 2007, marketing all lines of financial services coverages for that department. Previously, she worked for Dealey, Renton & Associates; All Risks/Dwyer & Associates; and for the Surplus Lines Association of California.
All Risks Ltd. named Brian Duffy a director in its San Francisco office. His specialties include primary general liability, excess liability and umbrella for construction risks, habitational, hospitality, life sciences and excess automobile.
Duffy has more than 20 years of service, most recently as a partner with Tri-City Brokerage, where he managed the casualty and property divisions prior to that firm’s sale to the BISYS Group.
E.L.M. Insurance Brokers Inc. of El Segundo, Calif., hired Doris Jordan as a broker. She has expertise in employment practices liability, errors and omissions, directors’ and officers’ and professional liability.
Jordan began her 35-year career in the field of insurance following two years at Texas Women’s University, where she concentrated on marketing and business. During her career, she has worked for Pridemark-Everest, Lockton and Acordia. Most recently she was a senior account manager with Pridemark-Everest/Leavitt Group in Santa Ana, Calif.
Crump Insurance Services named Michal Walter associate broker for the transportation department in Bothell, Wash. He will be responsible for quoting, binding, and servicing renewals and new accounts; developing relationships with various agents and markets; and assisting team members and brokers.
The company also named Debbie Boitano a broker for the transportation department in Bothell. Boitano has served the Bothell office transportation team since 1986. She previously was the associate broker for that department.
Michael Tourtellott will oversee the newly opened Sacramento office of San Diego-based wholesale broker Sloan Mason Insurance Services. The new office will target business in Northern California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
American E&S Insurance Brokers named Chip Stewart a broker with its San Francisco branch.
Stewart has more than 20 years experience. Most recently, he was with Swett & Crawford, where he spent the past 11 years.Prior to Swett & Crawford, Stewart also worked with Sherwood Insurance Services, Aon and Gallagher Heffernan Insurance Brokers.
Additionally, Vivien Duering will retire from American E&S Insurance Brokers on June 30.
The 40-year insurance industry veteran spent 22 years with American E&S, serving as a broker, San Francisco property manager and executive vice president. She focused on large property programs and led the property unit in the American E&S San Francisco office. She is looking forward to traveling and pursuing interests outside of insurance.
Edgewood Partners Insurance Center expanded its Orange County, Calif., presence with the appointment of four industry veterans. Tim Rabbitt is principal; Angela Rabbitt is vice president, Cristin Nolette is senior account manager and Suzan Martinez is an account manager.
The company also recently appointed Holly Long vice president of private client services working out of the San Ramon, Calif., office.
Long will join the team of EPIC’s private client division, which is focused in the development of risk management solutions for high-net-worth individuals. She has 11 years of insurance industry experience. Previously, she was vice president of Fort Point Insurance, and prior to that she headed up Tri-City Brokerage’s directors and officers and employment practices liability insurance department.
Tim Rabbitt is a 27 year-insurance industry veteran and expert in the construction industry. His experience includes work with Alexander & Alexander, and owner-controlled insurance program work with Minet and Aon.
Angela Rabbitt will handle marketing and new business development. Her previous experience includes positions for prominent brokerage firms including Frank B. Hall, which later became Aon and USI.
Nolette, a 23-year industry veteran, will focus on the firm’s construction accounts.
Martinez brings 29 years of insurance industry experience to EPIC. As an account manager, she will be responsible for handling client service, and processing certificates and bonds.
The Orange Empire Chapter of the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Society elected its 2008-2009 officers.
New officers are President Karen Frech of Balboa Insurance Group; President-Elect Jim Hurst of Saddleback Valley Insurance; Secretary Morgan Anderson of Arthur J. Gallagher and Co.; and Treasurer Latisha Cole.
Suzanne M. Guyan joined CompPartners, a workers’ compensation, disability, and group health managed care organization based in Irvine, Calif., as director of product development.
Guyan started out with Liberty Mutual as a multiline claims examiner over workers’ compensation, property and automobile claims. Most recently, she served as director for membership for the Workers Compensation Research Institute.
The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America hired Marguerite Murer as senior vice president of public affairs.
Murer has public affairs experience in both the public and private sectors. She most recently served as The Allstate Corp.’s corporate relations manager and a member of Allstate’s CEO Support Team from its Northbrook, Ill., headquarters.