People
Columbus, Ohio-based State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company and State Auto Property & Casualty Insurance Company has named new managers in various divisions.
Robert (Bob) A. Bachtell is claims manager for State Auto’s Ohio region. Bachtell joined Midwest Security Insurance Company of Onalaska, Wis., in 1989, prior to its 1997 acquisition by State Auto.
Wayne F. Berner is manager of personal insurance actuarial. Since joining State Auto in 1993, Berner has served in several actuarial staff and management positions. He was elected assistant secretary of the companies in 2005.
Stephen (Steve) W. Miller has held a number of positions in State Auto’s claims operations since 1989, and currently serves as a corporate claim manager.
Diane L. Monnin began her State Auto career in 1987 as a personal lines underwriter. Her current role is personal insurance product manager.
William (Bill) L. Peters joined State Auto in 2007 after serving as managing attorney for a large national auto insurer. Peters is State Auto’s corporate claim counsel.
Neil E. Stufft is director of custom insurance operations in State Auto’s business insurance division. Prior to joining the company in 1987, Stufft worked in an independent insurance agency and served as vice president of underwriting for a regional property and casualty insurance carrier.
Former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson is now acting president and CEO of Missouri Employers Mutual. Departing president Dennis Smith will serve as CEO emeritus. Wilson’s appointment is temporary.
Smith and Wilson served together in the Senate when lawmakers created Missouri Employers Mutual in 1993 to improve competition for workers’ compensation insurance in the state. The firm employs more than 200 people in offices in Columbia, Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis.
Kansas City-based insurance broker Lockton has added Michael Todorovich II as vice president and producer in its St. Louis, Mo., office. With more than 11 years of experience in the insurance industry, Todorovich’s expertise includes mergers and acquisitions, and executive risk.
Prior to joining Lockton, Todorovich spent four years with Aon’s Financial Services practice, three years in Aon’s Trade Credit and Political Risk group, and the most recent four years as an Aon producer.
Hays Companies, a Minneapolis, Minn.-based insurance broker, added Ben C. Graves as associate director of research and compliance in the employee benefits division of Hays Benefits Group LLC.
Prior to joining Hays Companies, Graves was the director of compliance for A.E. Roberts Company, a training and consulting company for human resources, benefits and insurance professionals.
Associated Agencies Inc., a full-service insurance brokerage firm based in Rolling Meadows, Ill., has added new staff members.
Craig A. Kanter has been hired as Producer Development director. Kanter is an attorney, a former executive vice president and chief operating officer of a regional insurance brokerage, and founder of Risk Resource Partners.
Sean Patrick Fortier joins the company as account executive. Fortier comes to Associated from HUB International Scheer’s, where he sold property and casualty insurance. He also specializes in surety bonds, employee benefits and credit insurance.
Lee Lazar also joined Associated as account executive. Lazar previously worked at State of Israel Bonds.
Scott Lieber has been hired as account executive. Lieber comes to Associated from Edward Don and Company.
Zurich’s Global Corporate in North America (GCiNA) unit named David Bartnick as North Central Property regional manager. The North Central region includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Bartnick has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. His most recent role was National Accounts property segment manager and Excess and Surplus underwriting manager for GCiNA.
Taffy F. Troup, senior vice president of Administration and Operations for Roanoke, Ind.-based American Specialty Insurance & Risk Services Inc., has been named national Insurance Professional of the Year at the 68th Annual National Convention of NAIW (International).
Troup was named Insurance Professional of the Year at a regional level in March 2009 at the NAIW (International) Region IV Conference in Troy, Mich.
Troup joined American Specialty in 1990.
David M. Breitmayer has joined the Professional Insurance Agents Association of Ohio Inc. (PIA) as vice president of Member Services. Prior to coming to PIA, Breitmayer served as vice president of Administration for DTE Gas Resources.
The Missouri Department of Insurance appointed two veteran insurance regulators to division director positions.
Mary Kempker will direct the Market Regulation Division. Kempker has worked at the department for more than 10 years, including the last six as director of the Consumer Affairs Division.
Angela Nelson is the new head of the Consumer Affairs Division. Nelson has worked at the department since 2002, and for the past year has managed the Property and Casualty Section, which oversees policies and rates for several lines of insurance, including homeowners, auto and workers’ compensation.