People
Preferred Professional Insurance Co., an Omaha, Neb.-based Catholic-owned medical liability insurance firm, announced that Lynnette Matza was appointed as PPIC’s next CEO effective Jan. 1, 2011. Matza will succeed T.J. McKivergan.
Matza has been with the company since its inception in January 1988, when she joined as controller. She also has served the company as vice president of finance, chief financial officer and senior vice president/CFO. During the next four months, Matza will work closely with McKivergan to ensure an orderly and effective transition.
McKivergan joined PPIC in June 1999. He has more than 30 years of experience in the health care profession. Under his tenure, PPIC has grown from a $64 million company to a $370 million company. Under agreement with the board of directors, McKivergan will remain with the company through March 31, 2011.
Independent agent Brian Bartosh, president of Alpena, Mich.-based Top O’ Michigan Insurance, was elected to serve as 2011 chair of Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet), the users group for Applied Systems agency management technology.
Maureen Boeing, vice president at Landmark Insurance Agency in Cincinnati, was elected 2011 vice chair. Also elected to the group’s 2011 officers’ team were: Secretary Phillip Tilley, with Tilley Insurance Agency LLC in Monett, Mo.; Treasurer John Warn, with Rue Insurance, Trenton, N.J.; and Immediate Past Chair Lisa Parry Becker, with William B. Parry & Son Ltd., Langhorne, Pa.
The elected leaders assume their posts Jan. 1, 2011.
Bartosh joined Top O’ Michigan Insurance, his father’s agency, in 1979 as a sales representative. Today he serves as president and shareholder. His son, Tyler Bartosh, recently joined the agency as a third-generation agent. Top O’ Michigan Insurance operates from 10 locations, providing personal, commercial and life services.
Boeing manages a staff of 18 at Landmark Insurance, an agency she helped to start in 1998. In addition, she services a large commercial lines book and handles the agency accounting and system administration. She has 15 years of industry experience, all as an Applied Systems agency management software user.
Parry Becker, a fifth-generation independent agent at her 100-plus-year-old agency, served as 2010 ASCnet chair. She is responsible for sales and marketing, and handling personal and commercial accounts at her agency, which this year re-qualified as an Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) Best Practices Agency.
Ryan Gillispie joined Highland Risk Services in Chicago as vice president. Gillispie is responsible for wholesale brokering of property/casualty insurance for long-term care facilities and allied health providers through a network of retail agents countrywide, as well as participating in management of the company.
Gillispie previously was with a managing general agent, where he served as manager of the wholesale and underwriting division. He has experience in both the retail and wholesale sides of the industry, specifically in various specialty liability sectors including the long-term care industry. During the previous six years, Gillispie was with CRES Insurance Services in San Diego.
Wichita, Kan.-based independently owned retail insurance broker IMA Inc. announced that Jess Cornejo joined IMA’s Wichita office as a risk management account manager in the Risk Management Group of IMA’s Special Risk Division.
Cornejo will work with IMA’s Risk Management team to help manage the day-to-day operation of captives, pools and other forms of self-insured alternatives for large, individual companies, as well as multiple employer groups. Among his responsibilities will be the review of captive performance to ensure goals are met, as well as to help IMA maintain strong working relationships with clients and vendors.
Cornejo earned his finance and accounting degree from the University of Kansas, where he subsequently completed a master’s of accountancy program.
Cleveland-based insurance broker Oswald Cos. appointed both David C. Jacobs and Robert J. Klonk as president.
Jacobs will oversee the firm’s property/casualty risk division and its branch office operations, and continue to serve as chief operating officer. Jacobs has been in the insurance industry for more than 20 years in both underwriting and management roles. He joined Oswald 10 years ago.
Klonk will oversee employee benefits, retirement planning services and the life insurance division, and serve as chief sales officer. Klonk is a 30-year industry veteran.
Joseph G. DuBois will continue as chief financial officer, while also taking on responsibilities for human resources and administration.
David P. O’Brien, past president, will remain closely aligned with Oswald Cos. He will retain an active interest in overseeing a dozen national accounts, while pursuing investment opportunities in the insurance industry.
Chicago-based broker JMB Insurance named Matthew Horwitch co-CEO. He will lead the company with co-CEO Ken Sacks.
Horwitch has 25 years of experience in the industry. He founded his own agency in 1988, which was acquired by Aon in 1999. He served as Aon’s managing director for the Upper Midwest Region, and later moved to Lockton Cos. as executive vice president, developing its Chicago national and middle market business. In 2006, he returned to Aon as president of its global account segment.
Privately owned insurance brokerage Hylant Group hired industry veteran Jeff Branca as vice president and client executive in its Cincinnati office. In this role, he will be responsible for developing large, complex accounts.
Branca was previously with Aon, where he spent more than 20 years focusing on complex property/casualty placements, global programs, executive risk programs, mergers and acquisitions due diligence, and workers’ compensation self-insurance programs.
Lockton Cos. expanded its Chicago team with the addition of Mark Baba as producer. Baba expands Lockton’s depth of expertise in the advertising, publishing and marketing arenas. The company said his extensive knowledge in these industries and negotiation skills will provide clients creative risk management and employee benefits solutions.
Prior to joining Lockton, Baba specialized in sales and integrated marketing at Mansueto Ventures’ Fast Company magazine, developing custom client programs. Baba’s professional background also includes EMAP Metro USA, FHM where he was named Salesperson of the Year.