People

Stacey Reinhardt is now marketing manager/sales analyst with Howalt+McDowell Insurance Inc. in Sioux Falls, S.D. Reinhardt relocated from Appleton, Wis., and previously worked in marketing for SECURA Insurance Co. in Appleton and Kaplan Professional in La Crosse, Wis. She has 15 years of corporate marketing experience, with 13 of them in the insurance industry.

Howalt+McDowell’s Kerry Rush was recently named the 2011 South Dakota Outstanding Customer Service Representative (CSR) of the Year by the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. The award recognizes the contributions and commitment of customer service representatives who serve clients within the insurance industry. Rush has been employed with Howalt+McDowell since 1996 and is currently an account manager in its Healthcare Pillar.

Lockton Companies LLC, a Kansas City-based firm specializing in insurance, risk management and employee benefits, has added Brett Lane to its team of producers.

Lane previously was an account executive for health and welfare clients. He will now focus his efforts on attracting and consulting with new Lockton employee benefits clients.

Lane joined Lockton in November 2005 as an account administrator and has transitioned into positions with increasing responsibility. He has completed numerous professional designations such as Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), Group Benefits Associate (GBA), and Health Insurance Associate (HIA).

Insurance brokerage firm Hylant Group hired Michael Gilbert to lead its Indianapolis, Ind., office. Prior to joining Hylant Group, Gilbert served as executive senior vice president of First Merchants Insurance Group. Under his guidance, gross revenue increased substantially along with his employee base, which nearly doubled during his tenure. He was responsible for negotiating multiple agency acquisitions, in which he designed and implemented plans for successful culture integration. The Independent Insurance Agents of Indiana named Gilbert “Agent of the Year” in 2008 and “Director of the Year” in 2010.

Founded in 1935, Hylant Group is a full-service insurance brokerage with 12 offices in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee, and employs more than 600 employees.

Wells Fargo Insurance Services named Yuan Zheng client services advisor for the company’s international benefits practice. He will be based in Chicago and report to Edward Cha, client services leader. Zheng will provide global consultation and support for Wells Fargo’s current and prospective multinational employee benefits customers.

Prior to joining Wells Fargo Insurance Services, Zheng worked for Aon Hewitt as an actuarial analyst. He also worked at Mercer as an international consultant and RSM McGladrey as a client manager.

Zheng is an associate of the Society of Actuaries, an enrolled actuary under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation appointed two veteran workers’ compensation and insurance industry professionals to leadership roles. Dale Hamilton will serve as chief operating officer and Kevin Abrams will head BWC’s Employer Services Division.

Hamilton will oversee the agency’s Medical Services Division, Infrastructure and Technology Division, Employer Services Division, the Division of Safety & Hygiene and the Division of Field Operations.

As chief of Employer Services, Abrams will manage policy coverage initiation and maintenance, delivery of programs and compliance for all state fund and self-insured employers.