People – Southeast

Insurance broker Lockton has appointed Eric Silverstein to a new role as senior vice president for its national casualty insurance practice. Silverstein will also lead the national accounts team for the Southeast U.S., based in Lockton’s Atlanta office. Silverstein will advise large companies about managing complex risks and how to structure casualty insurance programs.

Silverstein has more than 25 years experience in the property/casualty insurance industry. He started his career at Liberty Mutual and Wausau Insurance. He has also worked with regional and global brokers, most recently for eight years as casualty practice leader at Beecher Carlson in Atlanta.

Atlanta-based specialty insurance broker Beecher Carlson has promoted Sharon Brainard to senior managing director. Brainard will now manage the East Coast operations for the national casualty brokerage practice, operating out of the Atlanta office and reporting to Scott Davis, executive managing director and head of the practice.

Brainard has been with Beecher Carlson for five years serving as a senior casualty team member. She has more than 18 years of experience in program design, account management, market negotiations and coverage analysis. Prior to joining Beecher Carlson, Brainard was senior casualty broker for Aon’s Southern region in the national account sector. Earlier in her career, she served as assistant marketing director and director of client services for two large regional firms.

Florida-based insurance brokerage network AssuredPartners Inc. has added Mike Kish as director of mergers and acquisitions. Kish will assist in acquisitions throughout the United States.

Kish has been in the brokerage industry since 2000. He has served as vice president at Marsh, Berry & Co., a consulting and advisory firm in the insurance agency and brokerage industry. Most recently he served as an insurance consultant at Zito Insurance Agency Inc. of Rocky River, Ohio.

Headquartered in Lake Mary, Florida, AssuredPartners is a portfolio company of Chicago-based private equity firm GTCR. It acquires in property/ casualty and employee benefits brokerage businesses. After a year of operations, AssuredPartners has $170 million in annualized revenue.

A group of risk management and insurance professionals have been honored with industry awards from the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS).

RIMS’ most prestigious honor, the Harry and Dorothy Goodell Award, was presented to Margaret S. Accordino, vice president-director of risk management for National Financial Partners in New York City. Named in honor of RIMS’ first president, the award pays tribute to an individual who has furthered the goals of the society and the risk management discipline through service and achievement.

Donald Lassaw, president/CEO at L.T.D. America Total Care, received the Richard W. Bland Memorial Award, created by RIMS Kansas City Chapter in 1974 to recognize a member’s commitment in the area of legislation or regulation.

Cheryl Berman was honored with the Ron Judd “Heart of RIMS” Award. Berman is a regional risk manager for ProBuild Holdings Inc. and member of the Orange County Chapter. The award pays tribute to the legacy of Ron Judd, who served as RIMS executive director for 22 years. Individuals are nominated for outstanding performance in furthering risk management at the chapter level.

The Arthur Quern Quality Award was presented to Larry Collins, vice president e-solutions for Zurich Services Corp. This honor showcases innovation within the risk management industry.

The 2012 Risk Manager of the Year Award went to John J. Marren, director, global risk and insurance management at CSL Ltd.

The awards were presented during the RIMS 2012 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Philadelphia.