People – West

San Jose, Calif.-based Thoits Insurance Services named Michael Solomon vice president in the benefits division. He will be responsible for client growth, relationship development and servicing his current clients.

Solomon began his insurance career in 1998 as an account manager for a boutique insurance firm in San Francisco. He moved to a larger firm, where he was promoted to director of marketing, a position he held for seven years before becoming a consultant and broker.

Solomon specializes in the professional services, manufacturing and heavy construction industries.

Honolulu, Hawaii-based Island Insurance Company Ltd. named Sharon K. Ohata assistant vice president, claims supervisor for workers’ compensation.

Ohata will continue to be responsible for the management of the company’s workers compensation claims unit.

Ohata has nearly 30 years of insurance experience in the claims area. Prior to Island Insurance, Ohata was vice president of claims consulting services at Atlas Insurance Agency, where she was responsible for the design and implementation of claims management and educational programs for various clients.

She also served as vice president of the workers’ compensation department at John Mullen and Co.

Island Insurance holds a financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) from A.M. Best Company.

Leavitt Central Coast Insurance Services named Ted Willis senior vice president.

Willis has more than 32 years’ experience in insurance. He began his career as the claims manager for an international brokerage and worked his way up to senior vice president. He went on to open two insurance brokerage offices.

Cecilia Kennedy has joined Leavitt Central Coast as Willis’ Account Executive. Together, Kennedy and Willis have expertise in agriculture as well as transportation, construction, manufacturing, hospitality and mercantile.

Willis’ expertise is in putting together captives, co-ops and specialty programs. Kennedy lends her expertise working with H-2A agents in Arizona on the guest worker program, assisting growers throughout the country with their bonding needs. Education is a major focus.

Los Angeles, Calif.-based Topa Insurance Co. has made Robert Rey director of underwriting for its commercial property and casualty lines brokerage division.

Rey has more than 35 years of commercial lines underwriting and management experience.

Prior to Topa, he held senior management positions with national insurance carriers including, Fireman’s Fund, CNA, Reliance and Crum & Forster. He has also held positions in wholesale brokerage and reinsurance operations.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer named Germaine Marks acting director of the Arizona Department of Insurance.

Marks is being appointed to serve in this capacity due to the retirement of outgoing Insurance Director Christina Urias. Urias’ retirement was effective June 29.

Among other duties, Marks will lead the department in monitoring and promoting the financial safety and soundness of insurers transacting business in Arizona.

Marks most recently served as the deputy director of the ADOI, a position she held since 2003. In that capacity she was responsible for the oversight and coordination of agency decisions for the director.

Previously, Marks served as ADOI’s acting deputy director for regulatory affairs and executive assistant for regulatory affairs. She also has served as assistant attorney general at the Arizona Attorney General’s office. She practiced at Platt & Westby, P.C., and served as Law Clerk-Bailiff for the Honorable Robert D. Myers at the Maricopa Superior Court.

Krista Anne Gambrel has joined Los Angeles, Calif.-based QuoteNBind.com as chief everything officer.

She will be responsible for driving revenue and overseeing national sales. Gambrel has past experience in a number of areas, specifically brand awareness and marketing luxury products.

QuoteNBind.com provides online, business-to-business quoting for insurance coverage in areas of small business, non-profits and community associations.

Concord, Calif.-based Jenkins Insurance Group named Sue Wakamoto as a consultant in its employee benefits department.

Wakamoto’s experience includes employee benefits, wellness, defined contribution plans, and executive compensation. Most recently with Mercer as a sales professional, Wakamoto has been in employee benefits her entire career.

Jenkins Insurance Group, as part of Leavitt Group, offers property/casualty, risk management, employee benefits solutions, among other services. Jenkins has offices in Concord, Sacramento and San Jose.

Ronald R. Reitz, a certified professional public adjuster and president of Quality Claims Management in San Diego, Calif., was named president the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters.

Reitz was elected to help guide NAPIA toward its goal of promoting high standards of professional education, conduct and ethics in public insurance adjusting. Reitz is a recognized expert on hazard claims. Reitz has managed insurance recovery efforts for victims of the 2003 and 2007 Southern California wildfires, as well as thousands of victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Reitz is credited with pionnering the national hazard insurance claims business of GMAC-RFC (now GMAC-ResCap). Reitz left GMAC-ResCap in 2007 after 10 years of managing the Insurance Services group.

He is also a past president of the California Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (CAPIA).

Willis North America, a unit of Willis Group Holdings, named Chad Schubert as client advocate at Willis of Arizona.

The appointment is effective immediately. Schubert will be responsible for the production of new business and expanding Willis’ outreach in Arizona, with a focus on construction and real estate. He will also build and service existing client relationships. Schubert will report to KJ Wagner, managing partner of Willis of Arizona. Schubert has more than 20 years of experience in real estate and development. Prior to Willis, Schubert served as director of development for Kitchell, a Phoenix-based construction firm.

Willis provides employee benefit and risk management solutions across a wide range of industries.

Bruce Lees has been named chief marketing officer for Atlas General Insurance Services.

Lees’ range of responsibilities includes broker management, assisting with the development of new business opportunities and providing oversight of Atlas program services.

Lees has more than 20 years of industry experience with a particular focus on workers’ compensation. His range of knowledge includes field and production management, claims and related services, and loss control.

Atlas is a general insurance agency based in San Diego, Calif.