People – South Central

Dr. Therese M. Vaughan has stepped down earlier than previously announced from her post as chief executive officer of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). In August, she announced plans for transitioning out of the job in early 2013, but decided to accelerate her departure to the end of November.

The NAIC is conducting a national search for a new CEO and has retained the services of an executive search firm, Egon Zehnder International, to assist in this effort.

The NAIC Executive Committee has named Andrew Beal as acting CEO following the departure of Vaughan. Beal has been with the NAIC for 13 years and currently serves as the chief operating officer and chief legal officer.

Vaughan has served as NAIC CEO since February 2009. During her career, she served as Iowa insurance commissioner and is a past NAIC president.

Wisconsin insurance agent and member of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA), Mary Czaja, on Nov. 6 won her race to capture the 35th Assembly District in northern Wisconsin.

Czaja is a Republican who ran on a pro-business platform. She is a member of the national board of directors of PIA, representing Wisconsin.

Czaja owns C.I.S. Insurance Group, which has offices in Tomahawk and Rhinelander.

Chicago-based CNA Financial Corp. appointed James Anderson as senior vice president, Financial Planning & Analysis and Corporate Development

Anderson has more than 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. He most recently served as managing director at the Macquarie Group Limited, where he led the insurance practice and team. Prior to Macquarie, Anderson spent five years with Accenture.

Wells Fargo Insurance, part of Wells Fargo & Co., has named new regional leaders in the Midwest.

Led by regional managing director John Meder, the team serves the Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin markets for property and casualty insurance, employee benefits and private risk management services.

Patrick Sedlak will serve as head of the Indianapolis office managing the offices in Evansville and Fort Wayne. Sedlak joined Wells Fargo in 2011 as a property and casualty team leader, and he brings more than 19 years of industry experience in the Indiana marketplace.

John Jagodzinski will head the insurance office in Dayton, Ohio. With more than 10 years of industry experience in the southern Ohio market, Jagodzinski joined Wells Fargo in 2003 as a leader in property and casualty and group employee benefits.

Norm Riley and Amy Wildung are now Employee Benefits Practice co-leaders for the Midwest Region.

Riley will manage the employee benefits business in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Missouri.

Wildung is responsible for business in Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Dan Venier is the head of Risk Control Services for the Midwest Region, overseeing the loss control and claims divisions. He joined the company in 2008 and brings 27 years of industry experience to his new role.

Managing general agency J.M. Wilson hired Kristen Pusateri as property/casualty insurance underwriter in its Madison, Wis., location.

Pusateri will review, quote, bind and service commercial P/C accounts for Wisconsin independent agents.

Her previous experience includes working as an

insurance agent and CSR for a retail insurance agency in Iowa.