People – East

RIMS, the risk management society, reported that Carolyn M. Snow will be president for the 2014 term. Snow is the director of risk management for Humana Inc. She has been a member of RIMS for 14 years and has been on its board of directors for seven years. She is a member of RIMS Kentuckiana/Bluegrass Chapter.

“Risk management has arrived,” said Snow. “Business leaders around the world realize that this business function can do more than just protect assets. Risk practitioners are being called on to identify and create value for their organizations and, now, have a tremendous opportunity to contribute to their companies’ strategic direction.”

Marsh named Robert Bentley as president of its U.S. and Canada Division. Bentley will be responsible for the oversight of the division, which comprises Marsh’s U.S. core brokerage, Canada, and insurance services businesses.

Bentley rejoined Marsh & McLennan Cos. in February 2013 following five years at Risk Management Solutions, where he served as chief operating officer and a board member. Prior to that, he spent 17 years at Guy Carpenter, where he held several executive positions, including global COO and head of Global Analytics.

He most recently served as president and CEO of Marsh’s Insurance Services Businesses unit. He reports to Peter Zaffino, president and CEO of Marsh.

Union Mutual of Vermont Cos. announced Michael W. Nobles was elected to become the new president and chief executive officer of Union Mutual effective at the companies’ annual meeting on Feb. 26, 2014.

Nobles, currently serving as chief operating officer of Union Mutual, will succeed John H. (Josh) Fitzhugh, who plans to retire in February. Fitzhugh has been president and CEO of Union Mutual since 2008. Fitzhugh will become the chairman of the board at the annual meeting.

First Niagara Risk Management, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based brokerage, promoted Kim McGillicuddy from enterprise sales leader to senior vice president. The firm also promoted Bill Hartz from first vice president to senior vice president.

Mahwah, N.J.-based Capacity Coverage Co. of New Jersey, a retail and wholesale insurance brokerage, hired Gary Maier as senior executive vice president.

Before joining Capacity Coverage Co., he served from June 2005 to September 2013 as executive vice president of Tower Group Inc. in New York. Prior to Tower Group, Maier served as senior vice president and chief underwriting officer of OneBeacon Insurance Group in New York. Maier also previously served in key executive positions at Chubb Insurance Group.

USI Insurance Services announced James P. Kane joined the firm as senior vice president of personal lines. Kane will be responsible for USI’s nationwide personal insurance practice and will be located at the Mount Laurel, N.J., office. Before joining USI, he was president of HUB International Personal Insurance and, prior to that, he was senior vice president of PLI Brokerage.

Russell Bond & Co., an insurance wholesaler based in Buffalo, N.Y., announced Paul Saccomando has joined the firm as operations manager. Saccomando has over 30 years of property/casualty insurance experience in underwriting, operations, management, compliance, project management, marketing, product management and product development. He previously served as director of personal underwriting at Merchants Insurance Group.

USG Insurance Services, a Tampa, Fla.-based national wholesaler and managing general agent, appointed Margi Swellie as producer/broker for the national brokerage team based in Canonsburg, Penn. Swellie most recently held the position of underwriting team lead at Century Insurance Group.

SterlingRisk, an insurance brokerage based in Woodbury, N.Y., announced Ben Phillips has joined the firm as the Northeast private client practice leader. Phillips previously served as senior vice president of the private client division at Gallagher New York.

ACE USA appointed Carl Sutter as senior vice president, distribution management. Sutter is based in Philadelphia, and will report to Ed Zaccaria, division president, ACE USA regional operations. Sutter most recently served as senior vice president, national corporate risk segment leader, for ACE USA regional operations.

Business Risk Partners, a Windsor, Conn.-based managing general agency, added three new underwriters.

Elizabeth Martinelli was hired as a miscellaneous professional liability underwriter. She previously served with American Insurance Professionals, AIG and MassMutual. Andy O’Neill was hired as a technology and privacy underwriter. He comes from The Travelers where he helped launch a unit designed to write miscellaneous professional liability insurance. Fotiona Premto was hired as a management liability underwriter. She previously worked at Chubb Specialty Insurance.