People – Midwest

The IMA Financial Group Inc., headquartered in Wichita, Kan., announced that Kyle Orndorff has returned to the company as senior vice president of human resources. Based in IMA’s Wichita office, Orndorff will oversee all human resources functions throughout IMA’s offices in Kansas, Colorado and Texas.

He first came to IMA in 2004 after serving as human resources director for four years with American Century Investments in Kansas City. Orndorff has worked in human resources for more than two decades in various capacities for companies such as Bank of America, Koch Industries and American Century Investments.

Louis Roi was named president of the Chicago office of the privately owned insurance brokerage firm, Hylant.

Roi has a diversified insurance background in risk management, as well as specific expertise in the areas of food, agriculture and healthcare. He most recently was an executive vice president at Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services in Chicago, serving as a managing director and national resource its food niche and healthcare niche practices. With Gallagher for 14 years, he was also a principle manager/leader in its risk management practice.

Hylant was founded in 1935 and is a full-service insurance brokerage with 14 offices in Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee and Florida.

Assurance, an independent insurance brokerage with offices in the Chicago, Ill., and St. Louis, Mo.-areas, announced that Robert Davidson and Jennifer Jungers are its Employees of the Year for 2013.

Aussurance has been recognizing outstanding employee contributions with its Employee of the Year award for 10 years. Starting in 2010, Assurance began offering two employees the opportunity to be highlighted as the best of the best.

As winners, Davidson’s and Jungers’ names are engraved on a commemorative award showcased at Assurance’s headquarters in Schaumburg, Ill. Also, both honorees will receive a crystal bowl, a cash bonus and other special recognitions throughout the year.

Davidson joined Assurance in 2011. He is an account manager and supervisor with Assurance’s senior living practice. Davidson has earned his Associate in Risk Management (ARM) certificate and serves as co-chair of Assurance’s wellness committee.

Jungers is a client service representative at Assurance and joined the company in May 2010. She handles Chris Ross’s book of business including certificates, new autos and equipment, audits and endorsements. Jungers tries to participate in everything Assurance has to offer. She has completed the Assurance Olympics two years in a row, medaling both years. She also participates in Little Angels through ACT, an employee-driven effort that strives to inspire hope in the communities where employees live and work.

Robert James has been appointed president of property/casualty for QBE North America, which includes the program, middle markets and major broker groups.

James will be a member of the executive management board and will report to David Duclos, chief executive officer of QBE North American operations.

James joins QBE from managing directorships at Aon Benfield and Willis Capital Markets & Advisory. Prior to that, he was president and CEO of Grange Insurance Companies.

Before Grange, James was president of the Insurance Services Group at Bank of America (BoA), where he managed the bank’s consumer insurance, commercial insurance and reinsurance operations. James has also held leadership roles at Countrywide Insurance Group, CNA Insurance, AIG, Allmerica Property & Casualty, MetLife Auto & Home and Allstate.

Joseph L. Walsh has been hired as a deputy workers’ compensation commissioner with the Iowa Division of Workers’ Compensation.

Walsh previously was in private practice as a workers’ compensation and employment law attorney in Des Moines, Iowa, and served as the deputy director of Iowa Workforce Development from 2007 to 2010. He most recently held the position of Chief Administrative Law Judge for Iowa’s Division of Unemployment Insurance Appeals.

Deputy Workers’ Compensation Commissioner Helenjean Walleser has announced her retirement from the division. Her last day of service with the division will be Feb. 27, 2014. Deputy Walleser will have served the state of Iowa for more than 30 years as of her date of retirement, having started as a deputy commissioner in October 1983.

Deputy Workers’ Compensation Commissioner David Rasey retired from the division effective Jan. 16, 2014. Deputy Rasey also served the state of Iowa for more than 30 years and had served as a deputy commissioner since July 1988.

The division reported that the hiring process has commenced for the division’s second open deputy commissioner position. An announcement of hiring for this second position is expected in mid-February 2014.