People – Midwest
Property/casualty insurance media company, Wells Media Group, announced four C-suite and managerial staff promotions.
Julie Tinney now serves as chief marketing officer, Josh Carlson has been promoted to chief technology officer/chief innovation officer, Andrew Simpson became chief content officer, and Lauren Knapp is now the company’s sales manager.
Tinney, most recently vice president for sales and marketing, is now responsible for leading the company’s promotional and branding strategies, sales management, corporate communications and public relations. Her media career began with a position at Petersen Publishing Co. in Los Angeles. She was the Western regional sales manager for Selling Power Magazine, and also owned an independent media rep firm.
Carlson, previously vice president of technology, heads the team responsible for all aspects of web publishing including server and database administration, email delivery, online ad trafficking and creation and development of online products. With a background in marketing, Carlson brings a unique business understanding to web development, technology and innovation.
Simpson, formerly vice president of content, will continue to oversee team coverage for Wells Media’s multiple print and digital platforms, and will also be responsible for multi-channel publication and syndication of Wells Media’s content across brands online, in print and mobile, and via audio and video platforms. Simpson is a veteran of insurance publishing and journalism. He founded his own insurance trade publishing firm in 1983 along with a business partner. They published InsuranceTimes and Financial Services Times. The company subsequently sold Financial Services Times to ABC Capital Cities and InsuranceTimes to Wells Media Group.
Knapp has served as the 12-state Midwest sales manager for the company for the past seven years. In her new role, she will be providing day-to-day leadership of the Insurance Journal, ClaimsJournal.com, MyNewMarkets.com and Carrier Management sales team members. Knapp’s career has included marketing and sales positions with Maclean Hunter Publishing, Thomson Financial Publishing and Ball Publishing. Knapp was instrumental in the launch of Wells Media’s Folio award-winning Carrier Management magazine. She is a member of the Insurance Marketing and Communications Association and is an active member of the Midwest Insurance Industry Council for City of Hope.
San Diego, Calif.-based Wells Media Group serves the property/casualty insurance industry with brands that include: Carrier Management; Insurance Journal magazines; InsuranceJournal.com; ClaimsJournal.com; MyNewMarkets.com; InsuranceJournal.TV; and the Academy of Insurance.
Chicago-based CNA Financial Corp. appointed Jeff Zehr as vice president, segment underwriting. In this position, he will expand his responsibilities to include leadership and governance for the commercial lines products for both the financial institutions and the professional services customer segments.
Zehr joined CNA in November 2012 as assistant vice president and underwriting segment leader for commercial insurance.
He has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, including over 12 years of financial institution underwriting experience with Chubb Corp.
Specialty property/casualty insurer, RLI Corp., based in Peoria, Ill., promoted several leaders within the claim department.
Don Driscoll, vice president, claim, has been promoted to vice president, chief claim officer. Driscoll will retain responsibility for management oversight of the claim department.
Driscoll joined RLI in 1996 as director, coverage and casualty claim, and was promoted to vice president, claim, in 2000. He has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience.
Ira Sussman, assistant vice president, claim, has been promoted to vice president, surety and design professional claims. Sussman will continue to be responsible for the successful handling and resolution of surety and design professional claims. Sussman joined RLI in 2008 and has more than 15 years of insurance industry experience.
Brian Casey, vice president and claim counsel, was promoted to vice president, chief claim counsel. Casey will retain responsibility for supervising the management of claim-related litigation and providing legal advice to the company on a variety of claim-related matters. He joined RLI in 1996 as manager, casualty claims, and was promoted to vice president and claim counsel in 2002. Casey has more than 25 years of insurance industry experience.
Betsy McLaughlin, assistant vice president, assistant claim counsel, has been promoted to vice president, claim counsel. McLaughlin joined RLI in 2000 as director, claim, and was promoted to assistant vice president, assistant claim counsel, in 2012. She has more than 20 years of insurance industry experience.
RLI offers a diversified portfolio of property/casualty coverages and surety bonds serving niche or underserved markets. The company operates in all 50 states from office locations across the country.