People – South Central

Dale Randol has been promoted to president and CEO of San Antonio-based IBC Insurance. He replaces his father, Edwin “Eddie” Randol, who becomes chairman of the agency.

Both men joined IBC in 2000 when IBC acquired Eddie M. Randol Insurance.

Dale Randol began his insurance career in 1986 at Jefferson Standard Life and joined his father’s agency in 1987. He has been executive vice president and chief operating officer of IBC Insurance since 2000.

IBC Insurance offers insurance products and services in Texas and Oklahoma.

The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) honored Garry Kaufman, president of Galveston Insurance Associates, with its Drex Foreman Award.

Named after Drex Foreman, who served as the chief executive director of IIAT for more than 30 years, the Drex Foreman Award is the highest honor IIAT bestows annually to an independent agent who has contributed greatly to the independent agency system.

Kaufman began his professional career in the pharmaceutical industry, but eventually decided to join his in-laws’ family insurance business, Galveston Insurance Associates, the oldest insurance agency in Galveston. Twenty-one years later, Kaufman has become a respected leader in the industry and has grown his agency by more than 40 employees.

Kaufman is active in the insurance industry and has served on many boards, councils and committees. In 2008 he was elected chair of IIAT’s Board of Directors, and has served as chairman for IIAT’s Budget and Finance Committee and IIAT Services Co. Kaufman has also served on the boards of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), the Insurors Groups, the Insurance Council of Texas Windstorm Committee and United Fire Group’s National Agents Advisory Council.

Kaufman received the 2003 IIAT Young Agent of the Year award, as well as Galveston Chamber of Commerce Community Service and Business Leadership Awards.

The Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas awarded Lenita Blasingame, former chief deputy commissioner at the Arkansas Insurance Department, with the Allan Kennedy Memorial Award.

The award is named for one of the founders and the first president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas, Allan Kennedy of Fort Smith. It is designed to honor and recognize the insurance industry person today who best lives up to the standards of excellence and leadership set by Kennedy and is the highest award presented by the Association.

Blasingame joined the insurance department in 1965 and served under 14 commissioners. She was named chief deputy commissioner in 2005 and served as acting insurance commissioner in 2009.

Blasingame retired from her post at the end of June.

Joe Phifer, senior account executive in Assurant Employee Benefits‘ Dallas sales office, has been elected president of the Texas Association of Health Underwriters.

The Texas Association of Health Underwriters (TAHU) is a state member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), which represents nearly 20,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers.

Phifer’s background with TAHU began in 1997 when he became a member of the East Texas Association of Health Underwriters (ETAHU). He began his volunteer work with the TAHU in 2003.

During his career, Phifer earned his MHP, RHU, REBC and SGS designations. He was named ETAHU Outstanding Board Member in 2004-2005 and received ETAHU’s highest honor, the Founder’s Award in 2007. The same year he was also recognized with TAHU’s Volunteer of the Year award. Most recently, he received the Outstanding TAHU Texan of the Year award in 2013.

In celebration of its tenth anniversary, risk advisor, re/insurance broker and human capital and benefits firm, Willis of Austin, reported it has hired 10 new colleagues this year.

The new hires in the property/casualty unit are: Matt Burns, senior vice president; Greg Smith, account executive; and Kevin Crowley, placement specialist.

New to the human capital practice are: Jeff Moore, senior vice president; Dina Korman, vice president, client advocate; Abe Abdelhadi, vice president; Rachel Phillips, account executive; Christine Acheson, client manager; and Jim Delgado, regional communications consultant.

Sherry Ricker also joined the Austin, Texas, office as vice president, Willis Captive Management.