People – South Central
The Texas-based agency partnership, Combined Agents of America LLC (CAA), is expanding into Nebraska and elected Rick Elliott to serve as central regional vice president.
Elliott is the owner and president of Elliott Insurance Group (EIG). The Kansas-based independent agency estimates it will write some $29 million in premium at the end of 2015, or about $3.5 million in revenue. EIG serves clients in Kansas and Missouri. EIG joined CAA in 2009.
Elliott was elected to serve on the CAA management committee for a staggered two-year term.
The current 2015-16 CAA Management Committee includes:
Chairman of the Board Roger Luttrell, president of Benton Luttrell Co. in Van Alstyne, Texas.
President Bill Martin, president of Grona Boles Martin Bloxsom Insurance, San Antonio, Texas.
Executive Vice President Trent Richmond, Partner & VP Business Development of Keller Leopold Insurance, Garden City, Kansas.
Central Region Vice President Rick Elliott, the owner and president of Elliott Insurance Group (EIG).
Second Vice President Mack Purifoy, owner of Purifoy & Company Insurance, Temple, Texas.
Secretary Robert Porter, president of Porter Insurance Agency, Brownwood, Texas.
Treasurer Pete Bibby, managing partner of Bibby, Brilling & Associates LLP, Dallas, Texas, with another location in Ennis, Texas (dba Arden Insurance Agency).
Past Chairman Bill Kliewer, managing partner of BKCW Insurance Agency, Killeen, Texas.
Advanced E&S Group, a Florida-based managing general agency, hired April Moeser as branch manager, and Lisa Sherman as underwriter, in the firm’s new office in Dallas, Texas.
Moeser will manage distribution, underwriting, marketing, producer relationships and general operations in Texas. Prior to joining the Advanced E&S Group, Moeser served as regional manager for RCA Insurance Group focusing on the hospitality industry.
Advanced E&S Group has branch offices in Florida, Chicago, Denver and Dallas.
Jeffrey Zewe has been appointed deputy commissioner of the newly formed Office of Consumer Services at the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) and Darie Jordan has been named director of the Louisiana Automobile Theft and Insurance Fraud Prevention Authority (LATIFPA).
Zewe previously served as the director of LATIFPA. Before joining the LDI, Zewe worked in the private sector as an attorney and also served as a legislative assistant.
The Office of Consumer Services, created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2015, assists consumers with complaints and questions.
Jordan has served as the LDI’s legislative liaison for the last four years. She previously worked in government relations for both CITGO Petroleum Corp. and Capital One. Jordan also has served as executive director of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus Foundation
Housed within LDI’s Division of Insurance Fraud, LATIFPA works to combat motor vehicle theft and insurance fraud.
Lighthouse Property Insurance Corp., based in Orlando, Fla., appointed Maureen Gomez as marketing representative for Texas.
Gomez has more than 22 years of experience in the insurance industry. Prior to Lighthouse, she served as an agency relationship manager for The Woodlands Financial Group.
She will be responsible for growing an agency production force of independent insurance agents and expanding the Lighthouse name throughout Texas as she partners with Gary Ardoin. Gomez has earned the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation.
Ardoin joined the Lighthouse team in May 2015 and brings more than 20 years of insurance industry experience in sales, marketing and underwriting roles.
Lighthouse provides coverage in Louisiana, South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas. Lighthouse is currently appointing Texas agents writing homeowners and flood policies, particularly along the coast.
Joseph McCormick joined Centauri Insurance as regional sales manager for Texas.
McCormick brings more than 26 years of sales and agency management experience to Centauri Insurance and is charged with expanding Centauri’s Texas residential property programs. His responsibilities will include management of existing independent agency relationships and strategic growth throughout Texas.
McCormick comes to Centauri after a 26 year career with Allstate Insurance. Most recently he was corporate relations director for the company’s Western U.S. Territory.
McCormick holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and is a licensed insurance agent.
Based in Sarasota, Fla., Centauri Insurance is a multi-regional, multi-product carrier that writes residential property insurance with over 800 agencies in nine states.