People

International insurance brokerage and risk management services firm Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., based in Itasca, Ill., has promoted James W. Durkin Jr. and William F. Ziebell in its employee benefit division.

Durkin, president of Gallagher’s employee benefits division, assumes the newly created position of chairman of Gallagher’s employee benefit division.

Ziebell has been promoted to president of the employee benefits division and will report to Durkin. He previously was a regional leader in the benefits division.

Keith Goad has been hired as chief financial officer for both Central Mutual Insurance Co. and All America Insurance Co. Both companies are based in Van Wert, Ohio.

Goad comes to Central from Nationwide where he was most recently an associate vice president in the Office of Corporate Strategy. Prior to that, he was the associate vice president, CFO of Nationwide’s Growth Solutions & Direct division.

Goad is a Certified Valuation Analyst (CVA).

CNA appointed Andy Lea as vice president of commercial underwriting for Errors & Omissions (E&O), Cyber and Media in the company’s commercial unit. In this role, Lea will manage the strategic direction of CNA’s Commercial E&O suite and Enterprise Cyber products.

Lea brings 20 years of experience to CNA. He most recently served as AIG’s senior vice president, Midwest professional liability manager in the company’s financial lines division.

Ascension Risk Services, a diversified wholesale broker and managing general agent, launched a new office in Omaha, Neb., and named Bria Christensen as vice president.

Christensen will be responsible for growing the region and the company’s presence in the Great Plains and will focus on property, casualty and transportation related risks.

Prior to joining Ascension Risk Services, Christensen was a district sales manager for Iowa Mutual. Christensen also held various positions with Auto-Owners Insurance. Christensen holds various industry designations, including CPCU, CLCS, AU, API and AINS.

Ascension Risk Services, a Lone Rock Capital Partners company, is headquartered in Madison, Wis., with regional offices in Omaha, Neb.; Boulder, Colo.; and Stockton and Sacramento, Calif.

Everest Insurance expanded its Chicago-based Midwest property underwriting team with additions in the retail, wholesale and inland marine areas.

Victor Pena joined the Everest retail property team as vice president of the Central Region. Pena joins Everest from CNA where he most recently served as the underwriting director of the Northern Zone.

Victor Twardowski was added as associate manager in the inland marine division. Twardowski joins from CNA where he was most recently an underwriting specialist responsible for the inland marine portfolio in the Kansas and Missouri territories.

Tyler James was named manager in the inland marine division. James joins Everest from Arthur J. Gallagher where he was charged with growth of Gallagher’s Construction practice in the Midwest Region.

Des Moines, Iowa-based independent insurance brokerage, Holmes Murphy & Associates, has added Ellen Willadsen, chief financial officer, and Steve McManus, senior vice president, to its board of directors.

Willadsen also earned a seat on the Holmes Murphy executive committee.

In addition to his leadership work in Des Moines, McManus oversees a significant investment and growth area for the Dallas property/casualty team.

Holmes Murphy & Associates has a presence in 10 other markets across the nation, in addition to its locations in Des Moines and Dallas.

Chicago-based wholesale insurance brokerage R-T Specialty LLC (RT) has promoted Stephen Hunziker to president of RT Specialty Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Hunziker previously was an executive vice president, specializing in professional liability lines. He will continue to serve on the Professional Development Committee of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society.

Nielsen was executive vice president focusing on the professional lines business in which he will continue to specialize.

R-T Specialty is a subsidiary of Ryan Specialty Group LLC.

Alan F. Short joined XL Catlin’s excess casualty team as a senior underwriter in Kansas City.

Short brings 30-plus years of broker and underwriting experience, including his recent tenure as an underwriting consultant with CNA.