People

West Des Moines, Iowa-based GuideOne Insurance has named Jessica E. Clark as the company’s new chief executive officer.

Bringing nearly 20 years of leadership experience in property and casualty insurance, Clark assumes her new role on June 12. She succeeds Jim Wallace, who will retire by the end of 2017 after 16 years in the position.

Since 2009, Clark has been with State Auto Insurance Companies in Columbus, Ohio. She has served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer of State Auto’s specialty subsidiary, and senior vice president of specialty. She most recently held the title of senior vice president – commercial and specialty lines, with responsibility for overall strategy, execution and management of the State Auto’s commercial and specialty division.

Prior to joining State Auto, Clark was a member of a three-person team that raised the capital for the formation and start-up operations of Rockhill Holdings, a niche property and casualty business that was purchased by State Auto in 2009. She was also the chief financial officer for Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

GuideOne Insurance was founded in 1947 and serves churches, educational institutions, senior living care centers and nonprofit organizations.

Armed Forces Insurance (AFI), based in Leavenworth, Kansas, has appointed Lt. Gen. Stanley E. “Sid” Clarke III, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), as its incoming chairman.

Clarke begins his new role as Armed Forces Insurance celebrates its 130th year in service to the military community. Gen. Clarke will assume his duties from the outgoing chairman, Lt. Gen. Garry L. Parks, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.) on June 22, 2017.

Clarke is currently an executive advisor to a Middle East client. During his distinguished military career, he served as director of the Air National Guard, where he was responsible for formulating, developing and coordinating all policies, plans and programs affecting more than 105,700 National Guard members and civilians in 89 wings, and 175 geographically separated units across 213 locations. Prior to that, he served as commander, 1st Air Force/Continental Region of NORAD.

Clarke has received multiple decorations during his military career, including the Distinguished Service Media with Oak Leaf Cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal and the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster.

The Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers (MIIAB) recently honored SFM Risk Solutions Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Mike Happe with the group’s Company Representative of the Year award.

This award is presented annually by the association upon the recommendation of its membership to an insurance company representative that has proven his or her knowledge, experience and professionalism in working with independent agents throughout Minnesota.

Happe is a governor for the national Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Society, according to information posted on SFM’s website. He serves as a director and secretary of the National Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association. He is also a commissioner on the Economic Development Commission for the City of Minnetonka, Minnesota, and serves on the Minnesota Homeownership Center Board of Directors.

Prior to joining SFM, Happe served as vice president of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC).

The Minnesota Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers (MIIAB) was established in the early 1900s and is the largest independent agent trade association in Minnesota with approximately 7,000 insurance community members.

Toledo, Ohio-based insurance brokerage, Hylant, has named Jim Stengle as senior vice president, employee benefits business development manager. It is a newly created role within the agency’s Employee Benefits Practice.

Based in Toledo, Stengle has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance and managed healthcare industries. He will provide coaching, training and mentoring to new employee benefits client executives across the entire Hylant footprint.

Stengle previously served as a national faculty member for the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research and has developed continuing education coursework in the health benefits field.

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

Appleton, Wisconsin-based SECURA Insurance recently promoted Tim O’Brien to controller from assistant controller.

O’Brien has been with the company for 15 years. He joined SECURA in 2002 as the accounting manager. He has held various roles within the Finance Division including senior financial analyst, and manager of financial planning and analysis. O’Brien came to SECURA from Midwest Security Insurance Companies.

O’Brien is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified in Financial Management (CFM). He also is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the Wisconsin Institute of CPAs, and the Institute of Management Accountants.

JLT Re (North America) Inc. appointed Greg Messenger as executive vice president in Chicago where he will focus on the development of JLT Re’s regional, mutual, and national global practices.

He joins JLT Re with more than 35 years of industry experience, most recently at Guy Carpenter, Aon Benfield and its predecessor E.W. Blanch, which Benfield acquired in 2001.

Messenger will join JLT Re in July 2017 after completing his current contractual obligations.

SIU, a division of Alliant Specialty Insurance Services, opened a Chicago location and tapped Mike Kroman to head up the expansion. SUI specializes in earthquake and flood underwriting

SIU, based in Glendale, Calif., said the new Chicago presence will enable it to expand its reach and service offerings within the difference in conditions (DIC) market, while serving a growing base of wholesale brokerage clients throughout the region.

Kroman, a Chicago native, has 30 years of commercial property underwriting experience and 20 years in catastrophe underwriting. He joins SIU after serving as property underwriting lead for North America with a global insurance company.

Palestine Insurance Agency in Palestine, Ill., hired Mindy Erton as a customer service representative (CSR).

In this position, Erton will handle the collection, processing, and distribution of all agency information. She will assist with account retention, as well as directly interact with the company’s producers and clients.

Erton has more than 30 years of experience as a customer service representative. Prior to joining the agency, she worked in the automobile sector. She previously served as a customer service representative in the insurance industry.

Palestine Insurance Agency is a full-service insurance agency specializing in life, home, business, auto insurance, farm, crop and medical supplements. The company was incorporated in 1957 and is owned by Missy York.

The agency is a member of Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA), a cohesive family of over 100 independent insurance agencies in Missouri and Illinois.