People & Places

Specialist insurer Hiscox appointed Mary Boyd CEO of its U.S. business unit to succeed Kevin Kerridge, who is stepping down after 30 years in the business.

Boyd had been CEO of Plymouth Rock Assurance’s independent agency business since 2018. She joined Plymouth Rock from The Hartford, where she was senior vice president, responsible for the agency’s and direct channels’ personal insurance businesses.

Hiscox said Kerridge will stay on in an advisory capacity for several months.

ISU Group (ISU), an independent agency network, tapped Dan McCarthy as its next chief executive officer, assuming the responsibilities held by T.J. Ryan III over the past 35 years. McCarthy is currently ISU’s chief operating officer, a role he has held for the past decade.

Ryan will move into a newly created role of vice chairman, where he will focus on strategic projects and industry opportunities.

WTW appointed Len Graziano as casualty strategy and execution leader within Corporate Risk and Broking, North America (CRB NA).

Graziano joins WTW from Aon, where he led the excess casualty practice. At WTW, he will focus on developing and implementing client-centric initiatives throughout the North America casualty market and promote the strategic alignment of all casualty product lines. Graziano will also serve as a senior casualty broking representative on some of the most complex risks within WTW’s portfolio, including new clients.

Markel, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, appointed Kyle McGrath head of Fine Art – North America.

McGrath will be responsible for leading Markel’s fine art business in North America and driving the expansion of this class of business along with developing the regional underwriting strategy, product offering and regional footprint.

McGrath, who is based in New York, joins Markel from Private Client Select (formerly AIG Private Client Group), where she spent three years as vice president – head of fine art and collections for the insurer’s private client group.

Virginia-based specialty insurance broker Ames & Gough appointed Kevin McGrath as a client executive and vice president focusing on design firm clients.

Based in Boston, McGrath began his career in insurance in 2014, serving as claims manager with Beazley following a decade in legal practice as an associate with Gogick, Byrne & O’Neill, LLP and Ingram Yuzek Gainen Carroll & Bertolotti LLP. Before joining Ames & Gough, he was vice president of professional services at Risk Strategies Co. in New York.

Ames & Gough also appointed Baynard Stanchina as an account executive focusing on design firm clients.

Based in Washington, D.C., office, Stanchina has more than a decade of insurance company experience. He joins Ames & Gough from Markel Corp.

King Insurance Partners, headquartered in Florida, hired new team members at its Manchester, New Hampshire, location.

Kathy Kelley, commercial lines manager, has been in the insurance industry for over 25 years in the Manchester area, previously serving as partner at Richard E Kelley Ins. Agency.

Lauryn Cochrane has nearly 10 years of experience as director of operations to the position of personal lines account manager.

Kim Gagne has 40 years of experience in the insurance industry in both personal and commercial lines. She worked her way up from a receptionist to an associate underwriter.

Eric Wimsatt joined Alliant Insurance Services as vice president within its Alliant Americas division. He is based in the Washington, D.C., area.

Wimsatt will focus on property/casualty insurance for regional and national clients. He has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, having previously served as vice president producer at USI Insurance Services.

Alliant is headquartered in California.

Krause Group, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, named Holly Westervelt to the newly created role of vice president of sales, a part of the leadership team for Krause Group’s expanding agency division, The Krause Agency.

Westervelt joins Krause Group with over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. She most recently served as enterprise and exclusive agency project leader at American Family Insurance.

Powers Insurance & Risk Management, based in St. Louis, hired Kelsey Wyrick as a personal lines account manager.

Before joining Powers, Wyrick worked as an account manager at Bukaty Insurance Agency and Lockton Affinity, and as a personal lines account manager at Integrity Midwest Insurance LLC.

Western National Insurance Group, headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, hired Jessica Archuleta as assistant vice president of actuarial services and promoted Julia Jenson to vice president of communications and business transformation.

Archuleta has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry. She joined Western National from Fortegra.

Jenson joined Western National in 2019 following 13 years in communications and marketing leadership roles at Catholic Charities Twin Cities and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Kim Ayers joined Risk Services – Leavitt Insurance Agencies, headquartered in Shreveport, Louisiana, as a commercial insurance agent.

Ayers has worked in insurance for Leavitt Group since 2016, previously serving as a producer with Leavitt Recreation and Hospitality Services Inc. She will continue focusing on the outdoor recreation industry.

Hotchkiss Insurance, headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, named three new partners — Chris Bailey, Chase Fondren and Dustin Rivera.

Bailey has been an integral part of Hotchkiss for the past nine years, serving as a commercial insurance specialist. Before joining Hotchkiss, he was a strategic account manager, national accounts, at Mars Dinks.

Fondren brings an eight-year tenure at Hotchkiss Insurance, serving as a sales executive with specialized expertise in construction risk, while also serving a variety of commercial and personal clients. Before joining Hotchkiss, he worked as director of business development at Advanced Medical Resources LLC.

Rivera, a personal lines practice leader, specializes in providing comprehensive coverage solutions to high net worth clientele.

Alliant Insurance Services named Kevin Wintermute executive vice president of its employee benefits group based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Wintermute has 28 years in the business. Previously, he was a senior vice president at Willis Towers Watson.

Jimbo Floyd, head of Turner Wood and Smith Insurance in Gainesville, Georgia, has been sworn in as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia.

Also serving on IIAG’s executive committee through June 2025 are President-Elect Jarrett Bridges, of Turner and Associates; Vice President Robbie Moore, of Legacy Risk Solutions; Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Panter, of Kevin Panter Insurance; Immediate Past President Wendi Hamby, of Hamby and Alosio; and National Director Andy Siegel, of Siegel Insurance.

CSAA Insurance Group named Jeff Huebner executive vice president of commercial insurance, responsible for commercial insurance distribution under the Mobilitas brand. He has been with CSAA for more than 22 years and has more than 30 years of industry experience.

CSAA is based in Walnut Creek, California.