People
Markel, the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc., appointed Raphael Da Costa to lead its U.S. cyber and tech E&O portfolio. Da Costa oversees Markel’s U.S. cyber and tech E&O underwriting strategy, portfolio management, and product development. Da Costa joined Markel in 2023 and most recently led the strategic development and execution of U.S. cyber and technology E&O insurance products for middle market risks. Markel is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.
Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers (RSUM), the underwriting management division of Ryan Specialty, appointed Amber Anthony as president of US Assure. Anthony will continue to oversee marketing, sales, and distribution in her ongoing capacity as president and chief marketing officer.
Anthony joined US Assure in 2013 and helped shape the organization’s marketplace presence and growth agenda.
With this promotion, Alan Ferguson, CEO of US Assure, separates president from his title.
US Assure also appointed Steve Bristow as chief operating officer, Rachele Holden as chief underwriting officer, and Jay Yuskis as chief information officer.
Brown & Riding, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, hired Courtney Kerr to its underwriting and select accounts division as national private client practice leader. With over 15 years of industry experience, Kerr will serve as the central underwriting authority for Brown & Riding’s private client practice, shaping facility design, appetite, and underwriting approach.
CRC Group added several members to its growing Specialty team.
AJ Cruz joined CRC Specialty as a broker and assistant vice president aligned with CRC’s Chicago, Illinois, office. Cruz is based in Temecula, California.
Alec Davidson joined as a property broker based in Scottsdale, Arizona. He has a background in business development and distribution strategy.
Ryan Mallory joined CRC Specialty as an underwriter near Richmond, Virginia. He has experience in business development and client engagement and a background in sales and market analysis.
The Maryland Senate has confirmed the appointments of four members to the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund Board of Trustees.
Steven D. Linkous was reappointed to serve the remainder of a five-year term that began on October 1, 2025. Linkous is president and chief executive officer of Harford Mutual Insurance Group.
Enor R. Williams Jr., who previously served on the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund Board from 2013 to 2017, was appointed to a five-year term beginning October 1, 2025. Williams serves as vice president of The ELOCEN Group, LLC.
Veronica Cool and Jill Hall were each appointed to five-year terms beginning October 1, 2026.
Cool is the founder/CEO of Cool & Associates LLC, a consulting firm focused on community engagement and strategic communications.
Hall, MBA, CFP, is president and CEO of Landmark Insurance & Financial Group, Inc., a full-service agency providing insurance and investment planning.
Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company (PLM), headquartered in Philadelphia, made several executive leadership changes and promotions across the organization.
Steve Firko, CPCU, a PLM veteran of over two decades, assumed the role of president. He succeeds John K. Smith, CPCU. With over 27 years of experience at PLM, Smith will continue in his role as CEO.
Firko, who has 40 years of industry experience, joined PLM as a field manager and ascended into a variety of leadership roles across marketing, underwriting, claims, loss control, customer service, and operations, most recently serving as executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO).
Lindsey N. DiGangi, CPCU, was promoted to senior vice president and COO, succeeding Firko. Previously serving in leadership roles across several departments, she will now oversee underwriting, field operations, loss control, marketing, customer service, operations and agency operations.
BJ Gardner was promoted to assistant vice president (AVP) of information technology. He most recently served as director of IT and brings nearly 20 years of experience at PLM across systems architecture, infrastructure, and technology operations.
Ray Rogers was promoted to AVP of claims. He previously served as director of property claims and has more than two decades of experience at PLM, progressing through multiple claims roles since joining the company in 2001.
Memphis-based Sunstar Insurance Group, an independent brokerage operating in nine states, named Adam Meyerowitz as CEO. Meyerowitz co-founded Prime Risk Partners brokerage in 2014 and served as chief Adam Meyerowitz operating officer after the firm was acquired by EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants in 2019, the company said in a news release.
Meyerowitz succeeds Casey Bowlin, who founded the firm in 2013 and will now move into the role of chairman.
Gainesville, Florida-based King Risk Partners named Arne Gabrielsen and Chris Hofmann to its leadership team. Gabrielsen will be national sales leader, and Hofmann will be regional president for the Mid-Atlantic region, the company announced.
Gabrielsen was a market relations leader at Gallagher Insurance and before that was an agency president and sales leader in Pittsburgh. Hofmann also worked at Gallagher as executive vice president and regional sales leader.
North Carolina’s insurance commissioner has named a financial analysis veteran to the role of senior deputy commissioner, overseeing the Company Services Group at the Department of Insurance.
Jessica Price has led financial analysis at NCDOI for 15 years, and before that was a tax auditor at the state Department of Revenue.
The Company Services Group includes the DOI’s Financial Analysis Division, the Financial Examinations Division, and Financial Oversight and Special Entities divisions.
Brian Voorhees joined Novatae Risk Grou, the wholesale insurance business of World Insurance Associates, as managing director of personal lines. Voorhees most recently directed day-to-day operations for Applied Home National Underwriters, where he led underwriting strategy, growth initiatives, and broker relationships.
Ashley Lefebvre joined Alliant Insurance Services as vice president within its employee benefits group in Houston, Texas. She will serve a national client base. Lefebvre has extensive experience in plan design, risk assessment, and process improvement. Prior to joining Alliant, Lefebvre was regional vice president, small business at Gallagher.
Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, made several changes to its executive team.
Scott Figgins assumes a new role as senior vice president – integration officer. He previously served as senior vice president – insurance operations since 2018. Figgins began his career with Brotherhood Mutual in 1989 as a claims adjuster. He has served in many roles, including claims supervisor, vice president – claims, and vice president – underwriting.
Dustin Grogg was promoted to senior vice president – insurance operations. Grogg previously served as vice president – underwriting since 2020. He was assistant vice president – underwriting prior to that. Grogg joined the company as director of underwriting, product quality and development in 2016.
Erica Smith was promoted to vice president – underwriting. Her previous position was assistant vice president – underwriting operations since 2024. Smith joined the company as an underwriting manager in 2022. She has also served as director of underwriting product and quality development.
Barrett Leahy was promoted to assistant vice president – underwriting operations. Leahy previously served as director of risk control since 2025. Leahy has worked in the insurance industry for 35 years.
Assurex Global, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, named Troy Johnson senior vice president, global growth strategy. Johnson joined the organization in 2023 and has over 25 years of risk and insurance brokerage experience, previously serving as regional sales director at Towergate Insurance Brokers and development director at Griffiths & Armour.
Kshitij Kohli joined Society Insurance as vice president of information technology. Kohli will lead Society’s technology strategy and execution, including core systems, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and technology investments. Kohli has extensive experience leading enterprise-wide technology transformation, most recently serving as chief technology officer at Church Mutual Insurance.
Affordable American Insurance LLC, headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, named Eddie Floyd to AAI’s leadership team as president of its retail agency division. Floyd has over 25 years of insurance leadership experience, most recently serving as chief operating officer and partner at The Plexus Groupe.
Denver, Colorado-based Rachel McCarter joined Alliant Insurance Services, headquartered in Irvine, California, as vice president within its employee benefits group. Prior to Alliant, McCarter was a senior principal with a global employee benefits consulting firm. IJ