Midwest People Moves: The Horton Group; Ohio Mutual; MJ Insurance; Lockton

The Horton Group in Chicago has hired Casey Warnecke as chief growth officer. Warnecke will be responsible for maximizing efforts around new business growth and the retention of existing clients, recruiting top talent, and implementing a strong sales infrastructure across multiple office locations. He plays a key leadership role on the executive team, building a bridge between the sales and operations teams and navigating the competitive landscape to help Horton pursue new markets. Warnecke previously served as chief growth officer at Lockton.

Ohio Mutual Insurance Group, based in Bucyrus, Ohio, has promoted Todd Boyer to vice president of Corporate Communications. Boyer joined Ohio Mutual’s senior management team as AVP of Marketing in 2011 and since 2009 has led the Corporate Communications team, which is responsible for the company’s internal and external communications, along with public and community relations. Previously, Boyer worked in communications roles in the public and non-profit sectors, including more than a decade in roles with the Ohio Senate, Ohio Attorney General, and Ohio Department of Insurance. Ohio Mutual partners with more than 400 independent agencies to distribute quality property and casualty insurance products throughout Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

MJ Insurance has added Michael Parent, surety consultant; Adam Adler, risk management client executive and Michelle North, personal insurance account manager, in its Indianapolis headquarters.

Parent previously served as vice president of Business at Huntington National Bank. As a surety consultant, Parent will consult with existing and prospective clients to understand their business needs. His expertise will help expand and enhance MJ’s surety bonds practice.

Adler comes to MJ from a global insurance brokerage and risk management services firm. He holds designations as a certified insurance counselor (CIC) and certified school risk manager (CSRM).

North previously worked at EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants, where she served as the liaison between client, provider and agency. She is a licensed property and casualty insurance writer.

Sarah Downey, a directors and officers, and executive risk claims and coverage expert, has joined Kansas City-based Lockton to lead executive risk claims. An industry pioneer in creating risk transfer solutions for clients, Downey will also bolster the firm’s expertise in the blockchain risk advisory space. Downey most recently served as managing director, U.S. D&O Product Leader and Digital Asset Risk Transfer (DART) Leader for Marsh’s FINPRO Practice, based in New York. She also served as a senior claims advocate for complex claims at Marsh. Before joining Marsh in 2014, Downey spent nearly a decade as an associate in the D&O Insurance practice groups of prominent coverage firms, including White & Williams LLP and Edwards, Angell, Palmer & Dodge LLP.