Willis North America Announces Leadership Reorganization, Appointments

Willis North America, the North American retail brokerage business of Willis Group Holdings and the company’s largest business segment, has revised its organizational structure and made a series of related senior appointments.

The business, which in 2012 reported revenues of more than $1.3 billion, includes more than 100 local offices across the United States and Canada offering insurance and risk management services.

WNA’s new organizational structure includes the following seven regions – Northeast, Atlantic, South, Midwest, West, California and Canada – supported by a corresponding team of national partners.

The appointments, all of whom report to Todd Jones, CEO, WNA, include the following:

Eric Hein has been appointed national partner of the South Region. He will be responsible for the region’s business operations, which includes 500 associates in 15 offices throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and the Carolinas. Hein joined Willis in 1985 and has held a variety of leadership roles. Since 1999 he served as managing partner of Willis’ North and South Carolina operations. He is based in Charlotte, N.C.

KJ Wagner has been appointed national partner of the West Region. He will be responsible for the region’s business operations, including 675 associates in 10 offices throughout Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming. Wagner joined Willis in 1999 and most recently served as managing partner, Willis of Arizona, since 2008. Previously Wagner served as one of Willis’ top producers in North America where he focused on risk transfer programs for large firms with complex risks. He is based in Scottsdale.

David Fuhrman has been appointed national partner of the newly-established California Region. He will be responsible for the region’s business operations, with 365 associates throughout offices in Los Angeles, Irvine, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco. Fuhrman joined Willis in 2005 and previously served as managing partner, Willis of Los Angeles. He is based in Los Angeles.

The company said Hein, Wagner and Fuhrman will work with the existing regional leadership team of national partners including Joe Gunn, Northeast Region; Doug Pera, Atlantic Region; Mike Liss, Midwest Region and Rick Hynes, Canada.

To further support its North America platform, Willis also announced several additional appointments:

Paty Daves has been appointed managing partner, Willis of Illinois. In this role, he will oversee business operations in Willis’ Chicago, Schaumburg and Moline offices as supported by a staff of more than 400 associates. Since 2008, Daves served as managing partner, Willis of Kansas. He will be based in Chicago and report to Liss.

John Sherlock has been appointed managing partner, Willis of Pennsylvania. In this role, he will oversee business operations in Willis’ Philadelphia and Radnor offices as supported by a staff of more than 200 associates. Sherlock joined Willis from Philadelphia Insurance Co. where he served as senior vice president responsible for large broker strategy. Prior to this, Sherlock was with AIG where he served as president of the Mid-Atlantic region. He is based in Philadelphia and will report to Pera.

Willis Group Holdings operates on every continent with more than 17,500 employees in more than 400 offices.