Specialty Insurance Managers Announces Management Changes
Specialty Insurance Managers Inc. CEO Frank R. Berry and President Diana G. Berry are retiring. The Austin, Texas-based managing general agency chose to perpetuate by passing the leadership of the firm to Mike Berry, chairman and CEO; Sherri Hendricks, president; and Kim Morrison, chief operating officer.
Frank Berry began his insurance career with the Aetna in 1963 in Dallas. He joined newly formed Specialty in 1977 after working as a producer with retail agencies in central and south Texas for several years.
Diana Berry helped out by joining Specialty in a temporary position, but eventually was named president and COO. She and Frank Berry became full owners of Specialty in December 1990.
“Without Diana’s help from the very beginning, Specialty would not have grown to what we are today,” Frank Berry says.
Mike Berry joined Specialty in 1991 and has held various marketing and underwriting positions within the agency before most recently serving as executive vice president. Berry has been active with many committees within Texas Surplus Lines Association (TSLA) and AAMGA. He previously served on the TSLA Board of Directors from 2002-2005 and is currently in his second term chairing the TSLA Legislative Committee.
Sherri Hendricks has been with Specialty since 1981 with the primary responsibility of expanding the commercial auto book. She has and will continue to play a vital role in this area in addition to her executive duties. Hendricks has been active with many local and state associations and previously served as president of the Austin Association of Insurance Professionals.
Kim Morrison began working for Specialty in 1981 during her senior year in high school. Since then, and after a brief absence, she has worked closely with various departments within the organization, in addition to the markets and customers, to help ensure service standards are being met.
Specialty Insurance Managers Inc. is an independently owned commercial lines MGA writing business in Texas since 1976. The company now has five offices in Texas producing more than $55 million in premium volume.
Source: Specialty Insurance Managers, www.simtexas.com