People

Marsh & McLennan Co. Inc. named Stephen R. Hardis non-executive chairman of the board at its annual shareholder meeting. Hardis succeeds Robert F. Erburu, who is retiring from the board after reaching the directors’ retirement age under MMC’s corporate governance guidelines.

Hardis, 70, has been a member of the MMC Board since 1998. He served as the chairman and CEO of Eaton Corp. until his retirement in 2000, and then as chairman of Axcelis Technologies Inc. from 2000 until May 2005.

The National Conference of Insurance Guaranty Funds selected Roger H. Schmelzer to serve as its next chief executive. He will begin his duties with the Indianapolis-based organization on June 5.

Schmelzer comes to NCIGF following seven years as senior vice president for state and regulatory affairs at the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) presented the Gerald Solomon-Legislator of the Year Award to U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., for his efforts in Congress on a number of important insurance issues.

Rep. Kingston sponsored a successful amendment that eliminated funding for the Premium Reduction Plan crop insurance program for one year. He also has been involved in class action reform, terrorism risk insurance, and the proposed elimination of the estate tax, or “death tax.”

The Distinguished Programs Group LLC named Jeremy Hitzig CEO. Andy Potash, founder and former CEO, will remain as chairman of the board. Carla Vel will continue in her position as president and chief operating officer. Both Hitzig and Vel have been nominated to the company’s board of directors.

Hitzig joined Distinguished in 1995 and has served most recently as senior vice president with executive responsibility for marketing, community association programs and S.E.S. Insurance Brokerage Services, a recently acquired program manager and service provider for bank managed trust property portfolios.

Distinguished also consolidated its underwriting, marketing and claims management under Helen English, who was promoted to senior vice president.

Jim Tesoriero, senior vice president, has assumed executive responsibility for the community association programs and branch operations in addition to management of the firm’s Property Owners Program.

Gerald H. “Jerry” Miller received IBA West’s Ramsden/Sullivan Memorial Award for exemplary service during the Blue Ribbon Conference of the Insurance Brokers and Agents of the West.

Miller is president and CEO of Miller-Robertson Insurance Services Inc., with offices in Novato and Ventura, Calif. His distinguished career spans more than 40 years.

He began his career with the Insurance Co. of North America in Philadelphia. In 1965 he joined Continental Insurance where he became assistant vice president at the Home Office. In 1981, Industrial Indemnity Co. named him president and chief operating officer of a newly formed subsidiary, All West Insurance Co., and chairman and CEO of One Stop Insurance Shops. In 1983, Miller purchased H.F. Robertson Insurance Agency in Ventura. In 1985, he expanded his operations, founding Miller-Robertson Insurance Services in Novato.

Bickmore Risk Services in Sacramento, Calif., appointed Mark Ferraro director of its risk management consulting practice. Formerly a senior vice president in the public entity practice of Marsh USA Inc., Ferraro brings more than 25 years of public entity and nonprofit risk management consulting experience to the firm.

Phoenix-based MiniCo Inc. has appointed Jim Clemmensen claims manager. He will be responsible for the operation of the claims department and oversight of in-house claims staff. He will also serve as the primary liaison between MiniCo and Safeco, which underwrites MiniCo’s commercial and tenant insurance programs, for all claim-related matters.

Clemmensen has been an insurance professional for more than 22 years and has experience in all key areas of insurance with heavy emphasis in property casualty claims, including general liability and property with many years of experience in litigated claims. Most recently, he served as claim manager for Western Heritage Insurance Co.

Roberto Castellanos joined MexiPass Global Assurance as senior vice president in charge of sales and marketing. Castellanos will be coordinating the nationwide sales activities for commercial and personal lines products and services.

Castellanos was responsible for the Mexican Insurance operation for Marsh – Brockman y Schuh in the United States, and has worked in the international insurance area in the United States and Mexico for the past 20 years.

MexiPass Global Assurance, headquartered in South Pasadena, Calif., is a managing general agent in the United States for placement of Insurance in Mexico.

Jack Varjabedian was appointed marketing manager for California’s State Compensation Insurance Fund. Varjabedian has 21 years of workers’ compensation experience. He started his State Fund career in 1985 as a claims adjuster for the organization’s Woodland Hills District Office. In 1990, he was named Cerritos District Office sales manager. He was appointed Stockton District Office field services manager in 1994 and was responsible with the supervision of the district’s sales, safety, underwriting and auditing functions. He led the Stockton District Office in 2004 when he was named district manager.

IMA of Colorado Inc., Denver, named Gary Gaston senior account executive focusing on the energy industry with expertise in Gulf of Mexico exposures. He was previously vice president at Hibernia Insurance Agency.

Oregon Mutual Insurance Co. has named Karen Lowart marketing manager in the Central and Northern Valley region in California.

Topics USA Agencies Claims Mexico