People and Places

InsurBanc, a financial services provider to the independent insurance agency community, announced that Scott A. Adamsons has joined the company as vice president of sales and business development.

The Farmington, Conn.-based company has also hired Marie R. Rider to be vice president and director of marketing.

Adamsons will direct the sales and business development efforts, focusing on independent agencies throughout New England. Prior to joining InsurBanc, Adamsons served as vice president, business development officer for SBLS in East Berlin, Conn. where he was responsible for originating SBA government loans. He also was vice president, business development officer at Business Lenders in Hartford Conn. Before that, Adamsons worked at Webster Bank in New Haven, Conn.

Rider, who has 20 years’ bank marketing experience, will direct strategic marketing including advertising initiatives, public relations and sales support efforts. Prior to joining InsurBanc, Rider was the director of marketing at Naugatuck Savings Bank and has held marketing manager positions at Webster Bank and DeGeorge Home Alliance.

The PMA Insurance Group has promoted Elaine Manchon to assistant vice president for commercial markets underwriting. Manchon, who will join PMA at the company’s Blue Bell, Pa. headquarters , will be responsible for commercial markets operations, which focuses on mid-size employers.

For eight years, Manchon has been the underwriting manager for PMA’s Philadelphia office, the company’s largest branch office. She joined PMA in 1993 and has held positions of increasing responsibility in the company are underwriting area. Her insurance underwriting career began in June 1987 with CIGNA Property & Casualty.

The PMA Insurance Group is a multi-lines property and casualty insurer specializing in workers’ compensation.

Plymouth Rock Assurance Corp. in Boston announced that John Russell has joined the firm as marketing manager responsible for all marketing and agency relations activities for the company in Connecticut. Russell will provide support to independent agents as the company rolls out its new auto product. During his more than two decades of industry experience, Russell has worked for both insurers and agencies, most recently as vice president of Berlin, Conn.’s Powers, Bolles, Houlihan, Hartline Inc.

Russell takes over from Dan Reardon, who will assume similar responsibilities for Plymouth Rock’s sister company in New Hampshire, Mt. Washington Assurance Corp. Reardon is returning to New Hampshire, where he served as senior marketing representative for the company from 2002 to 2004. In his new role, he will be responsible for the company’s field marketing and agency relations activities in New Hampshire.

Headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire, Mt. Washington Assurance Corp. is a member of The Plymouth Rock Group of Companies.

Red Bank, N.J.-based Investors Underwriting Managers Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Markel Corp., has appointed Robert W. Blazer III to the newly-created position of vice president and chief administrative officer. In his new role, Blazer will assume responsibility for all administrative functions to include the claims, finance, information technology and reinsurance divisions at Investors.

Blazer comes from the Markel West office in Los Angeles, where he has been responsible for the finance and accounting functions since 1999. He previously served as vice president of finance for Associated International Insurance Co.

Brian Dowd, chairman and chief executive officer of ACE USA and chairman of ACE Westchester Specialty, has been appointed chief executive officer of the company’s Insurance – North American operating division.

John Lupica, president and chief operating officer of ACE USA, also has been promoted of to the position of chief executive officer, ACE USA.

The Insurance – North American division comprises the operations of ACE USA, the company’s retail brokerage business serving the U.S. and Canada; ACE Westchester Specialty, ACE’s excess and surplus lines business in the U.S., operating primarily through wholesale distributors; and ACE Bermuda, the original insurance company of the ACE Group of Cos. that writes high-limit excess liability and directors and officers insurance worldwide.

In addition, ACE USA promoted Bob Gallozzi to senior vice president, Commercial Marine, part of ACE USA’s International and Specialty Group. Based in New York City, Gallozzi will have responsibility for marine cargo, hull and liability product lines. Gallozzi joined an ACE predecessor organization (CIGNA) in 1990 as a senior marine underwriter and has held several regional roles.

Insurance broker Integro has named Ruth Kilduff as a managing principal, specializing in healthcare coverage, for the firm’s New York office. Kilduff has 30 years of experience in the healthcare sector, most recently as managing director of Marsh Inc.’s healthcare practice. Prior to joining Marsh in 1997, she held a vice president position with Boston’s Tufts-New England Medical Center.

The Progressive Corp. has appointed John A. Barbagallo as the new president of the company’s Drive Group and also announced that the president of its Direct Group is leaving the company. Barbagallo, 46, who joined the company more than 20 years ago as a claims representative, currently serves as the Drive Atlantic Region general manager.

Barbagallo replaces Robert T. Williams, who resigned effective May 17.

Also, Alan R. Bauer, president of the company’s Direct Group of Insurance Cos. since 2002, has left the company. Bauer joined Progressive in 1979. Glenn Renwick, Progressive Corp. CEO and president, announced the commencement of an internal search for the next Direct Group president.

Brian A. Silva, 53, currently general manager of the company’s commercial auto group, has been promoted to commercial group president.