People and Places

March 12, 2007

Three members of the Kansas Insurance Department, Ted Clark, Anti-Fraud director, Larry Bruning, chief actuary, and Neil Woerman, director of Information Technology, have been appointed to leadership positions within the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Ted Clark has been appointed to chair the NAIC Anti-Fraud Task Force. Among other duties, Clark will lead the Task Force in planning and organizing the Task Force’s efforts in identifying emerging insurance fraud issues, coordinating fraud investigative efforts and drafting model legislation to fight insurance fraud.

Larry Bruning holds several leadership positions within NAIC. He serves as vice-chair of the Life & Health Actuarial Task Force, is chair of the C-3 Phase II Results Subgroup of the Life Capital Adequacy Task Force and is also chair of the SVL II Subgroup of the Life & Health Actuarial Task Force. The SVI II Subgroup is charged with drafting language to insert in the Standard Valuation Law that would enable principle-based valuations

Neil Woerman has been appointed to chair the NAIC Information Systems Task Force for a second year. This task force oversees NAIC technology resources, monitors the association’s technology projects, maintains its technology standards, and directs collection and analysis of data on technology use by the state insurance departments. He also is active in three working groups that report to the Task Force.

Commissioner Sandy Praeger is the president-elect of the NAIC.

Markel Insurance Co. named Thomas K. “Smitty” Smith as vice president of marketing. Smith joins Markel after three years as senior vice president and managing director of the Richmond branch of Riggs, Counselman, Michaels & Downes, which he established. Before RCM&D, Smith spent 16 years in a variety of marketing, business development, and senior management positions with The Reciprocal Group in Richmond.

Daniel J. Cullen has joined NSM Insurance Group in its Dayton, Ohio, office as national director of Growth and Product Development.

Cullen has 20 years of insurance experience, having most recently served as senior vice president and senior client advisor of the Marsh Public Entity Practice. Prior to joining Marsh, he was a public entity large account specialist for Coregis Insurance Co., a GE Capital company. His public entity experience also includes holding the position of risk manager for the City of Ann Arbor, Mich.

NSM Insurance Group also has an office in Conshohocken, Pa.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. recently named Susan McGrath as its corporate vice president and chief human resources officer. She will be replacing Elizabeth Brinkerhoff who is retiring in May 2007.

McGrath has 16 years of experience in human resource area. She began her career at GE Capital and held key positions with Ernst & Young LLP, GE Financial Guaranty Insurance Corp. and GE Capital’s Auto Financial Services. Most recently she worked at GE Commercial Finance as vice president of Human Resources.

Chicago-based Mesirow Financial recently announced that Brian Evans, an ex-Hoosier and three-year NBA veteran, has joined its Insurance Services division as a senior vice president. He is responsible for leading new business development initiatives for the firm’s Carmel, Ind., office.

Prior to joining Mesirow Financial, Evans handled commercial insurance and real estate for a commercial development company in Westfield, Ind. Earlier, Evans led an active career in professional basketball. An ex-Hoosier, he played for Bobby Knight at Indiana University from 1993 to 1996 and was voted Big Ten MVP as a senior. Evans was selected by the Orlando Magic in the first round (27th pick overall) of the 1996 NBA Draft and continued his NBA career playing for the New Jersey Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves. After leaving the NBA in 1999, Evans finished his career playing for teams in Italy and Tokyo until 2004.

Kansas City, Mo.-based Euclid Managers LLC, an underwriting manager and claim administrator for technology, media and manufacturing professional liability, announced the hiring of Kim A. Ellis as senior underwriter. Ellis is based in the Kansas City office and handles accounts nationwide. She has 10 years experience underwriting and marketing media, tech-related and miscellaneous professional liability accounts and most recently held a leadership position at Media/Professional Insurance.

Toledo, Ohio-based Hylant Group has hired James Rowan to serve as the regional representative for the Ohio School Plan Southwest Ohio territory for Hylant Administrative Services. Rowan’s experience includes serving as the past president of the Ohio Association of School Business Officials and is the current president of the Association of School Business Officials International. His new role will be that of developing and maintaining new OSP members while presiding as president of ASBO.

Prior to joining Hylant, Rowan’s resume includes 20 years of serving as CFO and treasurer for Fairbanks Local Schools, two stints with Talawanda School District, Fairfield City School District, and assistant auditor at the Auditor of the State’s Office.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in Houston has added Danny Golden as vice president for its construction niche. Golden will assist in the service of existing and new clients as well as other members of the Gallagher construction niche throughout the Southwest.

During his 12 year career, Golden has worked as a sales and brokerage specialist. His principal focus is working with developers and contractors on owner and contractor controller insurance programs or wraps.

Excess and surplus insurer Western Heritage Insurance Co. has named Michael Horsman president. He has been acting president of the company since July 2006 and brings 30 years of insurance industry experience to the position.

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