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The Insurance Marketing Communications Association named its 2007/2008 slate The Insurance Marketing Communications Association named its 2007/2008 slate of directors and officers, with Cora Barran of Farmers Insurance Group continuing as IMCA president for her second year.

Barran is director of advertising for Farmers Insurance Group in Los Angeles. Barran has nearly 16 years experience in technical and underwriting positions, advertising and communications, mostly within the insurance industry. She joined IMCA in 1999 and has been on the board since 2003.

Other appointed IMCA officers are: Executive Vice President Rich Look, vice president, communications, Venture Insurance Programs; Vice President Mitch Dunford, publisher, Insurance Journal; Secretary/Treasuer Linda Collins, corporate communications manager, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.; Immediate Past President Ron Rice, events manager, Russell Investments; and Past President (at Large) Reg Pierce, director of business development, The Bailey Group.

Also elected to the board of directors for 2006-2007 are: Greg Calestini, Mercator Special Risk; Jack Makuch, Allstate Insurance; Rob Martin, The Co-operators; Madeline Johnson, Cincinnati Insurance; Randy Clinger, Swiss Re.; Peter Broadbent, Wahlstrom Group; Gary Kimball, Kimball Communications; Tom Wetzel, Thomas H. Wetzel & Associates; and Steve Ryan, AICPCU.

West Chester, Pa.-based Venture Insurance Programs named Michele Morrison as vice president of underwriting. Morrison will be responsible for the day-to-day oversight of Venture’s regional underwriting teams throughout the company’s industry-leading programs, as well as for training the company’s specialty underwriters. She’ll also assist with maintaining productive relationships with agents and brokers.

Global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings ltd. announced that Lanny Johnson and Lisa Fielding King have joined the company’s operations in greater Philadelphia.

Johnson, who joins Willis as a senior vice president of the company’s operations in Pennsylvania, has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, primarily with Marsh USA, where he was responsible for business development.

King, also a senior vice president of operations in Pennsylvania, will serve Willis’ client needs as a client advocate. She brings 14 years of experience in the insurance industry, 12 of which were spent at Marsh USA.

Brian M. Storms has stepped down from his position as chief executive officer of insurance broker Marsh Inc. The company said the search for a successor is already underway. In the interim, Michael G. Cherkasky, president and chief executive officer of parent Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., will serve as Acting CEO of Marsh.

“Brian has made important contributions to Marsh’s recovery over the past two years,” Cherkasky said. “Our long-term strategy is sound and a solid foundation has been built. That said, we now need a different set of leadership and operational skills to complete the successful transformation of Marsh.”

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has confirmed that its recently-hired executive vice president and chief financial officer, John J. Leahy, is resigning for personal reasons. The company said the search for a successor is already underway.

In the meantime, Frederick Eppinger, president and chief executive officer, will serve as acting chief financial officer and Warren E. Barnes will be acting principal accounting officer. Barnes has been vice president and corporate controller since 1997.

Leahy was to succeed Edward J. Parry, III, who in February announced plans to leave the company and pursue other career opportunities. Parry’s resignation was effective Aug. 31.

Colemont Insurance Brokers has added Bob Drohan to the company’s Hartford office as assistant vice president and financial services broker.

Drohan has 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. Most recently, he was national director of professional liability and wholesale for Norman Spencer, McKernan, Inc. He has also served as chief underwriting officer at Target Capital Partners and worked at Travelers Insurance Co. and Lexington Insurance Co.

Ames & Gough, a specialty insurance broker focused on serving architects, engineers, contractors, and law firms, has named Meike Olin as its first national marketing director.

In addition to overseeing the publication of informational bulletins and white papers, she will also work with the leaders at Ames & Gough to support special events such as educational seminars, webinars, and industry conferences.

Olin comes to Ames & Gough from Marsh, where she was a senior member of the U.S. marketing team. Prior to her tenure at Marsh, she was the editor of The John Liner Review, a quarterly journal devoted to risk management and property/casualty issues, as well as Workers Compensation Outlook, a monthly newsletter on workers compensation issues.

Ames & Gough has offices in Atlanta, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C

The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies named SECURA Insurance President and CEO John Bykowski as the chairman of its board of directors during the association’s annual convention Sept. 16-19 at Grapevine, Texas.

Before joining SECURA in 1997, Bykowski served as the senior vice president of marketing for West Bend Mutual Insurance. Bykowski, a Marquette University graduate, also spent part of his 35-year property and casualty insurance career with Wisconsin Employers, Allstate and Milwaukee Insurance.

Dan Lombino has been promoted to regional sales director for the southern region of Encompass Insurance. Part of the Allstate group of companies, Encompass provides insurance products through a network of independent agencies. The region includes Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Lombino joins Encompass from the Allstate’s northeast region. He began his career with Allstate in 1984 as a sales agent in Albany, N.Y., before joining the company’s sales leadership team.

Prior to joining Allstate, he served as a marketing manager for a regional independent agency carrier.

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