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The National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) has announced the promotion of Mike Becker to director of federal affairs.

Since joining PIA, Becker has managed the day-to-day responsibilities associated with running the Professional Insurance Agents Political Action Committee, including PAC governance and oversight, grassroots initiatives and fundraising. He also serves as staff liaison to the PIAPAC board of directors.

Becker began his career with PIA in March of 2007. Prior to that, he served as a legislative assistant for the Consumer Healthcare Products Association from 2004 to 2007. He joined CHPA after a short stint as a legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill.

Narragansett Bay Insurance Co. named Raymond Deschene director of ShelterPride, its risk management and underwriting program for insurance for homes that many other companies have opted against writing.

Deschene previously worked for NBIC as vice president of operations where he oversaw underwriting, marketing, agency development, product development, customer service, and market conduct compliance. He also worked for 20 years for Pawtucket Mutual Insurance Co., the predecessor of NBIC. During his tenure at Pawtucket Mutual, he worked as vice president of marketing, human resources and administration, where he was part of an executive team that played a role in the rehabilitation and sale of the company.

Bordentown, N.J.-based New Day Underwriting Managers has appointed David D. Russo to the newly-created position of account manager.

Russo joins New Day Underwriting from Commerce Insurance Services where he was an assistant vice president and business development associate. Prior to this position, he held several positions at Venture Insurance Programs where he worked on specialty professional liability programs for golf course managers, bankers and other financial services, technology companies and life science firms.

Westerly, Rhode Island’s Thorp & Trainer Insurance has promoted Kelly Townsend to personal lines sales manager. In her new position, she will oversee the sales efforts of the personal lines insurance staff of Thorp & Trainer.

Townsend has worked for Thorp & Trainer as a senior account manager in personal lines insurance for eight years.

Westbrook, Maine-based Acadia Insurance Co. named Colleen Conroy vice president of marketing. Conroy has been tasked with refining Acadia’s marketing efforts in the states where the company operates.

Most recently, Conroy served as vice president for global business operations at Gen Re Corp. She began her career as an account executive with Travelers, and has held various leadership roles over her 20 years at General Re.

Lockton Cos. has named Michael McFadden executive vice president for the company’s New York operations. McFadden will specialize in providing transaction-related insurance products and employee benefit due diligence for acquisition-minded clients. He will be based in Lockton’s New York office and have a lead role in expanding Lockton’s presence in the Philadelphia area.

A 20-year veteran of the insurance industry, McFadden most recently was with Marsh’s private equity and mergers practice, where he managed all of the firm’s private equity producers in North America and sat on Marsh’s global operating committee.

Venbrook Insurance Services hired Dick Riddle as vice president of brokerage services.

Based in Pennsylvania, Riddle brings more than 20 years experience in the insurance industry, having worked for both insurance companies as well as brokers. Riddle will oversee commercial insurance sales in the Northeast as well as regional recruiting and acquisitions.

New York-based reinsurance brokerage Holborn Corp. has made several new key executive appointments.

Adam Manus, who joined Holborn in 1993, has been named senior vice president.

Weatherly Ramsdell and Tim Releford have been named assistant vice presidents. Ramsdell joined Holborn in 2000; Releford joined in 2004.

David Harding, who joined Holborn in 1999 from Winterthur Reinsurance, has assumed an expanded role as assistant secretary in the account services department.

Melissa Wrenn, who joined Holborn in 2000, will manage the organization’s human resources function, with the title of assistant secretary.

Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co.’s Specialty Business named Michael Berg vice president and product executive for inland marine and related property.

In this position, Berg will lead product strategy and client relationship management for the entirety of the Fireman’s Fund inland marine product line.

A Fireman’s Fund veteran, Berg served as the former product director of inland marine from 1982 to 2000. He is returning to the company after working at OneBeacon Insurance, where he managed inland marine and monoline property underwriting staff for the western region.

Berg has more than 30 years of experience in the inland marine insurance business and began his career in 1976 as a property underwriting trainee, advancing to leadership roles at Fireman’s Fund, Industrial Indemnity, Kemper Insurance, and OneBeacon. He has served on the board of the Marine Underwriters of San Francisco and on the national board of directors of the Inland Marine Underwriters Association.

Berg will be based out of the Fireman’s Fund Specialty office in New York City.

Topics New York Agencies Underwriting