People – Southeast

The Crichton Group, an independent insurance agency in Middle Tennessee, has promoted Austin Madison, a partner, to senior vice president, and Blake Wiedman to partner and vice president.

As senior vice president, Madison will continue to manage and lead the employee benefits department. Prior to this position, he served as vice president and worked with clients in understanding the impact of healthcare reform. Madison joined the agency in 2007. In addition to his experience in employee benefits insurance, he has expertise in captive insurance, life and disability insurance, wellness and population health management.

As partner and vice president, Wiedman, will help lead the agency’s risk management services with a focus on cybersecurity. Previously, he served as a commercial insurance advisor for the agency. Wiedman’s expertise lies in private equity, technology, healthcare and law firms. Wiedman joined the agency in 2011.

The Main Street America Group has made one promotion and appointed three new company officers in its Jacksonville, Fla., headquarters.

Darryl Osman, currently the director of personal lines product management and market research, has been promoted to assistant vice president. Osman is responsible for managing Main Street America’s personal lines product areas – including its homeowners, private passenger auto and personal umbrella insurance programs – and also oversees the market research and competitive analysis functions for personal lines. Additionally, he spearheads personal lines product improvements and product launches, including the company’s new Main Street Protection Auto program. Osman reports to Deb Murphy, Main Street America’s VP/head of personal lines.

Osman joined Main Street America in 2011 as a personal lines product manager for its New England Region states. He was promoted into his current position in 2015 and was also appointed as a company officer (assistant secretary) last year.

Prior to joining Main Street America, Osman was a product management director at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, Chicago. He also held product management roles at Zurich North America, and Allstate Insurance Company.

In addition to Osman’s promotion, Main Street America appointed Daniel Blau, Jane McPherson and Deana Pessina to assistant secretary in the Jacksonville headquarters.

Blau is responsible for defining and directing actuarial efforts, production, and profit and growth objectives in personal lines. He also provides support and recommendations to the company’s personal lines product management team on strategic planning issues and maintains predictive models used in personal lines pricing. Blau also reports to Murphy.

Blau joined Main Street America in 2014 from Hartford Financial Services where he led research, product development and pricing efforts in personal lines. Blau previously held management roles at GMAC Insurance, and the Insurance Services Office.

McPherson is responsible for managing Main Street America’s Main Line Business Owners Policy program. She also spearheads its commercial lines product improvements and product launches, including the ongoing rollout of the company’s new cyber risk program. McPherson reports to Dan Gaynor, the company’s vice president/head of commercial lines.

McPherson joined Main Street America in 2003 as a commercial lines product and process manager. In 2007, she was promoted to director, commercial lines underwriting systems and process. McPherson assumed her current director role in 2009.

Prior to joining Main Street America, McPherson held a variety of roles at Indiana Insurance during her 13-year tenure at the regional property/casualty carrier.

Pessina is responsible for managing Main Street America’s commercial auto, workers’ compensation and commercial umbrella programs. She also spearheads its product improvements and product launches, including the ongoing rollout of the company’s tiered workers’ compensation program. She reports to Gaynor.

Pessina joined Main Street America in 2005 as a senior commercial lines team underwriter in the company’s Jacksonville (Southeast) Region. In 2007, she was promoted to commercial lines underwriting and process manager at the corporate level and, in 2008, was promoted to director, commercial lines underwriting and product management. Pessina assumed her current director role in 2011.

Prior to joining Main Street America, Pessina was a customer service representative at Bob Geier Insurance Agency, and has held several commercial lines roles at Commerce Insurance Company, Webster, Mass.

Main Street America offers a range of commercial and personal insurance, as well as fidelity and surety bond products throughout the United States.