People – South Central

Tony Garcia joined insurance broker and risk management provider, Marsh, as head of its Houston office. Garcia joins Marsh from Lockton where he most recently served as an executive vice president and member of its Houston Executive Operations Group. He began his career as an underwriter for American International Group.

Fort Worth-based insurance and financial services firm Higginbotham hired employee benefit plan broker Robbi McAuliffe Burgess as an associate in Corpus Christi.

Burgess joins the firm’s 12 local employee health and welfare plan professionals who provide medical, dental, vision, disability, life, retirement and voluntary work site insurance to coastal region employers. She has 22 years of experience working with small employers for health insurance carriers on the Fortune 500, and was most recently at UnitedHealthcare of Texas Inc.

Southwest Risk LP added Sarah Farr as a broker in Austin. Farr brings 14 years of industry experience. She started in the business in 2002, working for a retail agency. She then moved to the Philadelphia Insurance Cos., and in 2010, Farr joined the wholesale business as a broker at US Risk.

Southwest Risk has locations Dallas, Houston, Fort Worth, Austin and Tallahassee, Fla.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin appointed attorney Jordan Russell to the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation Commission. He will fill the remainder of the term of Dr. LeRoy Young, who plans to resign to spend more time practicing medicine.

Russell’s appointment still must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Austin, Texas-based car insurance comparison marketplace, The Zebra, added Steve Beard as vice president of sales operations. Beard joins The Zebra after directing carrier relations at Answer Financial, which was acquired by Allstate with Esurance in 2011. He also worked at Esurance and began his career at Erie Insurance. He holds Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation.