PMA Names Barbara L. Sutherland Senior VP, Secretary and General Counsel

The PMA Insurance Group announced that Barbara L. Sutherland has been promoted to Senior Vice President & Secretary–General Counsel, responsible for managing PMA’s legal function, including both PMA’s Home Office Legal Department and Field Litigation staff and representing the company to numerous external organizations, including insurance regulatory and legislative entities.

Sutherland joined PMA in August 2002 as Vice President & Secretary–General Counsel. She has over 20 years of legal and regulatory compliance experience in the insurance industry. She had spent 18 years with Northland Insurance Companies, in positions of increasing responsibility. Her most recent position at Northland was Vice President & Secretary–General Counsel. Among her responsibilities were performing corporate secretary functions, managing the corporate legal department, negotiating corporate contracts and providing corporate risk management services. From 1980 to 1984, she was a Senior Litigation Specialist with Cigna.

“Barb has produced a strong record of achievement during her tenure at the Company,” stated PMA Group President Vincent T. Donnelly. “She has provided outstanding leadership to our legal staff, successfully expanded the utilization of legal resources within PMA and has effectively represented PMA to the insurance regulatory and legislative communities. We look forward to her continued success at PMA.”

Sutherland graduated from Purdue University, and received her Juris Doctorate from the Valparaiso University School of Law. She also attended the Wharton School of Business Executive Leadership. From the Insurance Institute of America, Ms. Sutherland earned a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, an Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding (AFSB) designation and an Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI) designation. She also received a Senior Claims Law Associate (SCLA) designation from the American Educational Institute, and is a member of the Federation of Insurance Defense Counsel.