Missouri Department of Insurance Reports Leadership Changes

Several veteran regulators were appointed into new positions at the Missouri Department of Insurance during the first quarter of 2013.

Department of Insurance Director John M. Huff announced that John Rehagen, Mary Kempker, Molly White, Jeana Thomas and Tamara Kopp will assume new roles in the department. Chris Cline was also recruited as the department’s communications director.

Rehagen was promoted to deputy division director of Insurance Company Regulation. Previously, Rehagen served as the department’s Captive Program manager before holding positions as a financial examiner and a financial analyst. Rehagen has been with the department since 2003. He holds a Certified Financial Examiner designation from the Society of Financial Examiners.

Cline comes to the department from the Missouri Department of Corrections, where he served as the communications director for two years. Prior to that, Cline was a reporter at the Daily Journal in Park Hills, Mo. for 10 years. Cline will be responsible for press inquiries and consumer outreach initiatives, such as educational videos, brochures and other tools to help consumers better understand insurance.

Kempker was promoted to manager of the Life and Health Section within the division of Market Regulation. Kempker most recently served as the manager of the Property and Casualty Section in the division of Consumer Affairs.

Kempker has more than 12 years of experience working at the department and has served in a variety of capacities during her tenure, including division director of Consumer Affairs and Market Regulation. She recently received her Accredited Insurance Examiner designation from the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society, and also holds a Fellow, Academy for Health Management designation from the Academy for Healthcare Management.

White has been promoted to the manager of Health Insurance Reforms Initiatives within Market Regulation, where she will lead specific market reform initiatives related to health insurance. Previously, she served as manager of the Life and Health Section within Market Regulation, where she spent several years regulating health insurance products and the marketplace. Prior to that, she was a research analyst with the department.

White has been with the department since 1999.

Thomas was promoted to manager of the Property and Casualty Section within Consumer Affairs. Thomas has served for more than 11 years in the division as a Consumer Services Specialists, and brings her insurance claims experience into her new position.

Kopp was promoted to Receivership Counsel/Supervisor. Kopp has been with the department since 2006, and previously served as senior counsel within the Legal Section of the department, where she handled enforcement cases against insurance agents and agencies licensed by the department.

Kopp earned her law degree from the University of Missouri in 2006 and began working for the department soon after graduation.

Topics Legislation Leadership Missouri