Zick Elected Chairman of AAIS

Richard J. Zick, CPCU, president and CEO of Utica First Ins. Co., Utica, N.Y., was elected chairman of the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) at the organization’s latest annual meeting, held in conjunction with its recent Annual Conference in Naples, Fla.

In addition to serving on the AAIS board, Zick serves on the boards of the Alliance of American Insurers and the New York Insurance Association, and is a member of the underwriting committee of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. He holds several insurance certifications, including that of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter, and teaches agent licensing and management courses at a local college.

Zick succeeds Michael E. Keyes, CPCU, president and CEO of Oregon Mutual Ins. Co., McMinnville, Ore., who has stepped down from the AAIS board of directors after serving eight years, the last two as chairman.

Also leaving the board after serving since 1991 was Robert Houlihan, CPCU, vice president of underwriting for Brotherhood Mutual Ins. Co., Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Kenneth T. Stover, CPCU, executive vice president of Western National Insurance Group, was elected vice chairman of AAIS.

At the meeting, two new directors were elected to the AAIS board:

Judy S. Jackson, president and CEO of NLC Insurance Companies, Norwich, Conn.; and Lowell D. Schmidt, executive vice president and secretary, Farmers Alliance Companies, McPherson, Kan.

Other directors who are continuing as members of the AAIS board are:

Roy R. Bubeck, president and CEO of Badger Mutual Ins. Co., Milwaukee, Wisc.; Thomas E. Claude, vice president and secretary, Pharmacists Mutual Ins. Co., Algona, Ia.; R. Douglas Haines, president and CEO, Buckeye Insurance Group, Piqua, Ohio; David L. Lehman, president, Mennonite Mutual Ins. Co., Orrville, Ohio; Howard C. Stevens, chairman and president, Penn Mutual Ins. Co., West Chester, Pa.; and Paul A. Baiocchi, CPCU, president, AAIS.