Surplus Line Association of California Names Chair, Board

The Surplus Line Association of California has elected Ian Fitt, CEO and chairman of Western Re/Managers Insurance Services Inc., chair of the SLA Executive Committee, the organization’s board of directors.

Fitt’s election became official after SLA tallied the final ballots from members who were unable to attend SLA’s annual meeting in late January.

Also elected were Denis Brady, president of Burns & Wilcox Brokerage, who becomes vice chairman, and Chris Houska, California managing director of R-T Specialty LLC, who becomes secretary/treasurer.

Fitt takes over from Pam Quilici, executive vice president of Crouse & Associates Insurance Services of Northern California Inc., who completed her 2013 term as chair and was elected to a seat on the board.

Completing the 13-member board are:

• Dean Andrighetto, ACE Westchester Specialty Group
• Janet Beaver, Scottish American
• Tom Ciardello, Worldwide Facilities Inc.
• Rupert Hall, M.J. Hall & Company Inc.
• Chris Kiley, AMWINS
• Phil Mazur, Swett & Crawford
• Davis Moore, Worldwide Facilities Inc.
• Les Ross, Wholesale Trading Co-Op Insurance Services LLC
• Gerald Sullivan, The Sullivan Group

Additionally, SLA members reelected the Honorable Harry Low, a former insurance commissioner and retired presiding justice of the California Court of Appeal, as mediator.

All individuals elected will serve until balloting is completed following the next SLA Annual Meeting in January 2015.

San Francisco-based SLA operates as a self-governed private organization. Appointed by the insurance commissioner in 1994, the association serves as the statutory surplus line advisory organization to the California Department of Insurance and facilitates the state’s capacity to monitor and direct surplus line brokers’ placements of insurance with eligible nonadmitted insurers.

Topics California Excess Surplus