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People Moves: Woodruff Sawyer Promotes Erickson to Employee Benefits Practice Leader

Woodruff Sawyer promoted Dave Erickson to employee benefits practice leader. Most recently, he led Woodruff Sawyer’s employee benefits operations. Erickson has more than 15 years of experience in the employee benefits industry. Before joining Woodruff Sawyer in 2018, he was …

The Auto Store in New Jersey Pays $868K to Settle 35 Safety Violations

One of the East Coast’s largest auto recyclers and used parts suppliers has agreed to pay $868,000 in penalties related to 35 workplace safety violations at its Camden, New Jersey facility. The agreement with The Auto Store, operating as My …

‘Forever Chemicals’ Found in Water Sources Around New Mexico, Studies Find

So-called forever chemicals have been found in water sources across New Mexico, according to recent studies by the U.S. Geological Survey and state environment officials. The federal agency detailed the findings last week, around the same day the U.S. Environmental …

How California’s Huge Raises for Fast-Food Workers Will Ripple Across Industries

Michaela Mendelsohn, who owns six El Pollo Loco locations serving grilled chicken and tacos in California, recently found herself raising managers’ pay by over 10% to more than $83,000 a year. With the state’s new law mandating a $20 minimum …

People Moves: Reinke Joins Intact as Chief Underwriting Officer, Transactional Surety

Scott Reinke joined Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions, headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota, as chief underwriting officer for its transactional surety team. Reinke oversees surety’s commercial transactional book of business and their online surety bond platform. Reinke has over 20 years of …

North Dakota Hospital to Pay $45K Over EEOC Retaliation Lawsuit

Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center, a critical access hospital in Elgin, North Dakota, will pay $45,000 and provide other relief to settle a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) retaliation lawsuit, the federal agency announced today. According to the lawsuit, …

Higginbotham Acquires Louisiana’s Eagan Insurance

Higginbotham has acquired Eagan Insurance of Metairie, Louisiana, in a move that extends Higginbotham’s presence to South Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. “At Higginbotham, we just celebrated our 75th anniversary last year, so we understand the importance of connection …

CRC Moves InsureTrust Cyber Broker to Wholesale Division

Alabama-based CRC Group, a wholesale and specialty distributor and part of Truist Insurance Holdings, has shuffled its deck a bit, moving InsureTrust, a cyber coverage broker, from Starwind Specialty. Starwind was formed in 2021 with the combination of CRC Group’s …

King Acquires Dave Alton Agency in North Carolina

King Insurance Partners, considered one of the fastest-growing U.S. brokerages, has added another producer to its lineup: The Dave Alton Agency, with offices in Greenville, Plymouth and Washington, North Carolina. The Alton agency, in business for two decades, offers homeowners, …

Fitch: U.S. Cyber Insurers Saw Strong Profits, Slowdown in Premium Growth in 2023

The U.S. cyber insurance line generated strong direct underwriting profits for the second straight year in 2023, but written premium volume has stalled amid renewed pricing pressure, according to a Fitch Ratings analysis. For standalone cyber coverage, the direct incurred …