People

August 7, 2006

FleetRisk Advisors appointed David C. Wagner president and chief operating officer. Wagner previously worked at FleetRisk Advisors from 2004 to 2005 as senior vice president, field operations. Wagner possesses more than 20 years experience in the technology industry.

ReSource Pro named Dan Epstein CEO. Epstein, formerly vice president of business development, takes over from David Watkins, who will become chairman. Along with Epstein, the senior management team at ReSource Pro is comprised of Matt Bruno, managing director of China operations, and Laura Downey, director of client integration.

The Insurance Information Institute promoted Dr. Robert P. Hartwig to president; Dr. L. James Valverde Jr. to vice president of economics and risk management; and announced the retirement of Gordon Stewart, president, after 15 years with I.I.I.

Hartwig, senior vice president and chief economist, was elected executive vice president by the organization’s board of directors and will become president on Jan. 1. He came to I.I.I. in 1998 as a vice president and economist. He previously served as director of economic research and senior economist with the National Council on Compensation Insurance in Boca Raton, Fla.

Valverde joined I.I.I. in August 2005 as director of economics and risk management, focusing on topics where risk and uncertainty are pervasive and problematic concerns, including enterprise risk management, global climate change and extreme weather, natural catastrophes and terrorism.

Stewart joined I.I.I. in July 1989 after a career in politics, business, theater, music and teaching. From 1982 to 1989, he was vice president for public affairs at the American Stock Exchange. Before joining the Exchange, Stewart served in the White House as deputy chief speechwriter to President Jimmy Carter.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America appointed Genio Staranczak chief economist. Staranczak will work to incorporate analyses of the industry’s financial results and performance into public policy issues. He has a background in macroeconomic analysis and forecasts, microeconomic studies, policy analysis and regulatory research. Before joining PCI, he was the principal economist for the Telecommunications division of the Illinois Commerce Commission.

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America expanded its Capitol Hill staff by hiring Thomas C. Koonce as assistant vice president for federal government affairs. Koonce, previously the manager of government relations for Accenture LLP since May 2005, also is an attorney with Capitol Hill and private sector experience.

Bellevue, Wash.-based Baldwin Resource Group named Mike Gano president. He is the first outsider to serve as president since the company was founded by Bill Baldwin in 1998. Baldwin had served as president, chairman and CEO. He will continue to serve as chairman and CEO.

Baldwin and the BRG board decided recently that an outside president should be hired to run the daily operations of the business.

Gano has held leadership positions with other national and regional brokerage firms during the past 25 years and is expected to provide leadership and focus to the company as it looks to accelerate its growth strategy. He began his insurance career 25 years ago with Fred S. James and Co. which later became Sedgwick Inc. in Portland, Ore.

Builders & Tradesmen’s Insurance Services Inc. in Rocklin, Calif., has named Jeffrey M. Hohlbein vice president of business development and general counsel. Hohlbein gained experience in construction defect litigation, coverage analysis, and professional liability as an associate for Jampol Zimet Skane & Wilcox LLP and Fredrickson, Mazeika & Grant LLP.

Nautilus Insurance Group in Scottsdale, Ariz., named Bonnie McKrill assistant vice president-marketing and business development. She will be responsible for managing agency relations, contract management, marketing and company events. She previously was marketing manager.

Also, the company has named James Schiffer vice president of operations, responsible for internal operational issues including systems, automation, processing, imaging and workflow. He previously was director of operations for a human resources support organization.

Raymond R. Bowles, senior vice president and broker at Western Security Surplus Insurance Brokers Inc., was awarded a Certificate of Recognition for “continuously providing outstanding service.” The award was presented after Armstrong/Robitaille Business and Insurance Services conducted an internal survey asking employees to nominate individuals who had demonstrated a willingness to work with their agency. Twenty people were chosen from various positions such as claims representatives; commercial lines or workers’ compensation underwriters, and excess and surplus lines representatives.

Woodruff-Sawyer & Co. hired Mark Mathias for the firm’s Southern California office as vice president in the benefits practice. Mathias will be responsible for developing business opportunities and providing consulting services to clients. Mathias has been in the employee benefits arena since 1985 on the provider, payor and consulting sides of the business. Most recently, he headed Aon Consulting’s Orange County, Calif., office.

Networked Insurance Agents headquartered in Grass Valley, Calif., appointed Chris Decolati territorial sales vice president in Nevada. The position was previously held by Randy Chambers, who has accepted an expanded role with Networked’s management team.

Decolati comes to Networked from Safeco Insurance, where he held a variety of positions, first as a personal lines underwriter in Colorado, and most recently as a sales agent in Las Vegas.

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Insurance Journal Magazine August 7, 2006
August 7, 2006
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