People

Zurich Financial Services Group appointed Maine Insurance Superintendent Alessandro A. Iuppa head of government and industry affairs for General Insurance, and chief government affairs officer for North America. Both appointments are effective Jan. 15, 2007.

Neal Odom joined MarketScout, the Dallas-based eInsurance Exchange, as vice president of finance. Odom will direct finance and accounting operations, and will work with the company’s executive team in managing the distribution of products across the United States.

Ohio-based National Interstate Corp. named Alan R. Spachman chairman and CEO, and David W. Michelson president and chief operating officer. The company said the appointments are related to changes in its executive management structure that were started in 2005.

Spachman is the company’s founder. He has served as president since 1989 and chairman since 2004. As chairman and CEO, he will transition daily operations responsibilities of National Interstate to Michelson during the next 12 months.

Michelson has served as the company’s executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2005. He has held other key positions since joining National Interstate in 1992.

Peter Jenkins and Marc Werblow joined Beazley Group PLC’s political risks underwriting team.

Jenkins joins Beazley after eight years with AIG’s global trade and political risks team in New York and London.

Werblow has experience in the banking sector, focusing on commodity and structured finance risk since 1990.

Bermuda’s XL Capital Ltd. appointed Michael E. Mathisen global treasurer overseeing global liquidity, funding, cash management, foreign exchange, balance sheet and capital management transactions, and rating agency matters.

Also Mervyn Skeet will succeed Mathisen as director of Worldwide Tax, which includes tax compliance for all direct, indirect and employment taxes in all jurisdictions; financial and regulatory statement preparation of tax provisions; and tax planning for all segments of the company.

And Henry T. French Jr. was named general counsel for Global Litigation. He will oversee all corporate litigation and arbitration matters, ensure consistent coverage positions on exposures affecting multiple segments and develop litigation best practices for XL’s employed lawyers and claims professionals. He also will continue to serve as compliance director.

Hamilton, Bermuda-based CRM Holdings Ltd. made top-level management changes following its acquisition of Majestic Insurance Co. Martin D. Rakoff, the company’s co-CEO and deputy chairman of the board, has resigned. Keith S. Hynes, a director and chairman of the company’s Audit Committee, was appointed deputy chairman of the board of directors, replacing Rakoff.

Daniel G. Hickey Jr., will transition from co-CEO to CEO, while remaining chairman of the board.

In addition, Robert V. Polansky joined as senior vice president of Sales and Product Development.

The ACE Group of Companies appointed Roberto Hidalgo president and CEO of ACE Argentina and ACE Chile. He will leave his current post as president and CEO of ACE Puerto Rico.

Judith Hernadez-Tate, regional vice president-property, for ACE Latin America, will succeed Hidalgo as president and CEO of ACE Puerto Rico. She will continue in her senior commercial property insurance role for Latin America.

Colemont Insurance Brokers promoted Dede Abalos to vice president of Colemont – Southern California.

Irvine, Calif.-based SullivanCurtisMonroe Insurance Services LLC appointed Dan Vaughan senior vice president. Prior to joining the company, he was senior vice president of Marsh Risk & Insurance Services in Newport Beach, Calif.

Burns & Wilcox added Megan Medrano as underwriter in the company’s Los Angeles office. Also, the company appointed Daniel Slawson assistant branch manager in the Scottsdale, Ariz., office.

The Latin American Agents Association installed its 2007 Board of Directors and officers, which include: President Gustavo Contreras, Vice President of Operations Miguel Rodriguez, Vice President – Executive Sandra Carnet, Secretary George Silveira, and Treasurer Ana Makela.

Also named to the 2007 Board of Directors were: Efrain Ferrer, Oscar Vega, Robert Simmons, Richard Wetzel, Tim Makela, Gladys Garcia, Stewart Isbell, Max Ahmad and LAAA Past President Rafael Hurtado.

LAAA also presented Valor Awards to: Community Advocate of the Year: Sharron Varga; Insurance Person of the Year: David Mandel; Market Representative of the Year: Gerry Knowles; Auto Market of the Year: Align General; Health Market of the Year: Blue Cross of California; Commercial Market of the Year: Yates & Associates; Life Market of the Year: AIG American General Insurance; Agency of the Year: Cost-U-Less Insurance; and Vendor of the Year: Hawksoft Client Management Systems.

Additionally, LAAA presented the Vanguard Award to Efrain Ferrer of Strong Tie Insurance.

Burns & Wilcox promoted Ken Lyon to assistant branch manager in the company’s Sacramento, Calif., office. He works in underwriting, marketing and management of the Sacramento office and the company’s Modesto, Calif., service center.

Grass Valley, Calif.-based Networked Insurance Agents appointed Cheryl Hicks territorial sales vice president in California’s northern central valley.

Erin Chin was promoted to staff services manager for the California State Compensation Insurance Fund’s Human Resources Department.

Matt Coleman, president-commercial lines of Denver’s Van Gilder Insurance Corp., was elected treasurer of Assurex Global.

Topics California