People and Places

Seven Main Street America Group employees were inducted March 9 in Jacksonville, Fla. into the Circle of Excellence, an annual employee recognition program established in 1985. The winners were selected for their 2005 company achievements and contributions.

Jason Hartman, claim representative III and training coordinator for automation upgrades in the Jacksonville Region. Hartman has trained trained new adjusters and has provided support during eight hurricanes and tropical storms in two years.

Jim Konopka, quality assurance engineer lead, Keene, N.H. As part of the information technology quality assurance team, Konopka developed and implemented several new processes to streamline QA workflow.

Sue MacPhee, senior administrative assistant, Auburn, Mass. MacPhee joined the company in 1987 and has provided claims staff support. She wears “many hats” from providing computer support to organizing large meetings to ensuring adjuster licensing is kept up-to-date.

Bill Mitchell, facilities project coordinator, Keene. In 2001, Mitchell joined Main Street America after serving 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. He was responsible for the building consolidation program in Keene and oversaw moving more than 200 employees to new office locations.

Dennis O’Neill, senior claim representative, Auburn. O’Neill consistently offers training and assistance to adjusters, which allows claims to be resolved in a more timely and efficient manner.

Dan Pringle, manager, personal lines product, Jacksonville. Pringle is responsible for two of the company’s largest personal lines regions, New England and Syracuse, N.Y. He recently broadened his skills by requesting to become directly involved in actuarial work.

Caroline Stauers, agency development manager, New England Region. Stauers has identified business opportunities and resolve issues. Her determination and work ethic led to 16.1 percent premium growth in her territory.

Integro Ltd. of New York announced that Frank Kinnett, managing principal of its Atlanta office, has been appointed to Scientigo Inc.’s new Corporate Advisory Board.

Scientigo, an enterprise search and intelligent enterprise content management firm, created the Corporate Advisory Board to advise its senior management team on global growth strategies and prevailing business development opportunities for the company’s proprietary technologies and solutions. The Advisory Board, chaired by Doyal Bryant, Scientigo’s CEO, will routinely assess, evaluate and prioritize strategic growth options.

Prior to joining Integro in 2005, Kinnett served as managing director of Marsh Inc. He has been active in the business, insurance and investment communities in Atlanta and throughout the southeast for over 30 years.

Tony Stevens has been named branch manager of the Tampa, Fla., office of ACE USA in Philadelphia, Pa., the U.S.-based operating division of the ACE Group of Companies.

In this newly-created position, Stevens will work closely with insurance brokers and clients in Florida to cultivate relationships and expand ACE USA’s local presence. He also will manage distribution, product sales and marketing, and producer relationships in Florida.

ACE USA’s Tampa office houses ACE’s recreational marine insurance and specialty consumer insurance groups, as well as a significant ESIS claims operation. As branch manager, Stevens will lead efforts to expand ACE’s visibility in the region, build specialty offerings for the commercial insurance marketplace and enhance customer service.

Stevens most recently served as business development manager for ACE USA International & Specialty Group, where his responsibilities included sales and marketing, with an emphasis on Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. He has more than 20 years of experience in the commercial insurance industry, including sales, underwriting and management positions with ACE USA AIG, Metropolitan Property and Casualty, Old Dominion Insurance Company and The Travelers.

Ron Hanna, 55, manager of the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association passed away Feb. 24. Hanna was a native of Hattiesburg, Miss., and a resident of Gulf Shores, Ala.

Hanna joined the Mississippi Insurance Department in 1976, soon after George Dale became Insurance Commissioner. During 25 years of service, Hanna wrote special reports, did media relations and during a later assignment, headed Licensing Division. Hanna retired from the department in 2001, as Deputy Commissioner of Insurance.

Soon after Hanna retired from the Insurance Commission the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association was looking for someone with insurance experience and hired Hanna to manage the Alabama Wind Pool.

In lieu of flowers donations should be made in memory of Ron Hanna, to the First Baptist Church of Gulf Shores music ministry or building fund, P.O. Box 394, Gulf Shores, Ala. 36547.

Jack Rushing Brunson, 77, former CEO of the National Security Group in Elba, Ala. died on March 1 at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Ala.

In 1999, Brunson retired as CEO of the National Security Group. In 1953, he began his career with the National Security Insurance Company in Elba.

Survivors include his wife, Edna Allen Brunson of Elba; daughter, Barbara Allen Brunson (Sydney Smith) of Birmingham, Ala.; son, Jack Edward Brunson (Jane) of Elba; daughter-in-law, Janie Palmer Brunson Hazelwood (Terry) of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; sister-Marjorie Brunson Pittman of Enterprise, Ala.; and sister, Pat Brunson Folmar of Goshen, Ala.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to the Jack R. Brunson Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University of South Alabama, Room HSB 2150, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Ala. 36688, (251) 460-7616, Alabama Baptist Children’s Home, P.O. Box 361767, Birmingham, Ala. 35236 or Covenant Community Church Building Fund P.O. Box 510, Elba, Ala. 36323.

Topics Florida Alabama Chubb