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Swiss Re appointed Walter A. Bell chairman of Swiss Re America Holding Corp.

Bell, whose appointment with Swiss Re is effective Sept. 2, is currently insurance commissioner of the Alabama Department of Insurance, a position he has held since 2003.

Bell will provide supervisory governance of the Americas businesses for Swiss Re, reporting directly to Swiss Re CEO Jacques Aigrain. He will also oversee and direct regulatory and public affairs for all of Swiss Re’s North America businesses, helping provide state and federal legislators, regulators and others with the insights they need for effective policy-making.

The Independent Insurance Agents of Mississippi elected Angelyn Treutel of Treutel Insurance Agency in Bay St. Louis president at its 110th Annual Convention in Destin, Florida.

Treutel’s election follows an active involvement with the association that includes serving as president-elect, vice president, executive committee member, finance committee member, technology/communication chair and education chair. Treutel is also the current chair of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s Agents Council for Technology.

Other 2008 to 2009 officers include Chris Boone as president-elect, Ray Collins as vice president, Dickie Greenlee treasurer and Debbie Shempert as national director.

The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. named Gary Y. Kusumi president of the company’s personal lines business.

Kusumi will oversee the Worcester, Massachusetts-based company’s personal lines operations, including products, pricing, service and underwriting strategies, as well as growth and profitability. Kusumi will work out of The Hanover’s headquarters and will serve as a member of the company’s executive leadership team.

Kusumi comes to The Hanover from GMAC Insurance, where he served as president and chief executive officer of the company’s personal lines business. Previously, Kusumi served as president and chief executive officer of the Windsor Group, and president of Leader National Group-personal lines companies of Great American Insurance Group, in Cincinnati. Prior to that, Kusumi served in various senior management roles for the Progressive Cos., in Cleveland. He is also the past chairman of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and served on the safety advisory committee for the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

The Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia elected Bryan Burke president of the association at its annual meeting on June 14.

Burke is president of Blount, Burke, Wimberly & Hendricks Insurers in Statesboro, Ga. He has served on IIAG’s board of directors as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Southeast Georgia and as chairman of the young agents committee. Burke will serve on the executive committee through 2009. He is a member of Columbia Mutual Agency Council, the Agency Council for Central Mutual, and a founding member of Georgia Agency Partners.

Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc. appointed Vanessa A. Wittman executive vice president and chief financial officer.

Wittman will join MMC on Sept. 10 and assume CFO duties by Oct. 15. She succeeds Matthew B. Bartley, who in June announced plans to leave the company.

Wittman most recently served as CFO and executive vice president of Adelphia Communications Corp., which she joined in 2003. At Adelphia, she served on an executive team that navigated one of the most complex bankruptcy cases in U.S. history. Prior to Adelphia, Wittman served as CFO of 360networks, based in Seattle. She also has held positions with Microsoft, Metricom Inc., and Morgan Stanley.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist appointed two new members to Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s board of governors.

Sherill W. Hudson, 65, of Coral Gables, succeeds G. Bruce Douglas. Hudson is chief executive officer for TECO Energy, William P. Corry, 45, of Vero Beach succeeds Richard E. DeChene. Corry is a general partner of Corry Capital Advisors. Both are appointed for a term beginning Aug. 15 and ending July 31, 2011.

Atlanta-based insurance and risk management firm, Pritchard & Jerden Inc., added Lawson Burnat and Allen Lumpkin as account executives in its commercial lines department.

Burnat worked in the staffing industry for four years prior to joining Pritchard & Jerden and Lumpkin has five years experience in the property and casualty industry.

In addition, Jake Wray has joined Pritchard & Jerden as an account executive in the private client group. Wray joins the company after two years as a personal lines account executive with Liberty Mutual and five years as a claims adjuster with State Farm. Also, Mike Mewbourne joined the life and employee benefits department as an account executive. Mewbourne has five years experience in employee benefits.

Socius Insurance Services Inc., a San Francisco-based management liability and property and casualty insurance wholesaler, appointed Gregg Miller as vice president in its new Miami branch office.

Miller is charged with new business development responsibilities in Miami and the greater Southeast region, focusing on directors and officers liability, errors and omissions, and employment practices liability. Miller’s industry expertise is in financial institutions, real estate and healthcare.

Miller started his career with AIG in Atlanta, where he was an errors and omissions underwriter. Most recently, he was a vice president at American Professional Liability Underwriters in Miami.

Topics Agencies Georgia Swiss Re