View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-people/2009/02/08/157678.htm
Linda Timmons has been promoted to director of communications for the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT). In this position, Timmons will manage the organization’s internal and external communications, publications and Web site. She previously served as communications manager for IIAT.
Previous to joining IIAT in 1997, Timmons worked as a communications specialist with the Trust Financial Services Division of the Texas Bankers Association and served as marketing specialist for the Texas Research Institute. She spent five years coordinating education accreditation activities for the Texas Medical Association and two years in public affairs with the Texas Association of Realtors. Prior to her association work, Timmons also served in the Office of the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
Timmons will report to IIAT Executive Director David VanDelinder.
Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) announced that Kevin Paul Hale of Baton Rouge, La., has been selected as the 2008 recipient of the Stephen W. Cavanaugh Scholarship.
LWCC established the scholarship fund in 2006 in honor of Cavanaugh’s leadership and contributions to the insurance industry in Louisiana. He was LWCC’s CEO from the company’s inception in 1992 until his resignation in 2006.
A student at Louisiana State University Honors College majoring in mathematics with a concentration in actuarial sciences, Hale will receive the $8,000 scholarship over a four-year period.
The founding donors of the scholarship include Aubrey T. Temple Jr.; Community Foundation of Acadiana; Dwight Andrus Insurance Agency; Guy Carpenter & Company LLC; Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of Louisiana; Knox Insurance Group LLC; LWCC; LUBA Casualty Insurance Co.; Star Service Inc.; and Wright & Percy Insurance.
Juan Andrade and Jonathan Bennett have been named as interim co-leads of the property and casualty operations of The Hartford.
Their appointment to the interim positions follows the departure of Neil Wolin, president and chief operating officer of the The Hartford’s property and casualty operations, who has accepted a position in the White House as deputy counsel to the president for economic policy and deputy assistant to the president.
Andrade is currently executive vice president of sales and distribution for property and casualty.
Bennett is currently executive vice president of personal lines and small business insurance.
Willis HRH, the North American retail division of Willis Group Holdings, named Mike Phillips as regional growth leader for its South Central region and David Hofele as regional growth leader for its West region.
Phillips and Hofele join a team responsible for enhancing client retention, expanding existing relationships, driving cross-selling strategies, supporting and growing the Willis Client Advocate program, and generating new business. They report to Joe Gunn, chief growth officer of Willis HRH.
Willis HRH’s South Central region includes Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana and Wyoming. Its West region includes California, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada and Washington State.
With more than 20 years in the insurance industry, Phillips was formerly production team leader for HRH of Colorado.
Hofele previously served as president of HRH’s Bay Area and Northern California offices.
Phillips and Hofele join a team of Willis HRH regional growth leaders that include Jim Wylie, Midwest region; Tim Clarke, Northeast region; and Andy Daniels, Atlantic and Southeast regions.
AFS/IBEX has promoted two employees: Merry Jane Eversole and Carlos De La Cruz.
Eversole was promoted to the position of assistant vice president and will oversee the South Texas and Arkansas regions. She has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and is active in numerous insurance associations. Eversole works and lives in Houston but is based out of the company’s corporate headquarters in Dallas.
De la Cruz was promoted to assistant vice president and will oversee the Southern California region. He has more than 28 years of experience in the premium finance industry and is active in the Latin American Agents Association. He will be based in the Newport Beach, Calif., office.
Both De La Cruz and Eversole have been with AFS/IBEX for 10 years.
Ironshore Inc. has appointed Steven England as executive vice president responsible for running its U.S. Property/Casualty underwriting operations based in St. Louis, Mo.
The new unit, Ironshore National Branch, will act as a U.S. underwriting office for certain Ironshore property/casualty operations.
Jordan Gantz and Jim Dowdy have also joined the group and both report to England.
England was most recently president of AIG Landmark, where he managed the start up of an agribusiness practice. Prior to heading up AIG Landmark, he was regional vice president for AIG’s Commercial Insurance Group in Houston. He will report to Shaun Kelly, CEO of Ironshore’s U.S. operations.