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Salt Lake City-based The Leavitt Group named John Moreno president of Leavitt Benefits Services. Moreno will forward the benefits operations of the Leavitt Group and affiliated agencies.

Moreno has more than 30 years of experience in the employee benefits industry, specializing in large accounts, associations and public entities. Before joining The Leavitt Group, Moreno served as the employee benefits practice leader of Hub International and was also the southern California regional benefits manager. Prior to Hub, he was the national benefits practice leader at USI. Moreno has owned his own consulting agency as well as worked for national firms Sedgwick and Marsh & McLennan/Mercer.

MetLife Home & Auto added two sales managers to it staff in California. San Juan Capistrano, Calif., resident Ken Potter is regional sales manager, overseeing the company’s growth plans in Orange County. Sacramento, Calif., resident Ken Nigohosian is regional sales manager, overseeing growth plans in the Sacramento territory.

Previously, Potter worked for Countrywide Insurance Co. as a district vice president for the Southern California region. He has previously served as a marketing distribution leader at Allstate Insurance, and also served as a CFO of Won Ik Quartz Group, a small business located in the Silicon Valley area.

Previously, Nigohosian worked for Safeco Insurance Co. as a regional personal lines manager for the California region. He also has served as executive director of the Alliance of Insurance Agents and Brokers and executive vice president of the Western Insurance Agents Association. He is also a past governing board member and chairman of the California FAIR Plan.

Jack M. Rader, executive vice president and COO of Farmers Alliance Cos. in McPherson, Kan., was elected chairman of the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) at the association’s annual meeting. Rader succeeds James W. Sullivan, president and CEO of Co-operative Insurance Cos., Middlebury, Vt., who remains on the AAIS board of directors. Christopher P. Taft, president and CEO of Preferred Mutual Insurance Co., New Berlin, N.Y., was elected vice chairman to succeed Rader. In addition, R. Douglas Haines, president and CEO of Buckeye Insurance Group, Piqua, Ohio, was elected a member of the AAIS board. Haines has served as a board member in the past.

The other AAIS board members are:

Edward T, Berg, president and CEO of Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Co., Algona, Iowa; Roy Bubeck, president and CEO of Badger Mutual Insurance Co., Milwaukee;

Stuart C. Henderson, president and CEO of Western National Insurance Group, Edina, Minn.; Judy S. Jackson, president and CEO of NLC Insurance Cos., Norwich, Conn.; Jeffrey B. Kusch, president and CEO of Austin Mutual Insurance Co., Maple Grove, Minn.; and Paul Baiocchi, president and CEO of AAIS.

Colemont Insurance Brokers appointed Gene Calahan vice president for MGA programs in the company’s Woodland Hills, Calif., office. Prior to joining Colemont in 2009, Gene managed Commercial Specialty Insurance Services (CSIS), a general agency which he started in 2003 and developed to include operations in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada. Before CSIS, he worked for Century Insurance Group in Phoenix as manager of the western regional office, which oversaw operations in 19 states. He has also worked for Republic Western Insurance Co. as a reinsurance underwriter and claims analyst. He currently serves as vice president of the Los Angeles chapter of the CPCU.

Jesse Huff was appointed chief deputy commissioner for the California Department of Insurance. Huff will replace outgoing Chief Deputy Jim Richardson, who is leaving CDI to be the president of The Dentists’ Insurance Co.

Huff has had a distinguished career in state service and public policy. He has served as a deputy commissioner to Commissioner Poizner since January 2007. Previously he served as the director of the Department of Finance for Governor Deukmejian; the director of the Department of Toxic Substances Control for Governor Wilson and in various advisory capacities in the California Legislature.

Kathleen Bissell, assistant vice president of Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., was elected chair of the Association of California Insurance Companies (ACIC) board of directors at the association’s annual meeting. Bissell was elected to a one-year term and replaces Cary Cheldin, president of Crusader Insurance Co. in Woodland Hills, Calif. Cheldin had concluded the traditional two, one-year terms as chair.

ACIC members also elected as vice chair Gregory Parini, vice president of Civil Service Employees. At the same time, ACIC members elected its full board.

San Diego Insurance Women announced its award winners for the 2008-2009 term. The winners are: Danielle McBride – Young Professional of the Year; Rhonda Collins – Rookie of the Year; Kay Wheeler – Member of the Year for Region VIII; Pam Legge – Insurance Professional of the Year; Nancy Ladd – Underwriter of the Year & Hall of Fame Award for Region VIII; and Kathleen Kerstenbeck – Insurance Woman of the Year.

San Jose, Calif.-based Micheletti & Associates added Charles (Chuck) Longwello and Sharon Longwello to its sales staff. With a combined experience of more than 50 years in the insurance brokerage business, the Longwellos will concentrate their efforts toward the development of medium-to-large business accounts. The Longwellos previously held similar positions at Y.A. Tittle and Aon.

Topics California Agencies