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Beecher Carlson expanded its National Energy practice by appointing Jacklyn Kearns senior vice president.

Kearns has 28 years of insurance and risk management experience. She joins Charlie Pierpont in Beecher Carlson’s Darien, Conn., office. Prior to that, she served as director, risk management & insurance for Premcor Refining Group Inc. Prior to joining Beecher Carlson, she was consultant vice president, enterprise risk management for Centre Solutions, a workout division of Zurich Financial Services.

Beazley is creating a dedicated Builders’ Risk team in Chicago. Colin Rose, a senior underwriter from the London Construction and Engineering team, will move to Chicago to lead the initiative. He will be joined by Tom Warner, who comes from Allianz Global.

Mark Bernacki, head of Beazley’s U.S. Property unit, said, “The Construction and Engineering business has established teams in London and Singapore. We believe there will be comparably strong demand for the skills of specialist underwriters in the U.S. market.”

CNA Financial Corp. named David Rutkowski senior vice president of Commercial Segments. Rutkowski will be responsible for CNA’s Middle Market customer segments including construction, CustomXpress, general industries, technology and product development. Rutkowski joins CNA from Zurich North America, where he was senior vice president for its Middle Market Commercial business.

Aon Risk Services (ARS), the risk management and insurance brokerage business of Aon Corp., appointed Sandeep Malik CEO of Asia Aon Risk Services, effective Feb. 1, 2010. He will be based in Hong Kong. Malik joins ARS from Prudential Asia, where he was chief commercial officer.

Members of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) elected new officers for 2010. They are: President: West Virginia Insurance Commissioner Jane Cline; President-Elect: Iowa Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss; Vice President: Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty; and Secretary-Treasurer: Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland.

Cline was appointed West Virginia Insurance Commissioner in 2001. Prior to that, she operated a government consulting firm, Jane L. Cline & Associates.

Voss was appointed Iowa Insurance Commissioner in 2005. Prior to that, she was Iowa’s first deputy commissioner.

McCarty is the Commissioner of the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. He became Florida’s first appointed insurance commissioner in January 2003.

Holland became the first woman to be elected Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner in 2006. She is a former board member of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority and the Oklahoma State Employees Benefits Council.

NAIC members also elected 2010 zone officers. Midwestern Zone officers are: Michael McRaith – Chair, Illinois Director of Insurance; Merle Scheiber – Vice Chair, South Dakota Insurance Director; and Mary Jo Hudson – Secretary, Ohio Insurance Director.

Northeastern Zone officers are: Thomas Sullivan – Chair, Connecticut Insurance Commissioner; Joel Ario – Vice Chair, Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner; and Paulette Thabault – Secretary, Vermont Insurance Commissioner.

Southeastern Zone officers are: Scott Richardson – Chair, South Carolina Insurance Director; Leslie Newman – Vice Chair, Tennessee Insurance Commissioner; and Jim Donelon – Secretary, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner.

Western Zone officers are: Linda Hall – Chair, Alaska Insurance Director; Mo Chavez – Vice Chair, New Mexico Insurance Commissioner and Christina Urias – Secretary, Arizona Insurance Director.

The Toledo, Ohio-based insurance brokerage Hylant Group has appointed Tony Evans as the new president of its Chicago, Ill., office.

Evans will be responsible for the strategic direction, growth and profitability of the office. This includes the daily management of the office, as well as a leadership role in the retention and growth of Hylant’s existing client base in Illinois.

Evans has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance brokerage world. Prior to joining Hylant, he was employed by Marsh USA Inc. as growth leader and sales professional in its Chicago office.

Marsh appointed Jonathan Ballard the jewelers’ block specialist in the London office of its Specie Practice, which delivers insurance services and advice concerning insurance for valuable property such as diamonds, precious metals, art and cash. Ballard previously was a Divisional Director for SBJ Global Risks.

Boston-based William Gallagher Associates (WGA) named Jamie T. Balboni head of its Property & Casualty Practice. Balboni is a principal at the firm with more than 25 years of brokerage experience. She will be involved in the management and oversight of Technology and Life Sciences Practices.

New Jersey-based New Day Underwriting Managers LLC, an environmental and construction-related professional liability broker, added Joseph Buono as an account manager. Buono came from Protector Insurance Agency, where he was a marketing/sales executive. Prior to that, he held account management positions at HUB International Transportation Insurance Services and Bart Proud Insurance Agency.

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) named Micaela Isler regional manager, state government relations. Isler will cover the Southeast Atlantic region, which includes the District of Columbia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

K&K Insurance Group Inc., Ft. Wayne, Ind., reported that President and CEO Ross T. Smith is retiring after 40-years in the insurance industry. Smith has been with K&K Insurance for more than six years.

Donald P. Koziol, president and CEO of the Aon Underwriting Managers group, is interim CEO.

Gibson Insurance Group, headquartered in Indiana, formed a Business & Private Client Group, which combines the expertise and service model for small business and personal insurance programs .The Group will be led by Elizabeth A. Misenar. Misenar joined Gibson in 1993 as the manager of Personal Insurance.

Irvine, Calif.-based SullivanCurtisMonroe named Matt O’Connor vice president in its Irvine Office. O’Connor joins SCM from Aon in Orange County, Calif., where he was an account executive in the Construction Division.

Other recent additions to the firm include Colin Baird and Darleen Leichtle,vice presidents in the Pasadena, Calif., office; and Josh Mogush, life insurance/executive benefits associate, in the Irvine office.

Arbella Insurance Group has promoted Steve Jacobs to vice president of Marketing and Tracy Hurley to vice president of Claims.

Jacobs, a 20-year Arbella veteran, will coordinate Arbella’s market position and strategy as changes ushered in by Massachusetts’ new managed competition system and Arbella’s entry and growth in other New England states.

Hurley joined Arbella as assistant vice president of Claims in November 2005 and helped roll out Arbella’s Claim Service Center. Prior to joining Arbella, Hurley was with the Travelers Insurance Co.

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