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Salt Lake City-based The Buckner Co. opened a third location in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Douglas Ball, an account executive, will work out of the new office focusing on creating customized, employee benefits packages for Idaho businesses. Ball has been in the insurance industry for more than 30 years, and has been actively involved in both state and national insurance organizations.

The company also said it is looking for account executives and account managers to work in the new office.

Ironshore Inc. appointed Scott Fitzmaurice as regional executive for the Southeast and John Koller as branch executive in San Francisco. The appointments expand Ironshore’s U.S field operations.

Fitzmaurice will be responsible for business development in the Southeast. He will retain his existing responsibilities with IronPro, Ironshore’s management liability division. Prior to joining Ironshore in January 2008, Fitzmaurice was a regional manager for AIG Management Liability.

Koller will build Ironshore’s presence in the West. In addition, he will maintain current responsibilities with Ironshore Property. Most recently, Koller was an account executive with Aon, and served for more than 15 years with HRH, FM Global, The Hartford and Atlantic Mutual.

Zurich is expanding its presence in the U.S. energy casualty insurance market by adding two new executives to its Commercial Energy Casualty business unit. Greg Cropp, vice president of Energy Excess Casualty, joins Zurich’s U.S. Energy Excess Casualty team after nearly seven years with AIG, where he most recently served as senior vice president, Global Marine and Energy Excess Casualty. Prior to AIG, he served for 17 years at Chubb. Marie Gwin, vice president of Energy Primary Casualty, assumes her new role as vice president, Primary Energy Casualty after nearly 28 years with Zurich. She began as an underwriter in commercial insurance, and most recently served as vice president and chief underwriting officer for Energy Casualty.

Steve Cooper was appointed president of United Heartland, a national workers’ compensation insurer based in New Berlin, Wis., and a subsidiary of Accident Fund Holdings Inc. He succeeds Emil Pfenninger, who has led United Heartland since its founding in 1990.

Cooper brings 21 years of property/casualty experience to the position. Prior to joining United Heartland, Cooper served as vice president of Claim Operations and TPA at Accident Fund Insurance Company of America, another Accident Fund Holdings subsidiary.

Pfenninger will remain with United Heartland to help in the transition and work on special projects with Accident Fund Holdings until his retirement in 2011.

San Diego-based insurance brokerage Barney & Barney LLC named Catherine Botello, Marc Pannier and Steve Shea principals of the firm. All three have been key players in the expansion of their respective departments. Both Botello and Shea have been integral to the aggressive and continued growth of the firm’s San Diego office, said Paul Hering, managing principal/CEO.

Botello joined Barney & Barney in 2002. With more than 13 years in the insurance industry, she has devoted her career at the company to the Employee Benefits Division. Prior to joining Barney & Barney, she worked at the Automobile Club of Southern California

Shea joined the firm in 2002 and previously was a client executive in the Commercial Department, responsible for account service and retention, new account development and growth of niche insurance programs. He has expertise in loss control, underwriting, marketing and program management. He has worked with such companies as Chubb & Son, as well as other national independent insurance agencies.

Pannier joined the firm in 2006. He has been a key player in the establishment and expansion of the company’s Orange County, Calif., office. Prior to joining Barney & Barney, he worked at Marsh & McLennan Companies for 12 years, including Mercer and Johnson & Higgins. Prior to the brokerage industry, he worked for two years at Health Net, a managed care company.

Topics Market Casualty