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The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) elected David Wood, vice president and partner at Bogan, Dunlap & Wood Insurance in Odessa, to serve as the association’s president for 2010-2011.
Other newly elected officers are: President-Elect Bob Shepard with Shepard Walton King Insurance Group, Harlingen; Vice President Patrick Watkins, president of Watkins Insurance Group, Austin; Secretary/Treasurer David VanDelinder, executive director of IIAT.
The new officers’ terms begin Sept. 1.
IIAT also installed three new directors to its board: Pat Arthur with the McQueary Henry Bowles Troy Agency in Dallas; Ramon Montalvo III with the Montalvo Insurance Agency in Weslaco; and Rowdy Nutt with Bosworth & Associates in Tyler. The new directors will begin three-year terms on Sept. 1.
Wood has served on the IIAT board of directors for five years, including president-elect of IIAT for 2009-2010. He has been an active member on various IIAT committees during the intervening years, serving as chairman of the IMPACT Regional Vice Presidents and the Budget and Finance Committee and as a member of the Volunteer Development Committee. Wood was also president of his local association in the late 1980s.
Wood began his insurance career working for United General Insurance Agency in Midland and in 1986, founded David Wood & Associates.
Shepard served most recently as chairman of the IMPACT Regional Vice Presidents and has served on the IIAT board of directors for four years, including vice-president of IIAT for 2009-2010. Shepard also served as chairman of the IIAT Windstorm Task Force in 2008-2009. He currently serves on the board of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.
In addition to serving on the board of directors, Watkins has served on numerous IIAT advisory councils including the Young Agent and Trusted Choice advisory councils and was named the IIAT Young Agent of the Year in 2005.
Watkins holds the Certified Insurance Counselor and Certified Risk Manager professional designations and is past president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin. Watkins joined Watkins Insurance Group in 1994 after growing up around his family’s insurance business. Over the last sixteen years, the agency has grown from a staff of four to nearly 100 full-time employees in seven Texas locations.
TWG Insurance, an independent agency headquartered in Colleyville, Texas, has announced the following promotions:
Gary Delavan has been promoted to director and has become a limited partner of the firm.
Michael Colby, who served for the last three years as vice president of Finance, has been promoted to senior vice president and chief financial officer.
Kevin Hockenjos and Lee Lewis, both previously directors, have been promoted to vice president.
John-Clay Harter has been promoted to manager in the company’s Dallas office. Chris Cabrera has been promoted to manager – Finance and Accounting and Drew Burks has been promoted to manager – Technology and Risk Management.
TWG Insurance is a full-service property and casualty insurance agency serving Texas, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah and other locations.
Addison, Texas-based Mullis Newby Hurst, which specializes in construction insurance and surety bonds, recently hired Mike Wiggins as an account executive. Wiggins, who was a top producer for Liberty Mutual in Central Texas and in South Texas before moving to North Dallas, is experienced in property and casualty insurance for construction-related risks.
Wiggins earned a Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designation from the International Risk Management Institute and a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University. He also is a member of TEXO, The Construction Association; Young Contractor’s Council; and the American Subcontractors Association.
America First Insurance, a Liberty Mutual Agency Markets regional company based in Richardson, Texas, has appointed Ray Jimenez to assistant vice president, Specialty Lines. In this position, Jimenez will be responsible for growing America First Insurance’s farm and ranch, and inland marine lines of business, as well as County Seat, the company’s rural agency appointment program.
Jimenez first joined America First Insurance in 2003 as a territory manager in southern Texas. He has 36 years of industry experience. Jimenez will be based in the home office in Richardson.
The company offers inland marine coverages in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Farm and ranch coverages are currently offered in Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.
HCC Insurance Holdings Inc., headquartered in Houston, appointed Pauline R. Morley as senior vice president of Professional Liability at its Professional Indemnity Agency (PIA) subsidiary. As senior VP, Morley will manage PIA’s Miscellaneous Professional Liability Division.
Prior to joining PIA, Morley was in charge of the Miscellaneous Professional Liability Product line at Travelers Bond and Financial Products.
She began her insurance career at Western World Insurance Group in 1987 where she ultimately managed all professional liability lines as vice president of Marketing and Underwriting for Tudor Professional and held group wide marketing responsibilities.
Donald D. Larson has been named president and chief operating officer of the Great American Property and Casualty Group and Great American Insurance Co. Larson is the 16th president in Great American’s history. He assumes the title from Carl H. Lindner III, who has held the position of president for the past 23 years.
Larson has served as executive vice president for the Great American Property and Casualty Insurance Group since 1999 and currently serves as a member of Great American’s board of directors, as well as the board of directors of National Interstate Corp., a 53 percent-owned subsidiary of Great American Insurance Co.
Ronald J. Brichler was promoted to executive vice president of the Great American Property and Casualty Group and the Great American Insurance Co. Brichler most recently served as senior vice president of Great American Insurance Co. He started his career with AFG in 1976.
Gary J. Gruber was promoted to executive vice president of the Great American Property and Casualty Group and Great American Insurance Co. Gruber most recently served as senior vice president of Great American’s Property and Casualty Group and serves as a member of Great American’s board of directors, as well as the board of directors of National Interstate. Gruber started his career with Great American in 1977.
All three executives continue to be based in Cincinnati, Ohio.