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Sentry Insurance Co. in Stevens Point, Wis., announced that Peter G. McPartland is joining Sentry as president and chief operating officer. McPartland is a seasoned insurance executive with more than 30 years of experience in the industry, including service with Aetna and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. He also served in executive positions with General Casualty Co. His most recent position was president and CEO of Golden Eagle Insurance in San Diego, Calif., a subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Group. Founded in 1904, Sentry and its subsidiaries provide property/casualty insurance, life insurance, annuities and retirement programs for businesses and individuals throughout the United States.

Professional services firm Towers Watson named Sean P. McDermott as a director of property/casualty consulting services. Prior to joining Towers Watson, McDermott was executive vice president and chief actuary for AXIS Insurance. He has domestic and international experience in all major casualty, professional and property lines of business, and was a member of the AXIS Insurance management team. Before joining AXIS, McDermott was senior vice president and actuary at American Re-Insurance (now Munich Re).

Indianapolis-based MJ Insurance hired Lindsay Lynn as employee benefits consultant in the company’s Scottsdale, Ariz., office. She will specialize in plan design and analysis; administrations solutions; health and wellness program development; benefit plan communication; underwriting and health care risk management; and compliance maintenance.

CNA Financial Corp., based in Chicago, appointed Don Wehrkamp as commercial underwriting officer for its Kansas City territory. He brings 30 years of insurance experience to this role. Most recently, Wehrkamp served as branch manager for Zurich Insurance Co., where he was responsible for underwriting results for the Kansas City and St. Louis offices.

Global insurance broker Willis named Mark Harris senior vice president in the company’s Risk Specialties Practice in Chicago. He will be responsible for business development with a focus on Fortune 1000, middle market, law firms and other professional service firms.

Harris joins Willis from Marsh, where he spent 12 years in various sales leadership roles, including most recently a position in the National Producer Group. He is a Lloyd’s of London broker with experience in providing insurance, employee benefits and risk management counsel to his clients. Previously, Harris was business development director at Hiscox Insurance, London.

Willis also named Frank E. McKain managing partner of its Columbus, Ohio, office. He succeeds Kim Sparks, who as interim managing partner successfully navigated the operation through a merger and leadership change. Sparks will retain a key leadership role going forward.

In addition to Ohio, McKain is responsible for helping the company expand its reach into Indiana and Kentucky.

McKain joins Willis from Marsh. Previously, he worked with insurance broker Hylant Group.

Joseph Peloso Jr. joined national program and specialty reinsurance intermediary GJS Re in Chicago as assistant vice president. He is responsible for producing and placing specialty reinsurance products, as well as structuring insurance programs on behalf of program administrators and markets. Peloso previously spent several years at Benfield and was most recently at Beach Re in Chicago.

Urbandale, Iowa-based Marsh U.S. Consumer, a broker and administrator of affinity insurance and membership product programs, appointed Rob Shestack as sales leader for Employer Benefits. Shestack brings more than 20 years of industry experience to Marsh U.S. Consumer. He joins from The Trion Group, where he was national practice leader of voluntary benefits; prior to Trion, Shestack was a senior vice president at Universe Workplace Benefits. He also was founder, president and COO of Ameriflex, a third-party administrator of flexible spending accounts.

Topics USA