View this article online: https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-people/2010/12/05/160519.htm
Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman appointed Bruce Ramge of Omaha to serve as the director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance (DOI). He has served as acting director since October 30, and has served as deputy director of the department since January 2008.
Ramge replaces Ann Frohman, who resigned effective Oct. 29, 2010, after serving as director since November 2007.
Ramge has more than 25 years of service with the Nebraska Department of Insurance, starting in 1984 when he started with the department’s Insurance Market Conduct Division as a market conduct examiner. In 1999, he became chief of market regulation with responsibility for overseeing the department’s consumer affairs, producer licensing, life and health, property and casualty, and market conduct divisions. Ramge spent nine years in the role until his appointment as deputy director in early 2008.
He also has served on several committees with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). He currently chairs the group’s Market Conduct Examination Standards Working Group, and is a member of the Market Analysis Working Group. He served as president of the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society (IRES) from 2003 to 2004, and in 2007 received both the IRES Foundation Paul L. DeAngelo Teaching Award and the IRES Al Greer Award.
Aon Corp. reported that Andrew Appel, the firm’s chief operating officer, will be leaving the company at the end of the year. The company said that at the present time there are no plans to fill the position upon Appel’s departure.
Appel has held multiple roles in the firm over the past five years, including with Aon Consulting and Aon Benfield as CEO, and more recently as chief operating officer of Aon. Greg Case, Aon president and CEO, said Appel is leaving the firm to pursue additional challenges.
Bobette L. Puckett was appointed president of Alper Services LLC, a Chicago-based insurance services company. Puckett, who will also retain her chief operating officer title and responsibilities, has been a part of the Alper Services team for 26 years and instrumental in Alper Services’ growth.
As president, Puckett is charged with growing the enterprise and developing creative programs in industry niches where Alper Services has insurance services expertise: energy, environmental, steel, health care, law firms, nonprofit and sophisticated manufacturing and service firms.
Puckett holds Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designations.
Kevin Kaplan joined the Michigan Chamber of Commerce as senior director of Insurance Services. Kaplan comes to the Michigan Chamber with a background and extensive experience in the insurance industry. His experience ranges from direct sales within an agency to the marketing of insurance products to association experience.
Kaplan most recently served as marketing director for Grotenhuis, one of the managing agents for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. Prior to that, he served as marketing director for the Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM).
The Michigan Chamber’s Insurance Division was established in 1996 as a full-service independent insurance agency. Staffed by a team of nine seasoned professionals, the Chamber of Commerce’s insurance agency serves more than 400 employers across the state.
Ace USA, the U.S.-based retail operating division of the ACE Group, announced that Kelley Kinsella was appointed senior vice president and zonal executive. Based in Chicago, Kinsella will oversee the Western Zone, including the Northwest, Western, Midwest, Southwest, and Houston regions.
With more than 25 years of experience at ACE USA and an ACE predecessor company, Kinsella most recently served as senior vice president and chief operating officer for the ACE USA Midwest Region.