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National

AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda, appointed Austin Su head of alternative risk, North America. Su leads the development and execution of AXIS’s alternative risk and structured casualty strategy. Su joins AXIS with over 25 years of experience in the global insurance industry, most recently serving as head of structured risk solutions, Americas at AXA XL.

Hub International appointed Kyle Bloemers to the newly created role of national chief cross-sell officer. Bloemers previously held senior leadership positions at HUB, including chief sales officer and chief marketing officer for the Midwest East region.

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI), based in Boston, Massachusetts, promoted Ben Wyatt to head of marine for North America and the UK. Wyatt drives underwriting, strategy, and portfolio management across these regions. BHSI also promoted Gregg Shannon to vice president, contractors equipment and inland marine; Jim Norman to vice president, inland marine; and hired Kevin Kempf as vice president, ocean marine cargo/stock throughput.

The Hartford named Allan Ilias head of ocean marine, U.S., and global practice leader. Ilias replaces Tony Plutino, who is retiring. Ilias previously served as The Hartford’s national cargo practice leader and previously served at AXA/XL as national cargo producer leader for the United States.

Gallagher appointed new practice leaders in its U.S. retail brokerage. New leadership includes Alush Garzon, managing director, manufacturing; Trevor Gilstrap, managing director, energy; and Andy Engardio, managing director, transportation. Garzon, Gilstrap and Engardio most recently served as their respective industry vertical leaders at AssuredPartners prior to Gallagher’s acquisition of the firm in 2025.

Willis, a WTW business headquartered in New York City, appointed new leadership across corporate risk and broking, North America. Michael Butch joins the business as growth operations leader for North America. Butch has over 20 years of experience and joins from Marsh, where he most recently served as North American sales analytics and insights lead.

Jim Blaney was appointed growth enablement leader, North America. Blaney has held multiple leadership positions at WTW and most recently served as head of sales and client management.

Artificial Labs, headquartered in London, appointed Eric Joost as president, leading its U.S. expansion. Joost has almost four decades of experience across the U.S. and global insurance markets. He most recently served as chief operating officer of CAC Group in the U.S.

Longbrook Insurance appointed Mike Sherry as head of North America transactional liability. Sherry leads the development and expansion of Longbrook’s transactional risk insurance platform across North America. He is headquartered in London.

East

Lawley, headquartered in Buffalo, New York, hired AmyRae Nessa as an insurance advisor. With more than a decade of experience, Nessa specializes in construction, hospitality and business development. She previously served as membership and sales director for the Construction Exchange of Buffalo & Western New York.

The Great Bay Insurance Group, headquartered in West Atlantic City, New Jersey, hired Anthony Famiglietti as vice president, commercial lines. Famiglietti most recently served as an executive underwriting officer at Travelers and previously served as director of underwriting.

Hudson Insurance Group, headquartered in New York City, appointed Beth Diamond as senior vice president and chief claims officer. Diamond has over 20 years of specialty claims experience and most recently served as group chief claims and litigation officer at Beazley.

Davis & Towle Insurance Group, headquartered in Concord, New Hampshire, appointed John Kneeland as commercial lines manager and promoted Sherri Cole to assistant commercial lines manager. Kneeland previously served in leadership and business development roles at Providence Mutual, The Hanover, Bristol West and Farmers. Cole will continue in her role as a senior commercial lines account manager while also supporting training efforts and providing broader assistance in managing the commercial lines division.

Howden, the global insurance broking group, launched its new U.S. Aviation Practice, led by Julio Jimenez, aviation practice leader. Jimenez most recently served as a partner, vice president and risk management consultant at USI Insurance Services.

Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance promoted Wes Hyatt as president, Global Risk Solutions North America Distribution & Global Client Engagement. A 22-year Liberty veteran, he previously served as global chief client officer and senior vice president of workers’ compensation claims.

Southeast

IMA Financial Group named Rob Price as Alabama market president, based in Birmingham. Price recently led IMA’s executive risk, private equity and mergers practice. As Alabama market head, he will oversee IMA’s Alabama offices, including growth and profitability.

Alfa Insurance, based in Montgomery, Alabama, named David Bailey senior vice president of claims. Bailey, who recently served as regional vice president, takes over from Bryan Hubbard, who retired after 36 years at the Montgomery-based firm.

South Central

Holmes Murphy hired Chaz Cointment as a senior client executive, surety. Cointment has over 18 years of experience in the industry, most recently as the vice president of surety for American Global.

Midwest

HUB appointed Kyle Bloemers to the newly created role of national chief cross-sell officer. Bloemers has over two decades of insurance sales and leadership experience, previously serving in senior leadership positions at HUB, including chief sales officer and chief marketing officer for the Midwest East region. He is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Group appointed Felix Gallagher as chair of its board of directors. Gallagher, who has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2021, succeeds Sue Sutter, who has served as Board Chair since 2024 and concludes 21 years of service.

Church Mutual named Daniel Kim as senior vice president and chief financial officer. Kim has nearly two decades of experience, most recently serving as head of planning and performance management for Zurich Cover-More. Prior to that, he served as CFO for Zurich’s Japan property and casualty business.

Dewey Gantz, Church Mutual’s former senior vice president and chief financial officer, will transition into the role of senior financial advisor.

Tracy Schmeltzer was promoted to vice president of underwriting for religious markets. Schmeltzer has been with Church Mutual for 35 years and most recently served as AVP of camps, sports and outdoor recreation underwriting.

West

Alliant Insurance Services hired Joseph Ehrlich and Jackson Bender as executive vice presidents within its mergers and acquisitions (M&A) vertical. Based in New York, Ehrlich is a former M&A attorney and previously served as the national practice leader for private equity, family office and M&A at Beecher Carlson. Prior to joining Alliant, Bender led the private equity and M&A practice at Beecher Carlson.

Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer has been selected to chair the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ new Child Care Insurance Working Group.

Mutual of Enumclaw named Joe Peterson vice president of claims and chief claims officer. Peterson has more than 20 years of claims leadership experience, most recently as vice president – P/C claims at Zenith Insurance Company.

Premier Group Insurance (PGI) named Rex Hickling executive president. Hickling joined PGI over 16 years ago after a 25-year career with Safeco and Travelers. Hickling will guide long-term growth.

Shawn Walker, formerly senior vice president, will assume the role of president of personal lines. Walker has 23 years of industry experience and leads the profit and loss performance across additional departments within the PGI home office. Walker will also spearhead the organization’s long-term acquisition strategy.

Matt Genova, a fiveyear PGI veteran with expertise in commercial insurance, has been named president of commercial lines. Genova continues to lead commercial operations while continuing his oversight of PGI’s agency performance division. Additionally, Genova oversees PGI’s technology investments.

Delos Insurance Solutions appointed Brian Schween to the role of chief technology officer. Schween has extensive technology experience in the insurance industry, having had several C-level roles in a variety of organizations. Delos is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Ryan McEachern joined XPT Specialty as vice president, commercial underwriter/broker in its Woodland Hills, California office. McEachern joins XPT from Burns & Wilcox. He previously served as a private client banker at JPMorgan Chase.

Trucordia, headquartered in Lindon, Utah, hired Tom Legner as senior vice president of the company’s agriculture platform. Legner has over 25 years of experience, most recently spending over a decade with Silveus Insurance Group.