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Former AIG CEO and executive chair Peter Zaffino left the board effective September 15 to join Palantir Technologies Inc. as global head of financial services. Zaffino had just transitioned to the position of executive chair on June 1. Prior to that, he had been AIG CEO since taking over in March 2021, succeeding Brian Duperreault. Eric Andersen, most recently a member of Aon’s executive committee, became AIG’s CEO on June 1. AIG announced the succession plan in January. Zaffino will assume a role with AIG as senior advisor, the company said. To take his place on the board, John Rice, lead independent director, will serve as chair when Zaffino departs.

Tokio Marine HCC – Cyber & Professional Lines Group (CPLG), a member of the Tokio Marine HCC group of companies based in Houston, Texas, appointed Brian Alva as senior vice president of underwriting to lead cyber & tech underwriting. Alva joins CPLG from Travelers, where he served as vice president, specialty cyber, following senior leadership roles at Corvus Insurance and NAS Insurance Services.

Marsh appointed Herman Brito as marine, cargo, and logistics practice leader, U.S. and Canada, Marsh Risk, effective October 1. Based in New York, Brito will report to Michael Pellegrini, head of specialty, U.S. and Canada, Marsh Risk. Brito succeeds Janice Kowell, who will remain part of the senior executive team. He most recently served as the Canada and U.S. East Zone marine, cargo and logistics practice leader, Marsh Risk.

Howden Re, the global reinsurance, capital markets, and strategic advisory business of Howden, headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, appointed Jay Sogliuzzo as managing director, head of North America marine, energy, and terror specialty treaty. Sogliuzzo joins Howden Re with 14 years of underwriting experience, most recently at Gen Re, where he worked across facultative and treaty reinsurance within the marine and energy market.

East

Ames & Gough, headquartered in Washington, D.C., appointed Tracy Benson, Christine Gibboni, and Baynard Stanchina as assistant vice presidents in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. All three executives specialize in serving Ames & Gough’s design firm clients.

Benson, a senior account manager, joined Ames & Gough in 2014 after a decade with USI.

Gibboni, a senior account manager, joined Ames & Gough in 2015 and has 16 years of experience in the insurance industry. She works with design firm clients in the U.S. Midwest.

Stanchina, an account executive, joined Ames & Gough in 2024 and has more than a dozen years of insurance industry experience. He focuses on all aspects of risk management and insurance for design firm clients throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Ames & Gough appointed Keith Pryde and Tina Walunas as assistant vice presidents in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office.

Pryde, an account executive in the law firm practice focusing on clients in New York City and the U.S. Northeast, joined Ames & Gough in 2023. With over 20 years of insurance industry experience, he works to place insurance programs for small and mid-size law firms.

Walunas joined Ames & Gough in 2022 and is an account executive in the association/nonprofit practice. Along with direct account management responsibilities for several of the practice’s larger clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, she supports other client team members across the country.

Vantage Group Holdings Ltd., headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, hired Tim Nunziata as head of cyber insurance and global product leader. Nunziata joins Vantage from Nationwide, where he spent over 15 years, most recently as vice president, head of cyber risk and commercial E&O.

Amica Mutual Insurance Company, headquartered in Lincoln, Rhode Island, announced that Sean Welch, senior vice president and chief claims officer, will retire at the end of the year following a 41-year career with the company.

Effective December 1, Acel Silva will succeed Welch in the role. Silva has over 20 years of leadership experience in the property and casualty insurance industry. He joined Amica in 2003 as an associate claims adjuster and held increasingly broad leadership roles.

South Central

The Texas Department of Insurance named Michelle Kranes as deputy commissioner of the strategy and performance division. Kranes started her state career at the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission. She most recently worked at the Texas Workforce Commission leading efforts to improve operations, including the modernization of the State of Texas employment application.

Alliant Insurance Services hired Rick George as first vice president within its employee benefits group. Based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, George works with employers nationwide. George has over 35 years of experience in employee benefits, total rewards, healthcare strategy, and employee well-being.

Southeast

Jackie Obusek, who spent 30 years with the North Carolina Department of Insurance (DOI), including the last six as chief deputy insurance commissioner, will retire from the DOI October 1. She will then become senior managing director of strategy and operations for Examination Resources, an Atlanta-based firm that works with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners on accreditation and consults with state regulator departments on financially troubled insurance companies and receiverships.

Chuck Myers was named chief deputy commissioner effective October 1, succeeding Obusek. For the past three years, Myers has been deputy commissioner for the Louisiana Department of Insurance, over property and casualty insurance. There, he chaired the Louisiana Auto Insurance Plan. Myers also helped restructure the Louisiana Fortified Homes Program and led the Title Insurance Working Group at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Midwest

Doubtless, a global pet insurance and solutions organization based in Chicago, made several senior North America leadership appointments.

May Pelz expands her responsibilities as president of Pets Best. Pelz joined Pets Best in March and led business development, marketing and sales operations.

Raj Patel joined Doubtless in May as senior vice president, head of human resources for North America.

Steven Gilliam has been appointed general manager of Spot Pet Insurance. He served previously as product and marketing lead since joining Spot in 2021.

Sunstar Insurance Group LLC, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, hired Tod Ashby as chief information officer, where he will lead the company’s technology strategy, enterprise infrastructure and systems modernization. Ashby previously held senior technology roles at AssuredPartners, Prime Risk Partners, HUB International, and Van Gilder Insurance Corporation.

Cincinnati Financial Corporation announced that Marc J. Schambow, chief claims officer for its property casualty subsidiaries, led by The Cincinnati Insurance Company, will retire in January 2027. Schambow has served as Cincinnati’s top claims officer since 2020.

Todd V. McMillan will assume executive responsibility for the headquarters and field claims teams upon Schambow’s retirement. McMillan has nearly 30 years of experience, most recently serving as corporate senior vice president, head of liability claims for Safety National Casualty Corporation.

As part of this transition, executive oversight of the company’s claims operations will transition to Thomas C. Hogan, chief legal officer.

Alacrity Solutions Group LLC, headquartered in Fishers, Indiana, promoted Lee Boyd to chief operating officer. Boyd joined Alacrity in 2021 and has held the roles of vice president of TPA Operations and, most recently, president of claims operations.

Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Group named Sharon Duez Shaw vice president and head of claims. Prior to joining Pharmacists Mutual, Shaw served as chief claims officer for Vela Insurance, a W. R. Berkley company. She previously spent 14 years with AXIS Capital in a series of executive leadership roles, including head of global claims strategy and shared services and head of North American claims.

Shaw joined the organization on August 31 as part of a planned leadership transition from Peter Lambert, senior vice president, who will retire effective March 31, 2027.

West

Alliant Insurance Services, headquartered in Irvine, California, added Rebecca Ellis as assistant vice president within its employee benefits group in the Rocky Mountain region. Ellis previously serves as vice president with a global insurance brokerage and consulting firm.

Elsje Johnson also joined Alliant as vice president within its employee benefits group. The Idaho-based consultant has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Johnson most recently served as a business development executive responsible for large national accounts with Blue Cross of Idaho.

Carissa Murray joined Alliant as assistant vice president within its employee benefits group. The San Diego, California-based consultant works with employers across the western region. Prior to joining Alliant, Murray was a senior business consultant with a global HR services company.

Alliant promoted Martin Newman to managing director, energy operations, Alliant Property & Casualty. Based in Dallas, Newman specializes in partnering with energy operators and private equity investors to develop risk and insurance solutions. He will maintain his core production responsibilities while working alongside Alliant Energy leadership.

Vivace Insurance Partners, headquartered in Los Angeles, California, named Cordell Fenig CEO of Vivace Americas. Fenig was promoted to the position after having served as senior underwriter since the company’s Americas launch in March 2024. Fenig will lead Vivace expanding carrier support through Markel, a leading carrier in the London market, and progressing toward Lloyd’s coverholder status.

DUAL North America appointed Sam Fowler as senior vice president, tax. Fowler has 10 years of experience in U.S. tax matters, spanning both standalone tax exposures and the tax considerations that arise in M&A deals. His arrival is a step in plans to stand up a dedicated tax insurance practice.