People

The Insurance Marketing and Communications Association (IMCA) named Richard Look as president. He is a marketing communications veteran with both agency and insurance company experience, and currently serves as vice president of marketing communications for Inventure Inc., a privately owned insurance services company based in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Other appointed IMCA 2008/2009 officers and directors are:

• Executive Vice President: Linda Collins of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
• Vice President: Randall Clinger of SwissRe.
• Vice President: Mitch Dunford of Insurance Journal.
• Past President at Large: Reg Pierce of Bailey Brand Consulting.

IMCA also appointed three new board members: Zdenka Melnyk of Manitoba Public Insurance, Krista Winters of American Modern Insurance Group and Mark Friedlander of Main Street America Group.

The Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) honored Kevin M. LaCroix with its 2008 PLUS Founders Award and John J. Degnan, with its 2008 PLUS1 Award at the organization’s 21st Annual International Conference.

The Founders Award recognizes a member of PLUS who has made lasting and outstanding contributions to the Society. The Award is presented in honor of the spirit and dedication of PLUS Founder Angelo J. Gioia and other individuals who have contributed selflessly to create PLUS and establish it as the voice of the professional liability industry.

LaCroix is a partner in OakBridge Insurance Services, of Beachwood, Ohio, and an Insurance Journal columnist. OakBridge is an insurance intermediary focused exclusively on management liability issues. Kevin has been involved in directors’ and officers’ liability insurance issues for more than 25 years.

The PLUS1 Award is presented to a person whose efforts have contributed substantially to the advancement and image of the professional liability industry.

John Degnan, vice chairman and chief operating officer of The Chubb Corp., was named to his position in June 2008. He had served as chief administrative officer since 2002 and assumed the additional title of chief ethics and legal compliance officer in 2005. He has held various titles since joining Chubb & Son in 1990 as a senior vice president and general counsel.

Tom Hughston, executive vice president of North Texas-based Roach Howard Smith & Barton (RHSB), has been named to the board of directors of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, a trade association representing domestic and international commercial insurance agents and brokers. Hughston, whose insurance career spans more than 20 years, joined RHSB in 1991 as a principal and shareholder and was appointed to the board of directors in 1995. In addition to serving the needs of his clients, he oversees the sales and marketing efforts for the firm. Prior to joining RHSB, Hughston was an executive practice leader for Chubb Insurance.

Roger Morris has been named vice president and chief communications officer for the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). He will be responsible for communications, public affairs, marketing and membership. Morris is a veteran communications and marketing professional with extensive experience in the insurance and public utilities industries and as a broadcast journalist. He previously served in executive positions at the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, the Alliance of American Insurers and CNA Insurance. Most recently he has been a senior communications and marketing consultant for numerous insurance organizations and private companies.

Safeco Insurance and Peerless Insurance – Liberty Mutual Agency Markets companies – have announced key management appointments in personal and commercial lines operations for the Northeast

Victor M. Pepin has been named vice president, Safeco Insurance, and Northeast regional general manager. Pepin most recently served as vice president of Personal Lines Underwriting with Peerless Insurance. In this new capacity, Pepin will continue to be based in Keene, New Hampshire and will be responsible for profit and growth throughout Safeco’s eight-state Northeast territory.

Joining Safeco’s Northeast personal lines field operations are Assistant Vice Presidents Christopher Alexander, representing New Jersey and New York, and William Arnold, representing Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Both will serve as agency managers and report to Pepin. Pepin will represent agents in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.

Two new regional vice presidents are joining Peerless Insurance’s commercial lines operations. Paul J. Chmura will manage the Connecticut/Rhode Island region, and Gary J. Waggoner will manage the New Jersey region. Chmura comes to Peerless Insurance from Safeco, where he was Northeast regional executive. Waggoner was most recently Peerless’ branch manager for New Jersey.

In addition, Jeffrey Lefkowicz has been promoted to assistant vice president of Commercial Lines Underwriting for the New Jersey and New York regions.

The personnel changes reflect the previous announcement by Liberty Mutual Group that the Agency Markets business unit’s personal lines will be sold under the Safeco brand. Peerless Insurance will be the exclusive provider of commercial lines business in the eight-state territory, where Safeco will also offer personal lines.

Topics Agencies New Jersey