People Moves: New Commercial Business Head at Hartford; Kapnick Adds Chief Growth Officer; AmTrust Hires Underwriting SVP

The Hartford Names Ant Head of Middle & Large Commercial Business Units

The Hartford has named Tracey Ant head of middle and large commercial business units effective Jan. 1.

In this newly created role, Ant will oversee all middle and large commercial business units across multiple industries, including construction, large property, real estate, life sciences, technology, energy, and marine.

Ant has over 25 years of insurance industry experience, beginning her career as a casualty underwriter at The Hartford, followed by roles at Marsh McLennan.

Also, effective Jan. 1, Gretchen Thompson will replace Ant’s role leading middle and large commercial general industries, technology, life sciences, and large property, as well as field operations, alternative distribution and underwriting centers. Thompson is currently The Hartford’s head of construction, inland marine, excess solutions, and complex liability solutions for middle and large commercial. Thompson has been with The Hartford since 2005. Before joining The Hartford, Thompson held various finance positions at General Electric.

In addition, Stephen Screen has become The Hartford’s new head of enterprise sales and distribution and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. With over 14 years at The Hartford, Screen has served as technology underwriter, middle market manager and, most recently, head of distribution management.

Kapnick Adds New Chief Growth Officer

Dean Vander Plas has joined the Kapnick Insurance Group executive team in the newly created role of Chief Growth Officer. As CGO, Vander Plas is responsible for all aspects of sales leadership, including producer recruiting, coaching, and taking Kapnick’s mentorship program to the next level. He is based in Kapnick’s Ann Arbor, Michigan, office.

Kapnick is an independent insurance brokerage dedicated to providing corporate risk, personal insurance, employee benefits, risk management and financial strategy solutions to clients across the U.S. and internationally.

Jennings to Spearhead New Dedicated Real Estate Practice for AmTrust

AmTrust Financial Services, Inc., a global specialty property and casualty insurer, has announced that Steve Jennings has joined the company as senior vice president, underwriting. Jennings will oversee AmTrust’s nonprofits practice and a newly created dedicated residential real estate practice.

Jennings began his career with Federated Insurance in the greater Atlanta area where, over 12 years, he rose to senior leader for the southeastern U.S. underwriting function. Most recently, he spent more than a decade with Philadelphia Insurance Companies, where his most recent position was vice president and senior lead, field underwriting, eastern United States. Before joining Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Jennings was senior vice president at Aon and served as a vice president in the commercial risk management group for Wells Fargo Insurance Services.

Topics Commercial Lines Underwriting