People & Places

NetVU elects chairman, adds four new directors: GaryNester, senior vice president at BB&T InsuranceServices, was elected to serve as the 2011-2012 chairman ofthe board of NetVU. Nester has been a member for 13 years.The membership also elected four to the board of directors:Tina Clay, senior operations consultant, Bank ofAmerica; DeNise Cowley, vice president, Cullifer& Assocs.; Craig McDonald, business systemsanalyst, Gallagher Benefit Service; and JanieUssery, administrative manager, Ragland Strother &Lafitte.

Utica promotes AVP: Jolene M. Castelli,assistant vice president, has been promoted to the newly createdposition of director of field claims operations at theUticaNational Insurance Group. She joined the company in 1999.

Willis names managing director: Sean B.Rider has been named managing director, sales andconsulting at Willis Global Captive Practice. Ride joined Willis2007 and in his newly created role will execute global marketingstrategies, captive consultancy offerings and best in classconsultance procedures.

Regional president joins the Hanover: Kelly J.Stacy has joined the Hanover Insurance Group as regional presidentfor the Northeast region, which includes Maine, New Hampshire,Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island andeastern Pennsylvania. Stacy replaces Dick Lavey,who has been named senior vice president of field operations andmarketing.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Robert E. Miller Group adds to agency: TheRobert E. Miller Group, Kansas City,Mo., acquired FBD Consulting, Leawood, Kan.The Miller agency also recently acquired Midwest EmployeeBenefits.

Neace Lukens acquires three: Neace Lukensacquired three insurance agencies in the past year in Ohio:Ohio Benefit Group, the HampsonAgency and the Insurance First Agency.Effective February 2011, the merger with Ohio Benefit Group addedtwo employees and 40 new employee benefit clients. With theacquisition of the Hampson Agency, Neace Lukens now holds an officein Lancaster, Ohio. The Insurance First Agnecy merged with NeaceLUkens in 2010, and brought in two staff members.

Crump adds SFA: CrumpInsurance Services, the propoerty and casualty division ofCrump Group Inc, acquired the assets of Self FundedAlternatives, an insurance intermediary specializing inthe development, placement and maintenance of self-insured workers'compensation programas for individual and grou prisks in the publicand private sectors.

New Policies

Markel offers mobile food vendor program:Markel Programs partners with Whorton InsuranceServices, a managing general agency, to offer a multi-lineadmitted program for independent mobile food vendors. Coveragesinclude general liability, auto, umbrella, crime, inland marine andexcess limits up to $5 million.

BUA launches NoShow insurance: BUA has introducedNoShow non-apperance insurance. The program is designed forconcerts and otehr events for which the non-appearance of a personor group causes the event to be cancelled or postponed.