William Stander Forms Advocacy Firm

William H. Stander, formerly state government relationsassistant vice president for the Property Casualty InsurersAssociation of America (PCI), has formed a Tallahassee-basedadvocacy firm, WHISPER - William H. Stander Public Relations,Inc.

As a lobbyist for the Property Casualty Insurers Association ofAmerica, Stander worked to bring 1000+ member insurance companiestogether on the complex and often contentious issues facing theindustry. He will continue to represent PCI as an outsideconsultant.

His other previous lobbying clients have spanned a broad arrayof industries including life and health insurance, economicdevelopment and small business, transportation, solid waste, K-12,and post-secondary education.

Stander has 20 plus years experience advocating before thegovernor and Cabinet, state legislators, agency officials, print,radio, and television reporters, and business and industry tradegroups. As a spokesperson, Stander has been quoted and published inmajor print and electronic media outlets and industry trades. Healso serves on the editorial advisory board of FloridaUnderwriter magazine.

“WHISPER will provide experienced public policy campaignmanagement and coordinated lobbying and media advocacy in and outof Florida, so clients can be sure they speak with one messagedelivered by one voice,” says Stander. “Don't shout—WHISPER.”

Stander may be reached at 850-212-3250; [email protected].

Shelly Middlebrooks Offers Trucker Program

Shelly, Middlebrooks &O’Leary, Inc., a Jacksonville-based wholesale broker, hasdeveloped an exclusive program with an A.M. Best rated A+ XIVcarrier to provide commercial auto coverage for sugar canehaulers. The program will provide a 6-month insurance policyfor truckers hauling sugar cane from the field to the processingmill. Additional agriculture harvest seasons will be eligiblefor coverage over the next several months.

The program will provide liability, personal injury protection,physical damage, extended towing & trailer interchangecoverage. Applicants must have a minimum of 2 complete yearsof commercial driving experience. For additional informationor to obtain a quote, contact Erin O’Leary at 800-342-2498;[email protected].

Main Street America Group Announces SeniorAppointments

Three executives at MainStreet America Group have been promoted to new roles.The super regional property & casualty insurer,headquartered in Jacksonville, has appointed Steve Peeters asCOO and executive vice president of insurance operations, Bruce Foxas vice president of legal services, and Dan Gaynor as vicepresident of commercial lines. All will remain based inJacksonville.

As COO, Peeters oversees the carrier’s commercial lines,personal lines, bonds, and assumed reinsurance product lines, aswell as its pricing, information technology, claims, and customerservice functions. He will continue to report to Chairman,President and CEO Tom Van Berkel.

Fox, Main Street America’s general counsel and secretary, leadsthe company’s corporate law and state filings functions. Heprovides legal advice and counsel to all company personnel onmatters affecting interests of The Main Street America Group, itsfive subsidiaries and two affiliates. Fox is also responsible forensuring that the organization’s business practices, policies andall other dealings meet state and federal regulatory requirements.Fox will continue to report to Van Berkel.

Gaynor leads Main Street America's commercial lines productgroup and is responsible for the company’s commercial lines productpremium growth and profitability results. Additionally, Gaynor isaccountable for development, management and administration of allof Main Street America’s commercial lines products and oversees itscommercial lines underwriting function. Gaynor will continue toreport to Peeters.

The Main Street America Group operates seven property-casualtyinsurance carriers: NGM Insurance Co., Old Dominion Insurance Co.,Main Street America Assurance Co., MSA Insurance Co., Great LakesCasualty Insurance Co., Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Co., andMain Street America Protection Insurance Co. It currentlywrites nearly $900 million in premium and insures more than 600,000policyholders in 27 states and writes bonds in 44 states. A.M. BestCompany rates The Main Street America Group as an "A"(Excellent).

Main Street America Group Enters MinnesotaMarket

Main Street America Grouphas reached an agreement with Minnesota-domiciled Spring Valley Mutual InsuranceCo. to become an affiliate of the Florida super regionalproperty & casualty insurance carrier.

The affiliation has been approved by the Minnesota Department ofCommerce Insurance Commissioner’s Office. The state’s actionfollows approvals by the boards of directors of both companies, aswell as approval by Spring Valley Mutual members at a specialpolicyholders’ meeting held in July. Terms were not disclosed.

Spring Valley Mutual, based in Spring Valley, Minn., providesfarm owners and homeowners coverage to approximately 6,000policyholders throughout Minnesota. In 2010, Spring Valleygenerated $9.3 million in net written premium. Like Main StreetAmerica, it offers its products through the independent agencydistribution system. It will continue to operate from its SpringValley headquarters and will become a part of Main Street America’sMidwest Region.

Brown & Brown-Michigan Acquires PEBS

Brown & Brown ofCentral Michigan, Inc., a subsidiary of Brown & Brown,Inc., has acquired substantially all the assets of Public EmployeeBenefits Solutions, LLC, (PEBS) of Saginaw, Mich.

Founded in 2003 by Fred D. Todd and Mitchell T. Singer, PEBS,with approximately $2.3 million of annual revenues, providesemployee benefits coverage and advice to municipalities, public andquasi-public agencies, and not-for-profit organizations throughoutMichigan. The PEBS team will remain based in Saginaw under theleadership of PEBS's current president, Angela L. Garner.

Michael Hudson Joins HealthPlan Holdings

Tampa-based HealthPlan Holdings,Inc., a provider of outsourced solutions to insurers in theindividual, union trust and voluntary benefits markets, hasappointed Michael Hudson as CFO and executive vice president. Inthis role, he will manage the financial and accounting functionsfor the company’s businesses. Prior to joining HealthPlan, Hudsonserved in several executive positions at Aetna.

Stahl & Associates Acquires Herndon

St. Petersburg-based Stahl & AssociatesInsurance, an independent insurance agency with offices inOldsmar and Lake Mary, has acquired Herndon & AssociatesInsurance LLC in Lakeland. The acquisition expands the company’sfootprint along the Interstate 4 corridor and is part of an overallgrowth strategy. Terms were not disclosed.

Herndon & Associates Insurance will now be known as StahlHerndon & Associates Insurance. The firm currently employs morethan 100 full-time insurance professionals. Its services includecommercial insurance and risk management, employee benefits andfinancial services, and personal insurance.

Connelly, Carlisle, Fields & Nichols Merges WithTriton HR

Connelly, Carlisle,Fields & Nichols, a Clearwater-based full-service insuranceagency, has merged with Triton HR of Oldsmar, an administrativeservices organization specializing in payroll outsourcing, humanresources and employee benefits.

Triton’s vice presidents and co-founders, Anthony Arcaro andJohn Arcaro, have joined CCF&N—Anthony Arcaro as sales directorand John Arcaro as benefits advisor.