NU Online News Service, Oct. 4, 2:01 p.m.EST

David E. McGurn Jr. is the 2012 chairman of The Council ofInsurance Agents & Brokers, the association announcestoday.

McGurn is corporate vice president of Arthur J. Gallagher &Co. He was named chairman during the Council's 98th annualInsurance Leadership Forum during its annual meeting in ColoradoSprings, Colo.

He succeeds James R. Pender, honorary chairman of the board ofBB&T-Oswald Trippe and Company of Florida.

McGurn began his insurance career in 1976 as a managementtrainee with Aetna Insurance Co. He joined Gallagher in 1978 as anaccount executive.

At Gallagher, he has served as unit sales manager, executivevice president of the risk management sales division to presidentof International Special Risk Services, Inc., and president of thewholesale division. In 1994, he was named a corporate vicepresident.

McGurn also serves as chairman of Risk Placement Services, Inc.,Gallagher's U.S. wholesale and MGA operations, and has served onthe Council's Board of Directors since 1996.

As chairman of the Council, McGurn leads a team of officersincluding:

• Vice Chairman Andrew Cassidy, executive vice president, Early,Cassidy & Schilling, Inc., Rockville, Md.
• Treasurer Johnny Pitts, chief manager, Lipscomb & PittsInsurance, LLC, Memphis, Tenn.
• Secretary Steve L. Brockmeyer, president and chief executiveofficer, Bolton & Company, Pasadena, Calif.