People & Places

AmWINS announced several new hires: WendyTroxclair joined as a transportation/commercial autounderwriter and will be responsible for new and renewalunderwriting, Stacy Dorman joined as vicepresident/casualty broker and previously worked as a seniorunderwriter for Markel Insurance Co. and JohnScott joined as vice president after six years with ArchInsurance Co. as assistant vice president.

Wade Bontrager was named COO at EagleEyeAnalytics. He joins EagleEye after 20 years of industryexperience, 15 of which he spent applying predictive analytics onthe insurance carrier side. He recently held the position of SeniorVice President at GMAC Insurance.

XS Brokerspromoted several personnel: Susan Wild toassistant vice president, Sean Power andEric Wirkus to senior underwriter. Wild joined XSin 2003 and is a licensed agent with a CIC designation. Power alsojoined XS in 2003 and has remained client-focused in his timethere. Wirkus has been with the firm for 3 years and has proven hiscommitment to the company's success.

Steven J. Lempp was chosen as MGIS Co.'s regional vice president of sales,medical professional liability, to cover the eastern region. Thecompany also added Matthew B. Ririe as regionalvice president of sales, gropu disability for the western region.Expanding the sales team in these key regions is part of MGIS'sgrowth and expansion plan.

Van GliderInsurance Corp. announced that Michael VanGlider, employee and member of the company's board ofdirectors, is taking an indefinite leave of abscense from his roleseffective immediately. The decision was a mutual agreement betweenthe company and Van Glider. He previously stepped down fromhis role as CEO on October 25th.

New Programs

All Risks partnered with Markel in the creation of an accountants professionalliability program. The program offers limits up to $5,000,000 andis currently available in 16 states (soon to be national oncestates approve filings). It accepts:

• CPAs
• Enrolled agents
• General accounting practices
• Tax preparation firms
• Bookkeepers
• Part-time practices.

Also included are defense outside the limits, first $7,500claims expenses paid by carrier, subpoena assistance coverage,worldwide coverage, innocent insured protection and reduceddeductible options.

Lockton Affinity launched LATITUDE,a program designed to help smaller government contractorsprotect employees working overseas. The coverage is tailoredto government contractors with 20 to 100 employees thatwant foreign insurance bundled for easier management. Coverageincludes:

• Defense Base Act
• Employer's liability
• Medical evacuation and repatriation
• GL
• Automotive liability
• Kidnap and ransom.

Torus expanded its online broker platformESCAPE. It has been extended to the specialty commercial E&Oand healthcare markets. Portal features include:

• Ability to write multiple lines of coverage under a singlepremium
• Avoidance of submission black holes
• Quoting, binding and issuing of a policy in less than 5minutes.
• Minimum healthcare premium of $3,00 for issuedpolicies
• Minimum premium of $1,000 for commercial E&O
• Quick quote options
• Immediate policy issuance
• Ability to livechat with an underwriter.

News

Applied Systems was awarded Download Vendor of theYear for the 19th consecutive year by ACORD. The awardsignifies agents and carriers deliver more electronic data throughApplied Systems than any other software. ACORD fournd that morethan 131,000 agency/carrier pairs downloaded insurance transactioninformation through Applied Systems in 2011.

Ronald Von Haden was named executive vicepresident and CEO of PIA National. He is the executive vicepresident of PIA Wisconsin and will continue in that role as wellas assuming new responsibilities in Alexandria, Va. He has been adevoted member of PIA for 37 years and says his top priority willbe growing membership.