Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance says it has hired brokerrelationship expert Lori Spoon Rafkin as its senior vicepresident of customer and broker engagement.

“Meaningful collaboration with our customers and brokers iscritical to provide enduring solutions for market needs,” saidPeter Eastwood, President of Berkshire Hathaway SpecialtyInsurance, in a statement. “Lori has a proven record ofengaging customers and business partners in lasting, mutuallybeneficial relationship–and translating sound businessstrategies into results.

Eastwood continued, “She is a powerful addition to ourteam.” The team leading Warren Buffett's new venture into thespecialty commercial insurance market includes David Bresnahan,Sanjay Godhwani and David Fields. Like Eastwood, the executive areformerly of American International Group (AIG).

Last month Berkshire Hathaway officially announced the launch of BHSI, which writesproperty, casualty, professional and executive liability insuranceand programs in the U.S., says Berkshire. Bresnahan is executivevice president of casualty, health, professional and executiveliability; Godhwani is executive vice president of property andprograms; Fields is executive vice president of underwriting,actuarial, finance and reinsurance; and David Crowe rounds out theleadership as senior vice president of claims.

Spoon Rafkin joins the team from Zurich Insurance, where she wasbroker relationship leader for North America.

Before Zurich, Spoon Rafkin was a start-up consultant for TygrisCommercial Finance Group. She has also held the role of executivevice president and chief administration officer at CIT Group andwas chief of staff of Marsh's New York operations.

Spoon Rafkin has a bachelor's degree in international businessfrom DePauw University.