Chamness Set To Succeed At NAMIC

Chamness Set To Succeed At NAMIC

NU Online News Service, March 27, 11:41 a.m. EST? The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies board said Charles M. "Chuck" Chamness will serve in a new executive position with the group before taking over as chief executive.

Mr. Chamness, currently vice president of public affairs, will now serve as executive vice president, working directly with NAMIC's current president and CEO Larry Forrester, whom he will succeed, NAMIC said.

The NAMIC board set the transition arrangement at its March 14 convention in Scottsdale, Ariz. It was previously announced that Mr. Forrester plans to retire by September 2004.

To fill the upcoming vacancy, NAMIC said it appointed a search committee and reviewed more than 150 applicants.

"I am confident that our board made the right decision in choosing Chuck to serve in this most important role," said John W. Fisher, president of Auto-Owners Insurance Group, Lansing, Mich., and NAMIC board chairman.

"Over the past decade, NAMIC has successfully transformed itself into a nationally recognized full-service property-casualty insurance trade association while remaining committed to serving its diverse membership of farm mutuals, single-state writers, regional and national insurers," Mr. Fisher noted.

He said Mr. Chamness had "played a pivotal role in developing key aspects of NAMIC's business critical to this transformation, and his experiences at NAMIC?enriched by the public and
private sector positions he held before he joined the association?have shaped his vision for NAMIC's future and positioned him to carry NAMIC's initiatives forward."

Mr. Fisher noted that Mr. Chamness had already reported to Mr. Forrester for eight years as head of NAMIC's public affairs department.

He also mentioned Mr. Chamness' decade of experience in Washington and eleven years of association experience. Mr. Chamness worked during the first Bush administration for Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp as his deputy assistant secretary for public affairs.

Prior to his service in the administration, Mr. Chamness was press secretary for a member of the House Banking Committee.

"Chuck will work directly with Larry Forrester during a transition phase and then be named president/CEO," said Mr. Fisher. "During this transition, Larry and Chuck will work closely with each other and the NAMIC Board of Directors to ensure a smooth transition."

Mr. Chamness said he looked forward to "bringing enhanced advocacy, member services and public policy development for all NAMIC members."

The NAMIC search committee was headed by NAMIC's Chairman-Elect, F. Timothy Hegarty Jr., The Norfolk and Dedham Group, Dedham, Mass.

NAMIC, a national trade association, counts more than 1,300 property-casualty companies as members.