NAPSLO Mourns Past President Rozzell

Services will be Monday for brokerage firm executive Mary Ellen Rozzell, a past president of the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices, Ltd.

Ms. Rozzell died Tuesday after suffering a brain hemorrhage. She was 59. Her death was announced yesterday by NAPSLO.

During a 2007 interview, Ms. Rozzell, who was also president of Continental/Marmorstein & Malone in Paramus, N.J., told NU, “This is my only job,” referring to the fact that she's worked for the firm for her entire career.

In truth, Ms. Rozzell saw her role grow from the administrative assistant described in a help-wanted ad she answered when she was a high-school graduate some 40 years ago, to underwriter and then a licensed broker placing million-dollar accounts.

Through that one job, she also assumed several important roles beyond executive of a wholesale brokerage firm, including 1990-92 president of the New Jersey Surplus Lines Association and 2007-08 president of NAPSLO.

Bill Malone, executive vice president of Continental/Marmorstein & Malone, said, “She dedicated herself to our excess and surplus lines industry and she loved her job. We have suffered a great loss and she is already missed by our CM&M family.”

NAPSLO, in a statement posted on its Web site, said, “She will be missed by all [who] knew her,” adding that she had “many lifelong friendships with companies, agents and fellow competitors.”

During the 2006 NAPSLO meeting, Ms. Rozzell received the NAPSLO President's Award for her outstanding work in putting together that year's midyear meeting–and a standing ovation from her peers as she accepted the honor.

“The best words I can come up with to describe this person is strong,” said then president Mac Wesson as he presented her with the award, noting that she contributed a great amount of time and effort to NAPSLO in a year of personal hardship, having endured the loss of her husband James Rozzell that year.

According to NAPSLO, Ms. Rozzell suffered a massive brain hemorrhage while attending the NAPSLO Mid-Year Educational Workshop in Palm Springs, Calif., late last week. She was taken to Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, where it was determined that the hemorrhage was related to a genetic circulatory problem called Arteriovenous Malformation, or AVM.

Surgery was performed at the facility, but with little hope of recovery, Ms. Rozzell was placed on life support until she passed away peacefully, NAPSLO said.

“Our prayers and thoughts go to Mary Ellen, her family, her many friends in our industry and her colleagues at Continental/ Marmorstein & Malone,” NAPSLO said.

Born Mary Ellen Williams in Jersey City, N.J., Ms. Rozzell was a longtime resident of Rutherford, N.J.

NAPSLO said that a viewing will be held tomorrow at Collins Calhoun Funeral Home, 19 Lincoln Ave., Rutherford, N.J., from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., as well as on Sunday, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Services will take place Monday at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Church, 91 Home Ave., in Rutherford, N.J.