People and Places

Paul Davis hires new executive vice president: John F. Fleming was named as Paul Davis National's executive vice president of insurance services. Fleming will be responsible for overseeing the commercial insurance claims departments and business development. He has more than 35 years in the industry.

Associate receives title for 3rd consecutive year: The American Assn. for Long-Term Care Insurance named Roberta Weinman as on the nation's to long-term care producers. Weinman is an associate of MassMutual Financial Group and serves the triangle area of North Carolina. 

Crump adds new vice president: Valerie Surprenant has joined Crump's Seattle office production team as vice president. Surprenant brings with her 19 years of experience and offers expertise in underwriting and brokering business for financial and professional liability risks.

Lockton expands two offices: Orlando Neal has joined Lockton Benefit Group of Lockton Companies as director of pharmacy analytics and Pam Kail Lockton's Memphis office as an account executive. Kail designs and implements employee benefit programs and consults on self-insured benefits funding, employee benefit contribution strategies, health claims, provider network analysis, and employee communication program development. She has more than 20 years of experience. Neal is responsible for strategic pharmacy benefits consulting and management of key national relationships with Lockton's pharmacy benefit providers. He brings more than 15 years of experience in pharmacy analytics, actuarial services and risk management consulting to his new position.

New senior vice president, CFO and treasurer at Utica: Raymond E. Cox was named senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer at the Utica National Insurance Group in New Hartford, New York. Cox will be responsible for overseeing the company's accounting, financial reporting, investments, tax, planning and budgeting, credit and collections, procurement, accounts payable and facilities.

 Three new hires with AmWINS: Grant Chiles, Frances Rhodes and Kim Merriman have joined AmWINS as vice president and property broker, vice president and transportation broker and account executive. Chiles will take on his role at the AmWINS Brokerage of Georgia and Rhodes and Merriman join two offices in Texas.

 Boeing elects ASCnet chair: Maureen Boeing, CIC, CISR, vice president at Landmark Insurance Agency, has been elected to serve as 2012 chair of Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet) at the organization's recent annual meeting in Orlando.

New recruit at Rosenfeld Einstein: Colleen O'Donnell will serve a solutions specialist for brokerage and consulting firm Rosenfeld Einstein. O'Donnell's role will focus on customer support and sales for both the employee benefits and the property and casualty teams.

Mergers and Acquisitions

LexisNexis Insurance Exchange expands: The Benefits Advisors Network (BAN), a premier, national network of independent, employee benefit brokerage and consulting companies has joined the LexisNexis Insurance Exchange. The members of BAN will use the exchange for employee benefits placement to improve data security and collaboration with carriers.

New acquisition with Holmes Murphy and Assocs.: Bridge Insurance Partners had been acquired by Holmes Murphy and Assocs. Jeff Turner, leader of Bridge Insurance Partners, and his team of seven will work out of Holmes Murphy's Dallas office.

Executive Brokers Insurance Services acquired by Appalachian Underwriters: Appalachian Underwriters had secured the assets of Executive Brokers Insurance Services—a wholesale broker based in St. Peters, Mo. AUI enhances its operations by adding a staff with years of underwriting and customer service experience.

News

30 new agencies join SIAA: The Strategic Insurance Agency Alliance (SIAA) welcomed 30 new member agencies in September. Cronk Insurance of Erie, Pa., NDC Insurance Agency of Massapequa, N.Y., Tony Ducker of Petal, Miss., The Hudson Agency of Sumrall, Miss., Insurance Agency of Michigan of Waterford, Mich., Griffin Insurance Services of Poway, Calif., Schneider & Assocs. Insurance Agencies of Gainesville, Fla., and Atina Insurance Agency of El Paso, Texas are included among the 30. Since its establishment in 1995, SIAA has signed over 3800 new members.

New firm enters the insurance industry: A group of experienced search executives has formed Sterling James to attend to the strategic human capital needs of the global insurance industry. Co-founders Bruce Halbeck, Erin Hamrick, and Simon Harrison were all senior members of the insurance practices of the two largest executive recruiters, Heidrick & Struggles and Spencer Stuart, before launching Sterling James. They bring 53 years of collective experience and have served clients on six continents and across all sectors of the insurance industry.