Hires and Promotions at RIMS, Willis, Austin Mutual and Lockton - Around the Industry

People & Places

RIMS appoints society president: Deborah M. Luthi, ARM, will lead the Risk and Insurance Management Society as president for the 2012 term. Luthi serves as the enterprise risk amnager for the San Francisco Public Utiltiies Commission. She has been a RIMS member for more than 30 years and has served on teh board for 11 years, most recently as vice president and board liason to the Society's Finance Committee and Spencer Educational Foundation Comittee.

Willis names practice leader: Willis North America appointed Gerald Cecil as practice leader for Willis Programs. Cecil will build on the Programs' national broker distribution network and manage the existing Platinum Broker network.

Austin Mutual promotes Kirkendall: Kody Kirendall has been named director of Commercial Lines Underwriting at Austin Mutual. He will continue to oversee the Ag Division Underwriting.

Lockton expands government contracting: Lockton Affinity has hired Sara K. Payne as senior vice president. Payne, an expert in the creation and operation of Defense Base Act insurance programs for government contractors, will be based inWashington, D.C.

Mergers & Acquisitions

Gallagher acquires Capital Bauer: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acquired Capital Bauer Insurance Agency in Albany, N.Y. Terms were not disclosed. Capital Bauer owner David Bauer and his staff will continue to operate in the Albany location, under the direction of Douglas Brown, Northeast regional manager of Gallagher's retail property/casualty brokerage operation.

New Policies

Schinnerer launches contractors' policy: Victor O. Schinnerer & Co. launched an errors & omissions policy for specialty contractors. The policy is available nationwide on an excess & surpluss lines basis.

Two new programs at Glatfelter: Glatfelter Program Managers (GPM), a strategic business unit dedicated to Glatfelter Insurance Group's program business, has acquired the senior living and religious institutions programs of Bunker Hill Underwriters (BHU). BHU is the underwriting agency subsidiary of Houston International Insurance Group. The senior living program will be known as Glatfelter Healthcare Practice, which also will iclude GPM's previously known Hospice and Communicaty Care Insurance Services. The religious instituitions program will be known as Glatfelter Religious Practice.