Jay Starkman, president and CEO of Ft. Lauderdale-based AlphaStaff Group, Inc., a human resource outsourcing company, has been named to the board of directors for the Employer Services Assurance Corporation (ESAC).

Kevin Kelso, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of the Farmers Group, has been named chairman of the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

The tough market that property insurance buyers faced in the first half of 2009 eased significantly in the third quarter, according to a report from Chicago-based brokerage Aon Corp.

PMSI, a national provider of specialty products and services for the workers' compensation market, ended 2009 with a flourish, releasing several new and enhanced client programs.