The latest press releases announcing new hires, appointments and achievements in the Massachusetts insurance industry this week…
Promotions – The Hanover
Richard W. Lavey has been appointed president of Hanover Agency Markets, effective immediately, leading the company’s personal and core commercial lines businesses, as well as its field operations. He will succeed John C. Roche, who was recently appointed president and chief executive officer of The Hanover.
Lavey most recently served as executive vice president, chief marketing officer, and chief growth innovation officer for The Hanover. He has served on the company’s executive leadership team since 2009. Lavey brings more than 25 years of experience in the property and casualty industry, many of those spent working directly with the company’s agent partners and field operations.
Since joining The Hanover in 2004, Lavey has held several key business and marketing roles in the field and in the home office. He has served as president, personal lines; president, field operations; and president of the company’s Northeast Region. Prior to joining The Hanover, Lavey held key leadership positions in strategic marketing and the Select Customer division at The Hartford and started his insurance career at Travelers. Lavey is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.
“We are very pleased to have Dick lead our Hanover Agency Markets,” said John C. Roche, president and chief executive officer at The Hanover. “Dick will lead with focus, energy and passion, helping us provide our agents and their clients with the exceptional insurance solutions they have come to expect from us. He brings a thoughtful, strategic expertise that will help us continue to grow with our agents, further empower our field organization and drive our Hanover 2021 strategy forward.”
“I am very excited for the opportunity to continue the great momentum we have created with Hanover Agency Markets,” said Lavey. “I always have had tremendous respect for our agent partners and our field organization, and the work they achieve together every day. Our company’s unique franchise value proposition and industry-leading agency analytics capabilities set us apart within our industry, and that distinction has us poised for a bright future.”
Appointments – Vermont Mutual
Vermont Mutual Insurance Group is pleased to announce that Bryan A. Mjaanes has joined the organization as Vice-President and Head of Information Technology. Mr. Mjaanes is joining Vermont Mutual as part of the succession plan to replace the current IT Vice President, Joanne Currier, upon her retirement.
Mr. Mjaanes comes to Vermont Mutual from Zurich North America in Schaumburg, Illinois, where he most recently served as Senior Vice-President and Head of Underwriting Information Technology. In his more than 20-year career he has held a number of key IT positions of increasing responsibility both with Zurich North America as well as the broader Zurich Insurance Group in their home office in Zurich, Switzerland.
Dan Bridge, President and CEO commented, “Bryan brings a wealth of experience to our organization at a time when keeping pace with technology is a necessity for us to succeed both operationally for our employees and as we strive to provide exceptional service to our independent agent partners and our policyholders. His comprehensive and contemporary experience in the insurance technology space will allow us to maintain our industry-leading position, evolve as our business changes and ensure we remain competitive well into the future.”
Mr. Mjaanes, along with his wife and three children, will be relocating to Vermont. He will be based at the group’s Montpelier, Vermont, headquarters.
Appointments – INEX Capital & Growth Advisors/Optisure Risk Partners
Peter R. Milnes, Chairman of INEX Capital & Growth Advisors, announced that Jodi K. Hoyt has joined INEX in the new role of Human Resources Director. Hoyt will report directly to Milnes in his capacity as CEO and will provide senior level human resources strategic planning and management to the various INEX entities and their affiliates, including Optisure Risk Partners.
Hoyt brings over two decades of experience in human resources management in the private, public, and not-for-profit business sectors. Most recently, she served as Chief Human Resources Officer of Lake Sunapee Bank Group, where she led a team of professional staff in the successful integration of human resources through several corporate acquisitions, and oversaw the significant expansion and development of the bank’s workforce.
She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services Administration from Granite State College, and holds the Senior Certified Professional designation through the Society for Human Resource Management. Throughout her career, Ms. Hoyt has been active in many professional and volunteer organizations. She is currently the Secretary of the Board of Directors of Dismas Home of New Hampshire Inc. and Vice President of the Board of Directors of Housing for the Elderly and Handicapped, d/b/a Maple Manor Apartments. She is also an alumna of Leadership New Hampshire, Class of 2016.
“Jodi will partner and collaborate with our executives and managing directors to understand INEX/Optisure business strategies and objectives while applying HR solutions in a proactive, hands on manner, consistent with our vision and mission,” said Milnes. “She has a proven track record in the financial services sector in integrating acquisitions and will be a welcome addition to our senior management team.” Hoyt, who formally joined INEX on October 23rd, says “I am honored to be joining such a high caliber team of professionals, who with Peter’s leadership, moves forward with a clear vision, strong people-centric values, and a collegial approach to how they achieve their success.”
INEX is a multidisciplinary management advisory firm headquartered in Manchester, NH which provides investment banking, strategic and mergers/acquisitions advisory services to the insurance agency and insurance distribution sector and is responsible for the development of Optisure Risk Partners.
Optisure’s regional partners operate locally but with global capabilities, addressing the entire spectrum of risk management, employee benefit and property-casualty insurance needs. Their expertise in program underwriting and aggressive program structures enables clients to enjoy some of the most competitive terms and premiums in the marketplace. The organization employs 60+ talented insurance professionals throughout the Northeast and Florida and secures in excess of $140 million of insurance premiums annually for its clients.
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