Commissioner Anderson Appointed Vice-Chair of International Insurance Relations (G) Committee
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has named its 2019 committee chairs and vice chairs. The association also assigned members to the organization’s standing committees based on preferences, experience and requirements established by the NAIC’s Bylaws.
The 2019 NAIC committee leadership reflects deep expertise and a strong commitment to service across all our committees,” said Eric Cioppa, NAIC President and Superintendent of the Maine Bureau of Insurance. “We look forward to a productive year and continued success with our State Ahead strategic plan and initiatives.”
The 2019 NAIC committee leadership assignments are as follows:
Life Insurance and Annuities (A) Committee
Chair: Doug Ommen, Commissioner, Iowa Insurance Division
Vice Chair: Stephen C. Taylor, Commissioner, District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking
Health Insurance and Managed Care (B) Committee
Chair: Jessica Altman, Commissioner, Pennsylvania Insurance Department
Vice Chair: Lori K. Wing-Heier, Director, Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, Division of Insurance
Property and Casualty Insurance (C) Committee
Chair: Elizabeth Kelleher Dwyer, Superintendent, State of Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Division of Insurance
Vice Chair: Scott A. White, Commissioner, Virginia State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance
Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs (D) Committee
Chair: Chlora Lindley-Myers, Director, Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration (DIFP)
Vice Chair: Allen W. Kerr, Commissioner, Arkansas Insurance Department
Financial Condition (E) Committee
Chair: David Altmaier, Commissioner, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
Vice Chair: Tom Glause, Commissioner, Wyoming Insurance Department
Financial Regulation Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee
Chair: Todd E. Kiser, Commissioner, Utah Insurance Department
Vice Chair: Jillian Froment, Director, Ohio Department of Insurance
International Insurance Relations (G) Committee
Chair: Julie Mix McPeak, Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
Vice Chair: Gary Anderson, Commissioner, Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Division of Insurance
AF Group Announces Key Leader Promotions
Following another record year of success and growth in the property and casualty insurance market, AF Group continues to strengthen its position as an innovative and diversified market leader. Reflecting this success, the company recently announced a number of key leadership promotions across the organization.
“Our remarkable success is directly related to our amazing teammates and outstanding leaders, who have demonstrated a tireless commitment to our partner agents, policyholders and injured workers,” said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. “My sincere congratulations to these leaders who will certainly continue to move us toward an exceptional future.”
Promotions include :
Abel Travis – Vice President, Underwriting & Product Innovation
Prior to joining AF Group in April 2018, Travis was assistant vice president and head of commercial lines product management for Hanover Insurance Group. He earned a master’s in Business Administration from Long Island University and Pragmatic Product Management Certification and Strategic Leadership Certification from MIT, along with a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Clarkson University. Travis is the recipient of numerous professional achievement awards, including the 40 Under Forty award from the Worcester Business Journal.
Risk Strategies Selects Bret Murray to Lead National Higher Education Practice
Insurance industry, higher education veteran expert joins from Tufts University
Risk Strategies, a privately held, rapidly growing national insurance brokerage and risk management firm, today announced it has selected Bret Murray to oversee its fast-growing national higher education practice. Most recently, Murray was director of risk management and insurance at Tufts University.
Murray, whose background in insurance dates back to 1998, was responsible for Tufts University’s overall risk management strategy to identify, control, and finance insurance and enterprise risks across its campuses, schools, departments, and divisions. In this role, Murray managed and placed Tufts’ worldwide portfolio of property, casualty, finance, and professional lines of insurance coverage. He’s active in the University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA) and other higher education professional organizations.
Prior to Tufts, Murray spent 10 years as a Risk Management Analyst with RELX Group, a leading global provider of information and analytics for professional organizations and other business clients.
“Keeping in step with market need is smart for our clients and for our business,” explained John Mina, Risk Strategies’ president. “Bret’s hands-on background in both higher education and at scale enterprise risk management is a great fit for this stage of growth in our practice.”
“It’s really exciting to join a national specialty firm at a time when the higher education market is seeking out greater expertise to create more comprehensive and sophisticated risk management programs,” said Murray. “I look forward to building on the established foundation and expanding our higher education practice.”
Risk Strategies’ higher education practice has more than 50 highly-experienced specialists focused on the industry and counts more than 200 colleges and universities across the United States among its client base. The company’s higher education practice also incorporates the ability to develop student health insurance program offerings through its University Health Plans division.
Soden Joins Optisure Risk Partners
Peter R. Milnes, CEO of Optisure Risk Partners, has announced that Greg Soden has joined Optisure in the role of Vice President of Revenue Development. In this role, Greg will work as part of the executive leadership team to develop and implement strategies for sustained revenue growth and success for Optisure Risk Partners.
Soden brings to this position over 20 years of progressive and responsible experience in the insurance industry including a focus on Human Resources Outsourcing/Consulting, as well as Property, Casualty and Employee Benefits. He also owned and managed all facets of a multi-location insurance agency for a number of years.
“Greg’s experience in the insurance business demonstrates an impressive ability to drive revenue growth, recruit and coach producer talent, and achieve individual and team performance goals. This skill set, along with his direct experience with selling and managing multiple business lines, will make him a key component to executing our organization’s growth strategy,” said Mr. Milnes.
Soden graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. In addition, he has obtained the Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI®) as well as the Certified Self Funding Specialist® (CSFS) designations. In addition to his professional background, Greg is also active in the community and volunteers his time in several capacities including serving on the Board of Directors for the NH/VT Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Greg and his family currently reside in Bedford, New Hampshire. When he is not working, you can find him coaching or spectating his sons’ sporting events or enjoying other leisure events such as golf, spending time at the lake or other outdoor activities.
“I am so excited to join Peter and the rest of the Optisure team. This is such a fantastic culture and collection of industry professionals who are focused on providing the expertise of a top national broker with the personal service of a local trusted advisor” states Mr. Soden, who officially joined Optisure Risk Partners in December.
Optisure’s regional partners operate locally but with global capabilities, able to address the entire spectrum of risk protection, employee benefit, and property-casualty insurance needs. Their brokers build optimized insurance and risk protection strategies for clients both domestically and internationally. The organization employs 80+ talented insurance professionals throughout the Northeast and Florida and secures in excess of $188 million of insurance premiums annually for its clients.
Vermont Mutual Donates $11,800 to the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, VT
The Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, Vermont, received a donation from Vermont Mutual for $11,800 as part of the ‘Cats Win, Community Wins’ initiative between Vermont Mutual Insurance Group and the University of Vermont.
Formed by Vermont Mutual and UVM in 2018, the ‘Cats Win, Community Wins’ program was developed as a way for both institutions to give back to local charitable organizations and support UVM athletics. As part of the multi-year agreement, Vermont Mutual donates $100 for every Catamount win to a local charity. For 2018, Catamount teams enjoyed 118 wins which resulted in the $11,800 donation for The Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, VT. This brings the total 2018 donations awarded through Vermont Mutual’s Charitable Giving Fund to $352,000 to 115 worthy organizations.
The check was presented at UVM’s Patrick Gymnasium during the January 12, 2019 basketball game between the Vermont Catamounts and the Hartford Hawks. Presenting the check to Tanya Benosky, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club’s, Burlington, VT was Vermont Mutual President and CEO, Dan Bridge and Executive Vice President and COO, Mark McDonnell.
“‘Cats Win, Community Wins’ is an extraordinary program that has provided much fun and opportunity for the kids of the Boys & Girls Club. Both UVM and Vermont Mutual are top notch organizations with generous hearts for the community” said Tanya Benosky, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Club of Burlington. Benosky added “It was also a treat for us to be guests of the Cats at tonight’s game, the kids had a wonderful time.”
Vermont Mutual’s President and CEO, Dan Bridge, noted “Vermont Mutual is very proud to support local community organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, VT.” Bridge continued “Their commitment and tireless efforts contribute to our community in innumerable ways and helps to create a positive future for our community’s youth.”
The Vermont Mutual and UVM’s “Cats Win, Community Wins” multi-year program will continue; with the 2019 charitable beneficiary being Make-A-Wish, Vermont.
