The Austin Association of Insurance Professionals (AAIP) installed its officers for the 2004/2005 fiscal year, naming Connie Hatch of PLUS Inc. as president. Hatch has been an insurance professional for more than 30 years, starting with an independent agency then switching to an insurance company, finally finding her niche as a specialty broker.
Hatch joined AAIP in 1997, and prior to being elected president, served as a committee chair and second vice president. She also served as a committee member and chairperson for Texas Surplus Lines Association, and served a three-year term as a director of TSLA.
Other newly installed AAIP officers are: First Vice President Polly Middlebrook, IIAT; Second Vice President Cindy Yurkovich, TAGA; Treasurer Kathy Van Eeten, Crump Insurance Services; Corresponding Secretary Joanna Benko, Farmers; and Recording Secretary Bonnie Miller, Ed Weeren Insurance Agency.
In addition to announcing the new officers for the year, AAIP honored Jennifer Fudge with its Insurance Professional of the Year award. Fudge began her insurance career in the Houston office of Hobbs Group, and later transferred to the Austin office where she worked as the agency manager for three years. In 2001, she joined the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas where she is the manager of IIAT Insurance Agency Inc., which administers the E&O program for IIAT members.
Collision repair facilities operator, Caliber Collision Centers, named Dan Pettigrew as president and CEO. As president, Pettigrew will assume leadership responsibility for Caliber’s strategy and operations in California, Texas, and in other new markets as the company expands.
Pettigrew began his career with Caliber Collision Centers in 1997, shortly after the launch of the company’s start-up and commencement of its acquisition program. Over the course of the last seven years, he made significant contributions to Caliber’s growth and success culminating in his 2003 promotion to executive vice president of operations. He was responsible for leading Caliber’s operations with 68 collision repair centers in California and Texas, as well as client services and support services including vendor relations and facilities management.
New Orleans-based Pan-American Life Ins. Co. appointed Suzanne Jurenek as the company’s new sales director for U.S. life sales. As director, Jurenek will work with MGAs and producers to generate life, annuity and disability sales in the United States, acting as the primary contact between U.S. individual sales and field producers. She works with existing distribution, as well as recruiting new producers.
Jurenek has 12 years’ experience in the life insurance industry, most recently with Great American Life Ins. Co. in Cincinnati. Throughout her career, she has worked in several other capacities, from an agent to an MGA. She has substantial experience with annuities, LTC products and life products, and with various distribution channels.
Shelly Hill-Stockin joined Western Security Surplus (WSS) as an underwriter in Dallas. Hill-Stockin will specialize in contract property and casualty business. Before joining WSS, Hill-Stockin worked for a Dallas-based surplus line MGA prior to an eight-year stint with Deep South Surplus Inc. in Shreveport, La. At both companies she worked her way up to underwriter from policy processor.
The InVEST Board of Directors has appointed three new members: Nancy Baily, president and CEO of First Floridian; Loree Toedman, assistant vice president of sales and agency operations for Allstate Insurance Co.; and Kevin Mangan, an independent agent with Hugh Cotton Insurance.
InVEST is an education program designed to develop insurance professionals and informed consumers by teaching high school and community college students about insurance, financial services and risk management.
Zurich North America named Gary Kaplan chief underwriting officer for Zurich North America Commercial and head of its Technical Center.
Kaplan previously served as senior vice president and program executive for underwriting-related initiatives with the Strategic Initiatives Group, a part of Zurich North America Commercial. His tenure with Zurich also includes leading the underwriting of large property business for the former Diversified Products business unit and serving as senior vice president and director of Energy Property. Prior to joining Zurich in 1995, Kaplan held management roles with Home Ins. Co. and Industrial Risk Insurers.
Industry communications veteran, Jeffrey Myers, was named executive director of Trusted Choice for the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA). Myers will manage day-to-day operations of Trusted Choice, including strategic planning and implementation; agent and consumer marketing; carrier recruitment and public relations.
Myers most recently served as vice president of communications with management responsibility for IIABA’s member, consumer and media communications programs. Prior to that, he managed public affairs communications, helping to establish the Big “I” as a key source for business and insurance media on legislative and regulatory issues.
The new national officers of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents were installed during the group’s recent board of directors meeting held in Orlando, Fla. Terry Adams of Ashland, Ore., will become president of PIA National; Ray Peretti of Renton, Wash. will become president-elect; Donna Pile of Lexington, Ky., will be vice president; and Robert Page of Houma, La., will become secretary treasurer. Outgoing PIA National president, Carl Stoecklin of Cincinnati, Ohio, is immediate past president.
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