Denver-based Pinnacol Assurance announced that Bonnie Dean has joined its board of directors. Dean was appointed to the position by Governor Bill Owens. Dean heads Bonnie Dean Associates, a Greeley marketing communications firm she founded in 1972. She presently serves as chair of the Mountain States Better Business Bureau’s board of directors. She is also a member of numerous civic boards and committees in Weld and Denver counties. Dean fills the seat that Board member John Kent vacated when his term expired.
Steve Keshishian has been named territorial sales vice president for Grass Valley, Calif.-based Networked Insurance Agents. He will support the marketing and placement needs of Networked’s affiliates in the Central South Bay territory. Keshishian has been in the industry for 27 years serving in management, sales, marketing and underwriting positions. He joined Networked in 2005. For the past four months, he has served on Networked’s Everest WC underwriting team.
Pasadena, Calif.-based Western Security Surplus Insurance Brokers Inc. promoted Joseph Demilita to the position of underwriter in its personal lines department at the Los Alamitos office. Demilita joined WSS in 2002 as a technical assistant. Demilita moved to the personal lines department in 2003.
Western Security Surplus also appointed Ron Arody as a broker. Arody will be responsible for new business development and he will serve Orange and San Diego counties. He comes to WSS with five years of surplus lines experience. Previously he served with Brown & Riding and Peachtree in Los Angeles.
The PMI Group Inc. promoted Thomas Jeter to vice president and corporate controller. Jeter joined PMI in 2002. Jeter will serve as the chief accounting officer responsible for all accounting functions within the company, including U.S. GAAP Accounting Policy and SEC and statutory reporting, as well as tax planning and compliance. Prior to joining PMI, Jeter worked for Pricewaterhouse-Coopers LLP as a senior manager in the financial services division. He previously worked at Provident Funding in its finance and accounting department.
Zurich named Brian Doyle vice president of international program business. He began his insurance career at AIG in New York in 1972. He returned to Zurich from Royal and SunAlliance, where he managed the U.S. Risk Management and Global Property Practice unit. He previously worked for Zurich as a global regional manager for the Midwest.
San Francisco-based Lockton Insurance Brokers named Kathy Hinz vice president and account executive. She will be based in Lockton’s San Jose office and will be responsible for managing client service for Lockton’s technology group. Hinz has been in the industry for more than 24 years, including four years as a casualty underwriter and 20 years as vice president, client executive/advisor and team leader with two other national brokerage firms.
Swett & Crawford appointed Wendy Gable, an insurance broker and attorney, to oversee and manage the growth of its Fresno and Sacramento offices. Gable will continue to broker casualty placements in general liability, products liability, environmental coverages, pollution, aviation, umbrellas, coverage for oil and gas contractors as well as workers’ compensation policies in addition to her management roles. She has served as a broker, marketing representative and branch manager with various Swett & Crawford offices and affiliates in the Central Valley. She began her career in 1982 at IWest Insurance Managers as an assistant broker and later served as a broker and then a brokerage manager. Gable joined Aon Risk Services in 1993 as a marketing coordinator. In 1997, she joined Sherwood Insurance Services as its marketing coordinator. In 1999 she was named manager of Swett & Crawford Sacramento office.
San Francisco-based Insurance Educational Association announced that Roy Little has joined the association as president and CEO. Little comes to IEA from Frye Claims Consulting where he served as president. Previously, Little served as vice president at ePolicy Solutions and senior vice president at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Cos.
Members of the Association of California Insurance Companies have elected Cinda Smith, senior counsel at GEICO, as chair. Cary Cheldin, president of Crusader Insurance Company, was elected vice chair of the association. Smith replaces James Sevey, executive vice president and general counsel of the California Casualty Group, who served two one-year terms. Board members elected included Kathleen Bissell, assistant vice president of public affairs for Liberty Mutual Insurance Group; Tim Chang, legislative counsel for the Interinsurance Exchange of the Automobile Club; Delia Chilgren, California regional counsel for Allstate Insurance Company; Beverly Clark, associate general counsel for California Casualty Group, and Hank Edmiston, director of corporate affairs for TIG Insurance Group. Other board members elected were John Hernandez, senior vice president of Majestic Insurance Company; Michael Keyes, president and CEO of Oregon Mutual Insurance Company; William McCartney, senior vice president of USAA; Gregory Parini, vice president of Civil Service Employees Insurance Company; Paul Rubincam, senior vice president of Western Mutual Insurance Company, and Richard Shrader, legislative advocate for California State Automobile Association Interinsurance Bureau.
The Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc. elected Ellen Vinck as president. Vinck served on the board of directors of the San Diego Chapter of RIMS for 14 years, serving as chapter president in 1996. She was also chair of the communications committee; vice president of finance and treasurer; vice president of conferences; and is currently first vice president. Vinck will serve as RIMS president for 2005-2006. She is the vice president of risk management, benefits and safety for United States Marine Repair Inc. Vinck joined Southwest Marine Inc. in San Diego in 1980 as the assistant to the treasurer and was promoted to benefits manager in 1984.
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