People

Colemont Insurance Brokers has added Bob Maeyama as a senior underwriter in its Dallas office. Maeyama will be responsible for the marketing and servicing of commercial insurance products to retail agents in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico through Colemont’s managing general agency.

Prior to joining Colemont, Maeyama held the position of regional underwriting manager for Universal Underwriters Insurance Company in Sacramento, Calif. There, he was responsible for underwriting in the Northern California and state of Nevada territories.

Before that, he spent fifteen years in various commercial underwriting and marking positions in California and Arizona and ten years working in account executive and underwriting positions with international brokerage firms.

Maeyama can be reached at (214) 561-7029 or robert.maeyama@colemont.com.

The Austin Association of Insurance Professionals announced the election and installation of the following officers for the upcoming 2005/2006 fiscal year: President Polly Middlebrook, First Vice President Susan Fortner, Second Vice President Bonnie Miller, Treasurer Linda Berndt, Recording Secretary JoAnna Benko and Corresponding Secretary Jennifer Fudge.

Polly Middlebrook has worked with the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas for many years. She has been an insurance professional for over twenty-five years, working both on the company and agency side.

Middlebrook is currently the marketing operations manager of IIAT and her focus is on IIAT’s “sponsored programs,” which is offered to IIAT members.

She returned to Austin three years ago and has served as first VP and director of AAIP. Prior to moving away in 1996, she had served in every office of AAIP and is the 1986-1987 past president. She was also elected as Insurance Woman of the Year in 1991.

In addition to announcing the officers for the coming year, AAIP honored Daniel Journeay with the Insurance Professional of the Year award.

Journeay began his insurance career at Austin Surplus Lines Agency five years ago. He currently holds the position of processing coordinator focusing on policy issuance, policy numbers, forms lists, and quality control. And just like the insurance industry, his duties have evolved and are growing and changing daily. He has been cross training into the IT department for the last year and a half.

Journeay joined the AAIP in Spring 2003 and has been an active member ever since. He is entering his second year as the Ways and Means committee chairperson and is excited about the upcoming year.

Austin Surplus Lines Agency, based in Austin, Texas, recently congratulated a number of staff members who have achieved various professional designations.

The company announced the following people have achieved their designations: Linda Villegas-ACSR; Jane Marino-ACSR, CISR; Vicki Salome-ACSR; Becky Tompson-CPCU; Katy Campbell-CIC; Norma Manns-ACSR; and Sandy Rangel-ACSR.

Rick Espino has been named president of Universal Insurance Holdings of North America Inc. of Sarasota, Fla., and its subsidiary companies, including Universal Insurance Company of North America, Universal Insurance Managers Inc., Universal Insurance Company of Texas and UIM of Texas Inc.

Espino has planned and implemented the management strategy for Universal Insurance Group’s entry into the North America market. In early 2004, Espino began the North America Operations for Universal Insurance Group in Florida and has complete oversight responsibilities for all facets of this division.

Espino entered the insurance industry in 1991. He has held several positions, including chief financial officer for a multi state property carrier. He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1994 and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, as well as the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants.

Universal Insurance Holdings also announced that Sean Downes was appointed to the position of chief operating officer and senior vice president of the company. Downes has served as COO and a director of Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company since July 2003.

InsurBanc, the financial services provider to the independent agency community, announced that Scott Poore has joined the company as vice president of sales and business development.

Poore will direct the sales and business development efforts of the bank, focusing on the needs of independent agencies and developing relationships with carriers across the country.

Prior to joining InsurBanc, Poore served as managing partner of a private investment fund. He also spent four years as vice president, marketing and sales at Assurance Partners Bank in Carmel, Ind., where he managed the bank’s investor companies and their marketing and sales staffs.

Before that time, Poore worked as a commercial account manager at several agencies including Ottawa Kent, Acordia and Irwin Union. He was also marketing manager for the Westfield Companies in Grand Rapids Michigan.

Zurich, one of the nation’s largest property/casualty insurance companies, announced that Daniel Flood has joined its North American operations as crime product manager. In this role, Flood will have oversight for the marketing and underwriting functions of the commercial crime product.

Prior to joining Zurich, Flood held various underwriting and claims positions at AIG, most recently as a national accounts crime underwriter.

To submit information for this department e-mail ijtexas@insurancejournal.com.