People

Nancy C. Gates was honored by the Professional Insurance Agents of Georgia as its 2005 Outstanding Certified Insurance Service Representative. Since 1996, Gates has been a commercial lines, large account representative with Sutter, McLellan & Galbreath Inc. of Lawrenceville, Ga. She joined the firm as a commercial lines account representative specializing in home builders accounts and in January 1999, transferred to large accounts.

In 1985, Gates began her insurance career as a personal lines rater with General Accident Insurance in the Southern New Jersey branch. She later accepted a CSR position with an independent insurance agency in Mt. Laurel, N.J., and joined an agency in Philadelphia, Pa. In 1991, Gates moved to Atlanta, where she was with Columbia Insurance Group as an underwriting technician from 1993 to 1995.

The new slate of officers of the Professional Insurance Agents of Florida took over Oct. 1, with Lori Williams, president; Bob Fowinkle, president-elect; Phil Zelman, vice president; and Doug Whitaker, secretary/treasurer.

Williams is president of J. Meyers Insurance Group in Orlando, which specializes in personal and commercial insurance. She served as PIA of Florida’s vice president and as president-elect for two years. Williams has been involved in PIA’s Legislative Committee, serving as co-chair, and on PIA’s Budget and Membership committees.

Fowinkle owns the Moore Fowinkle & Schroer Agency in Bradenton. In 2004, Fowinkle was named PIA of Florida’s “Agent of the Year.”

Zelman, vice president and owner of NCF Insurance Agency in Coral Gables, will assist in budgeting and membership efforts. He is a second generation of insurance agents in his family. His son continues the tradition as the third generation to become an agent.

Whitaker is president and owner of Harrell Agency in Jasper. His agency covers many farming interests in northeast Florida.

Florida-based American Strategic Insurance Corp. has announced that David P. Rowe has been appointed to the position of vice president with responsibility for ASI’s Texas business.

The company said ASI Lloyds has become one of the top providers of homeowner’s insurance in Texas since its inception in 2000. Rowe will focus on the continued growth and development of ASI’s products, which are currently distributed by over 500 agencies throughout Texas.

Rowe began his insurance career in 1983 as a property claims adjuster. He has since held various marketing and management positions within both insurance companies and agencies in Texas.

Cathy M. Cassetta, with BB&T/Iler Wall & Shonter Insurance Inc., of St. Petersburg, Fla., was one of five finalists for The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research’s National Outstanding CSR of the Year Award for 2005. The National Alliance said its judges narrowed the field of 36 state winners to five finalists.

The judges evaluated the finalists based on their individual contributions to the insurance community and the strength of their essays written on the topic, “The Four Most Constructive Things a Producer Can Do Now to Help CSRs.” To be considered for this award the candidate must be an insurance customer service representative, or have primary responsibility for insurance customer service duties.

Berni Bussell, Jerilynn Leahy, Cathy Carnevale, Ross Downing and Bonnie Swann have joined Beecher Carlson as part of the company’s expansion into the Northeast with the acquisition of Gallagher Healthcare Insurance Services in Boston, Mass. Prior to joining Gallagher, these professionals were with the New England healthcare practice at Aon Risk Services. They will operate from Beecher Carlson’s Boston office.

Bussel, who is managing director, has more than 20 years experience in healthcare administration, risk financing, and insurance services. Most recently, Bussell was the president of Gallagher Healthcare Insurance Services Northeast Division. He previously led Aon’s Northeast and New York healthcare divisions and served as chief operating officer of Aon’s national healthcare practice.

Leahy, senior vice president, practice management, has 30 years experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry, the last 14 years concentrating on healthcare risks and exposures. She will provide strategic account management to Beecher Carlson’s healthcare clients. Her areas of expertise include medical professional, casualty, and property insurance solutions as well as alternative risk financing solutions to large healthcare systems. Leahy has extensive experience in self-insurance, captives, excess insurance, reinsurance as well as property and casualty lines of coverage.

Carnevale, vice president, has 20 years experience in the insurance/reinsurance industry. She will oversee the daily servicing and marketing of stop loss risks and administration of all lines of coverage for large healthcare accounts. Carnevale was previously a division assistant vice president with Gallagher Healthcare Insurance Services. Her previous employment includes Aon Risk Services, as an account executive in the healthcare practice group, and LDG Management Company (a reinsurance underwriting manager for employer stop loss and accident and health business) where she was manager of regulatory compliance and administration for all corporation subsidiaries.

Downing, a business development analyst, for Beecher Carlson’s healthcare team, will provide prospect due diligence and opportunity assessment for current and prospective clients, and new business production. Downing also assists in account management, marketing, claims processing, and client service. He has held executive positions at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. and Aon Risk Services.

Swann, serves as an account manager for Beecher Carlson’s healthcare team. She is responsible for client satisfaction and retention, account management, and the support of new business production. Prior to joining Beecher Carlson, Swann was with Gallagher Healthcare Insurance Services and in the healthcare practice of Aon Risk Services.

Topics Florida Texas Agencies Reinsurance A.J. Gallagher Aon