People and Places

Ernie Csiszar, the Romania-born former South Carolina regulator who two years ago was named president and chief executive officer of the then newly-formed Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, resigned from PCI effective Sept. 30.

Csiszar indicated that he plans to pursue a variety of personal and professional interests following his tenure at PCI.

PCI has launched a national search for a new CEO. In the meantime, June Holmes, PCI’s current chief operating officer, will serve as the interim CEO.

Zurich named Mario P. Vitale as chief executive officer of its Global Corporate North America operations. In this newly created position, Vitale reports to Geoff Riddell, CEO of Zurich Global Corporate, and will work closely with Axel P. Lehmann, CEO of Zurich North America Commercial.

Pete Connors, president of Zurich Global Energy and John Kelm, president of Global Corporate Customer, North America, will report to Vitale, who will be based in New York City.

Vitale joins Zurich from Willis Group Holdings Limited.

Don Bailey was named chief executive officer of Willis North America. Bailey, currently Willis North America’s chief operating officer, succeeds Mario P. Vitale. Concurrent with his promotion, Bailey joins the Willis Partners Group, the company’s management committee.

Bailey joined Willis in March 2003 to lead the firm’s North American Executive Risks Practice, and has since served as CEO of the company’s North American large account practice. He was named COO of Willis North America in March 2006.

Cora Barran was elected president of the Insurance Marketing Communications Association for the 2006-2007 year. Barran is advertising manager for Farmers Insurance Group in Los Angeles, where she oversees national brand and local agent co-op advertising campaigns. Barran joined IMCA in 1999 and has been a member of the board since 2003, including serving as executive vice president in 2005.

Ron Rice, events marketing manager for Russell Investment Group and IMCA president from 2004-2006, will serve as immediate past president.

Other officer and director appointments include:

Insurance Journal, will serve as vice president. Linda Collins, corporate communications manager, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., will serve as secretary/ treasurer. Reg Pierce, ARM, managing partner, InMarket Partners, will serve as past president at large.

Elected to the board of directors for 2006-2007 are: Darin Barney, MiniCo; Gregg Calestini, Mercator Risk Services; Jack Makuch, Allstate Insurance; Rob Martin, The Co-operators General Insurance Company; Madeline Johnson, Cincinnati Insurance Companies; Randy Clinger, Swiss Re; Peter Broadbent, Wahlstrom Group; Mimi Keller, TM Advertising; Gary Kimball, Kimball Communications; and Tom Wetzel, Wetzel & Associates.

American International Group Inc.named a former Citigroup president and chef operating officer, Robert B. Willumstad, as chairman, effective Nov. 1. He succeeds Frank G. Zarb, who has served as interim chairman since April 2005. Zarb remains an AIG director.

Willumstad was elected to the AIG board in January 2006. He retired in 2005 as president and chief operating officer of Citigroup Inc.

Morris W. Offit will succeed Willumstad as chairman of AIG’s Finance Committee and Michael H. Sutton will succeed Offit as chairman of AIG’s Audit Committee. Offit will continue to serve as a member of AIG’s Audit Committee.

The Allstate Corporation announced that Edward M. Liddy, currently chairman and chief executive officer, plans to step down as CEO at the end of 2006. Thomas J. Wilson, currently president and chief operating officer, who has been elected to the Allstate board of directors, will succeed him at that time as CEO. Wilson will retain the role and title of president. The chief operating officer role will not be filled.

Wilson joined Allstate in 1995 as vice president of finance and was elected chief financial officer later that year. He was appointed president of Allstate Financial in 1999 and president of Allstate Protection, the company’s largest business unit, in 2002. He assumed his current role of president and COO in May 2005.

Liddy will remain chairman until his retirement from the company in the spring of 2008. Liddy has served as chairman and chief executive officer since January 1999. He previously served as president and chief operating officer from 1994 to1998.

Dave Evans has been named the new executive director of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s Trusted Choice, the association’s consumer marketing identity program. Evans will oversee the association’s communications department and serve as publisher of Independent Agent magazine. He replaces Jeff Myers, who has decided to pursue other opportunities.

The new officers of the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents were installed during the group’s September meeting in Savannah, Ga. Each officer will serve a one-year term beginning Oct. 1, at which time Donna Pile, of Lexington, Ky., becomes president; Robert P. Page of Houma, La., becomes president-elect; Kenneth R. Auerbach, of Eatontown, N.J., becomes vice president/treasurer; Jon D. Spalding of Perry, Mich., becomes secretary/assistant treasurer; and outgoing PIA National President Ray L. Peretti, of Renton, Wash., becomes immediate past president.

Kansas City, Mo.-based wholesale broker Westrope promoted Randy Sutherlin to senior vice president and regional director for its Southwest operation in Dallas. Along with his new leadership responsibilities, Sutherlin will continue to produce and broker commercial casualty business.

Ted Clayton has been promoted to senior vice president and regional director for Westrope’s West Coast operation based in the Los Angeles area. Clayton will continue to produce and broker commercial property business.