People and Places

Gregg Effner has joined The Main Street America Group as assistant vice president of distribution management. Effner will be based at the headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla., and report to Doug Eden, senior vice president of field operations.

In this newly created position, Effner will develop a corporate distribution strategy that will include independent agency management best practices and a compensation strategy. Effner will also establish a strategy for aggregators and wholesalers, as well as large agents and brokers. Effner will work in conjunction with the company’s four regional presidents.

Prior to joining Main Street America, Effner was vice president, director of corporate analytics, at Zurich North America. Prior to joining Zurich, Effner was vice president, national broker relations and cross-sell, at CNA Financial Corp. He has also held management roles at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co., USF&G Corp. and Northwestern National Insurance Group.

Montgomery Insurance, a member of Liberty Mutual Group, appointed Gregory B. Buckley of Waxhaw, N.C., to vice president of underwriting for commercial lines. Buckley will manage the home office commercial lines underwriting operations, including the development of underwriting practices. He will also play a role in product development and support of new business and renewal business goals.

Buckley joins Montgomery Insurance from Liberty Mutual Group’s Business Markets, where he was the Southern Division commercial accounts underwriting manager. As an underwriting manager with Liberty Mutual since 2000, Buckley’s assignments included the commercial segment for the eight-state Southeast region. Before joining Liberty Mutual Group, he worked for a Georgia insurance agency.

H.W. Kaufman Financial Group/Burns & Wilcox Chairman, President and CEO Alan Jay Kaufman recently announced the realignment of senior management team. Seven executives were promoted to a senior vice president or vice president positions with corporate responsibility to both the H.W. Kaufman Financial Group and Burns & Wilcox. They report directly to Kaufman. The promotions include:

Gary Batten to senior vice president from vice president. In addition to his continued management of the New Orleans and Baton Rouge offices, Batten also is responsible for Burns & Wilcox’s Atlanta, Little Rock, Ark., and Birmingham, Ala., offices.

Donald Carson to senior vice president from vice president. He retains responsibility for the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston offices. Carson also is responsible for special projects and operations.

Harvey Goldenberg to senior vice president from vice president. He assumes responsibility for all California offices.

Wayne Bates to vice president from associate vice president and director of Special Risk Division (SRD) — International. Bates will continue to oversee SRD — International.

Michael Franzese to vice president from vice president and manager of the Daytona Beach, Fla., and Tampa, Fla., offices. He will continue to direct these offices.

Michael Maharaj to vice president from vice president manager of the Phoenix and Albuquerque, N.M., offices. He will retain responsibility for these offices.

Kermit Shaulis to vice president from vice president and manager of the Pittsburgh office. He will continue to oversee the Pittsburgh office.

Additionally, Ken Laderoute has been promoted to vice president of underwriting from associate vice president and director of SRD — Domestic. He continues his role with SRD — Domestic and is responsible for the company’s Farmington Hills, Mich., and Cleveland offices.

Kansas City-based wholesale broker Westrope has added Joyce James as the Eastern Region client manager, responsible for client relationships, service and account retention. James has more than 20 years of insurance experience.

USI Holdings Corp. in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., has named Vincent E. Nerlino as its executive vice president and chief financial officer. He has also been elected to serve on the board of directors. Nerlino will be based in the corporate office in Briarcliff Manor and will report to David L. Eslick, chairman, president and chief executive officer.

Since 1986, Nerlino has held various positions at American Express Co. Most recently, he served as senior vice president/chief financial officer, American Express International & Global Corporate Services.

Robert S. Schneider, the company’s former CFO, has resigned to pursue other opportunities, according to the firm.

OneBeacon Insurance Group has named Joseph Caufield as chief underwriting officer for its OneBeacon Government Risk Solutions business. Caufield is based in Pennsylvania and reports directly to Josette Kiel, head of OneBeacon Government Risk Solutions.

Caufield comes to OneBeacon with 30 years in the property-casualty business, including 20 focused on public entities business. Most recently he was the Public Entity Program Manager for the Glatfelter Insurance Group, a privately-owned insurance broker.

The Navigators Group Inc.’s principal underwriting agency subsidiary, Navigators Management Co., has established the Specialty Program Division. Products underwritten for niche markets by the division will include property, general liability and commercial automobile insurance.

Rick Cullen has joined Navigators as president of the Specialty Program Division and will be based in the company’s Schaumburg, Ill., office. Cullen has been involved in specialty programs and products for over 15 years.

Kansas-based Brooke Franchise Corp. recently elected Kyle L. Garst as its chairman and chief executive officer, and Dane S. Devlin as its president and chief operating officer.

Garst was most recently national sales manager and senior vice president for franchise sales activities. Garst joined Brooke as a sales representative in 1994. He has served in various management positions. He also serves on Brooke Corp.’s board of directors.

Devlin was most recently national operations manager and senior vice president. Devlin joined Brooke in 1986 as its first employee. He was an operations officer from 1986 to 1996, then owned and operated a Brooke franchise from 1996 to 2000 before returning to Brooke in 2000. He served in various management positions and as a director since 2003.