People

Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation hired Michael Page as director of safety and loss prevention.

Page previously was director of loss prevention services for Workforce Safety and Insurance in North Dakota and corporate health and safety manager for Remedial Construction Services in Houston.

The Independent Insurance Agents of El Paso has installed new members on its Board of Directors.

George Saenz Sr. of Cielo Vista Insurance Agency was installed as president. Other officers who will serve for the 2008 term are: President-Elect Luis Rico of Desert West Insurance Agency; Vice President Martin Beltran of Palms Mexico Insurance; Secretary/Treasurer Carlo Quintana of Wells Fargo Insurance Services of Texas; and Past President Anthony Landavazo of HUB International Southwest.

In addition, Janet Aguilar of Wells Fargo Insurance of Texas was honored with the James F. Elliott Award, which recognizes an outstanding insurance professional who exemplifies high ideals and professionalism.

Louisiana-based regional property and casualty insurance broker First Premium Insurance Group Inc. announced the addition of Kellie Williams to its Commercial Department as assistant underwriter.

Williams has 16 years of experience in the insurance industry. She is licensed in property and casualty and specializes in commercial lines.

Former Ace Limited CEO and Chairman Brian Duperreault stepped down from the Bermuda-based insurer to assume to role of president and CEO of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc.

Duperreault replaces Michael Cherkasky, who had been president and CEO since October 2004. MMC announced in December its intention to find a successor to Cherkasky.

From 1994 to 2004, Duperreault served as CEO of ACE Limited, which MMC helped found in 1985. He then served as chairman of the board from 2004 to 2007.

Under his leadership, Ace grew from a boutique catastrophe insurance specialist into a global multi-line commercial enterprise. He presided over significant growth and acquisition while at Ace, including the 1999 acquisition of Cigna’s property and casualty business.

Prior to ACE, Duperreault was with American International Group for more than 20 years, eventually rising to become executive vice president of AIG Foreign General Insurance and chairman and chief executive of AIG’s American International Underwriters (AIU), which comprises all of AIG’s non-U.S. commercial business.

The Hartford’s Chief Financial Officer, David M. Johnson, announced plans to step down later this year. Johnson who has served as the company’s top financial officer since 2001, will remain in the position until a successor is found.

Before coming to The Hartford, Johnson served as senior executive vice president and CFO of Cendant Corp., and prior to that served in several roles at Merrill Lynch.

Texas-based Southwest Risk named Scott Whitaker president of the firm, effective Jan. 1, 2008. He succeeds Bryan Wilburn.

Whitaker will manage the daily operations of Southwest Risk’s Dallas and Houston operations and will focus on continued expansion of carrier and client relationships. Wilburn will continue as owner and chief executive officer with a specific focus on expanding the breadth of services offered by Southwest Risk.

Whitaker joined Southwest Risk in 2005. He previously served as CFO for a regional sales and distribution company and was a managing partner at an agency that assembled and managed niche insurance programs.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. promoted Jeffrey Lange to branch vice president in the company’s Houston office.

Prior to earning this promotion, Lange served as branch manager in Houston. The position of branch vice president is a new one.

In his new role, Lange will continue to lead The Hartford’s property casualty sales force in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and throughout south Texas. The Houston branch office provides property casualty coverages to individuals, small businesses and to mid- to large-size businesses.

Lange joined The Hartford in 2002 as an assistant vice president in local market planning in Connecticut.

Dallas-based insurance wholesaler RISC named Martin Sommers to its brokerage team. Additionally, RISC, has promoted Mike Lehde to senior vice president and Jack Bailey to vice president.

Sommers has more than 25 years of experience in the casualty brokerage arena. He started with Employers Casualty and has worked other wholesale insurance operations in Dallas.

Lehde started in the brokerage department with RISC in 2003.

Bailey began his career with RISC in 2002. After a six month stint abroad assisting brokers at Lloyds of London, he has worked in RISC’s transportation department.

Beecher Carlson appointed Charles Pierpont as managing director of its national energy practice.

Pierpont, who has 20 years’ experience in the power generation industry, will develop, implement and manage complex risk management programs for private equity clients and power generating facilities of all types.

Prior to joining Beecher Carlson, Pierpont served as area executive president for Arthur J. Gallagher and Co. where oversaw clients’ insurance portfolios.

Pierpont has also worked for Marsh & McLennan, Johnson & Higgins and Alexander & Alexander.

To submit information for “People” e-mail sjones@insurancejournal.com.

Topics Texas Agencies Property Property Casualty AIG Casualty