People

Specialty Insurance Managers Inc. CEO Frank R. Berry and President Diana G. Berry are retiring. The Austin, Texas-based managing general agency chose to perpetuate by passing the leadership of the firm to Mike Berry, chairman and CEO; Sherri Hendricks, president; and Kim Morrison, chief operating officer.

Frank Berry began his insurance career with the Aetna in 1963 in Dallas. He joined newly formed Specialty in 1977 after working as a producer with retail agencies in central and south Texas for several years.

Diana Berry helped out by joining Specialty in a temporary position, but eventually was named president and COO. She and Frank Berry became full owners of Specialty in December 1990.

Mike Berry joined Specialty in 1991 and has held various marketing and underwriting positions within the agency before most recently serving as executive vice president. Berry has been active with many committees within Texas Surplus Lines Association (TSLA) and AAMGA. He previously served on the TSLA Board of Directors from 2002-2005 and is currently in his second term chairing the TSLA Legislative Committee.

Sherri Hendricks has been with Specialty since 1981 and has focused on expanding the commercial auto book. She has and will continue to play a vital role in this area in addition to her executive duties. Hendricks has been active with many local and state associations and previously served as president of the Austin Association of Insurance Professionals.

Kim Morrison began working for Specialty in 1981 during her senior year in high school. Since then, and after a brief absence, she has worked closely with various departments within the organization, in addition to the markets and customers, to help ensure service standards are being met.

Stephens Insurance LLC expanded its commercial and retail insurance service capabilities in Texas by adding 10 staff members to its Austin office.

Senior Vice Presidents Greg Meserole and Matt Burns will lead Stephens’ Austin office in providing insurance/risk management services to businesses, municipalities, and individuals.

Also joining the Stephens team are: Scott McGuire, vice president; Jim Meserole, vice president; Robin Moody, vice president, Operations; and Harmony Thorsen, Priscilla Ojeda, Elizabeth Jaimes, Delia Phillips and Namalie DeSilva.

The 10-member team founded Higginbotham & Associates’ Austin office prior to joining Stephens Insurance.

The team handles a complete range of commercial and personal insurance plans for more than 1,000 clients throughout Austin and central Texas.

Prior to joining Stephens, Burns and Meserole served as managing directors of Higginbotham & Associates’ central Texas operations.

A current CNA Pacer Panel committee member, Burns has been in the insurance industry as a commercial broker for 13 years, focusing on the technology, life sciences, social services and medical industries.

An industry professional for more than 21 years, Meserole’s practice has focused on insurance/risk management consulting for the technology, life science, real estate and hospitality industries.

Meserole has served as president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Austin and currently sits on the IIAT Impact Committee.

Founded in 1987, Stephens Insurance offers insurance services throughout the South and in Texas serves clientele in Dallas and Austin. Stephens Insurance is an affiliate of Stephens Inc., a full service investment banking firm headquartered in Little Rock, Ark.

Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) hired Sam Matcha as project management and business analysis manager.

In this position, Matcha will oversee project management for the company, including defining, testing and implementing information technology projects and serving as a liaison between business departments, vendors and the information technology staff.

Matcha previously was a project manager, business analyst and consultant for Antares Technologies, where he worked for clients such as Unisys, Prosys, Resurgence and AG. Prior to that, he was an independent software consultant and also held positions with Appro Systems and JP Morgan Chase.

San Diego, Calif.-based MGA and wholesale insurance broker Sloan Mason Insurance Services named Seth Dameron to manage its new office in New Orleans, La.

Sloan Mason specializes in the marine and energy business and will introduce specialty programs and coverages for vessel owners, shipyards, oil and gas service contractors and related entities in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.

The Central Oklahoma Chapter of CPCU has elected new officers for 2008 – 2009.

Leading the group for the coming year will be: President Robert Sisco of Mercury Insurance Group; Vice President David Alston, Mercury Insurance Group; Treasurer Tammy Armer of Westphalen Inc.; and Secretary David Wilhite of Farmers Insurance.

Debbie Bostick has rejoined Texas-based Quirk & Company as a new business account executive for the Commercial Lines Division. Building on her previous 18 year tenure with Quirk & Company, she will focus on the growth of the Retail and Specialty Team.

During her 30 years in the insurance industry Bostick has held positions in commercial underwriting, marketing and management. In 2001 she obtained her RPLU designation.

Robert Quirk, at the helm of Quirk & Co. since 1974, has expanded the firm’s scope of services to include wholesale, reinsurance and captive solutions. In addition to providing underwriting and brokerage services, its sister companies, Mission Claims Services and Mission Premium Finance Company, provide those related services.

Markel Corporation’s Board of Directors elected Anthony F. (Tony) Markel as vice chairman and Paul W. Springman as president and chief operating officer.

Markel has been associated with Markel Corporation for over 40 years, most recently serving as president and chief operating officer since 1992.

Springman has served as executive vice president of Markel Corporation since 2002. Prior to that, he was with wholly-owned Markel subsidiary Shand Morahan & Co. Inc. (Markel Shand Inc.) from 1984-2002, where he last served as president and chief operating officer.

The Main Street America Group’s Board of Directors promoted two and appointed two to officer-level positions.

The Jacksonville, Fla.-based company promoted John Thompson to vice president, operational controller and Dean Dorman to assistant vice president, actuarial. Tim Cotton was named assistant secretary, director, claims technical and Bruce Fox assistant secretary, corporate counsel, law.

Thompson, based in Jacksonville, provides ongoing financial management guidance to Main Street America’s insurance operations leaders and profit center managers in the areas’ profitability measurements and financial planning.

Dorman, based in the Keene, N.H., office, oversees the actuarial analysis and research for Main Street America’s reserving program. Additionally, he is the primary in-house resource, and interface with consultants, for the company’s commercial lines and personal lines predictive modeling initiatives.

Prior to joining Main Street America in 2001, Dorman held several actuarial roles at Liberty Regional Agency Markets, Keene, N.H., including associate actuary loss reserving and personal lines actuarial manager. His property-casualty industry experience also includes tenures at Guaranty National Insurance Company, Englewood, Colo.; Merchants Insurance Group, Buffalo, N.Y.; and The Travelers Companies, Hartford, Ct.

Cotton, based in Jacksonville, provides strategic direction for the corporate claim technical areas. His responsibilities include controlling average payments and loss adjustment expenses. Cotton also oversees the determination of adequate and consistent reserves.

Fox, based in Jacksonville, provides legal advice, counsel and assistance to all company personnel on matters affecting corporate interests of The Main Street America Group and its subsidiary companies.

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

Topics Texas Agencies Excess Surplus Market