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Aon Corp. has named John Bayeux as managing director of Aon Risk Services. Bayeux has 22 years of experience as a risk manager and insurance broker in the financial institutions sector. He will work with clients, the financial institutions markets and other financial institutions specialists to design coverages that address the exposures caused by the current financial crisis.

Prior to joining Aon, Bayeux served as executive vice president and financial institutions industry leader for Willis, a position he had held since 2004.

Previously, Bayeux had spent 14 years at Aon Risk Services and its predecessor companies, ultimately serving as managing director of the firm’s financial institutions practice where he led the efforts to deliver products and services specifically geared to address the risk management needs of sophisticated financial institutions. Bayeux also has served as risk manager for several major financial firms.

Insurance broker Willis Group Holdings appointed Thomas V. Ealy as national partner of the Midwest Region for its North American retail operations. In his new role, Ealy will oversee the company’s retail offices in Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and a portion of Pennsylvania. He will continue to be based in Chicago.

In his nearly eight years with the company, Ealy has held a variety of roles, including managing partner of the Chicago office, chief operating officer of Willis North America, and most recently national partner in charge of the Commercial Segment, which represents 75 percent of the company’s U.S. client base. Ealy brings 27 years of industry experience to his new role.

Lansing, Mich.-based workers’ compensation insurer, Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America, added Darcy Kerr as vice president of human resources. Kerr brings more than 17 years of human resources experience to Accident Fund and will lead the human resources team for the Accident Fund enterprise.

Kerr joined Accident Fund from Accenture of Chicago, Ill., and has worked in both the public and private sectors. Her previous human resources experience includes directing leading-edge programs for numerous Fortune 500 companies across the globe.

Iowa-based United Fire & Casualty Co. has announced the passing of J. Scott McIntyre Jr., chairman of the company for the past 34 years and son of the company’s founder. McIntyre passed away in his hometown of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 6, following a brief illness. He was 76.

McIntyre joined the company as a postal clerk in 1954. From 1966 to 1997, he served as president of United Fire and, from 1991 to 2000, he served as chief executive officer. In 1975, he was appointed chairman of the board of directors of United Fire, serving in that capacity until his death.

Jack B. Evans, currently vice chairman of the company’s board of directors, has been named interim chairman. Evans has been a member of the board since 1995. He is president of the Hall-Perrine Foundation, a private philanthropic corporation located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a position he has held since 1996.

From 1993 to 1995, Evans served as president of SCI Financial Group, a regional financial services firm providing brokerage, insurance and related services to its clients.

The Iowa Council of NAIW International, named as Rookie of the Year, Sue Reichardt, with Insurance Associates of Greater Des Moines, and as Insurance Professional of the Year, Michele Sparks, also with Insurance Associates of Greater Des Moines.

The group also selected Nancy Thompson as Claims Professional of the Year and Gayle Johnson as the Confidence While Communicating (CWC) award winner. Both Thompson and Johnson are employed by Insurance Associates of Greater Des Moines.

The awards were presented at the Iowa Council of NAIW, International’s, annual meeting on Sept. 26.

Iowa-based Bearence Management Group has hired Donald W. Goon as a senior risk consultant in Minneapolis, Minn. He will focus on benefits, compensation and retirement plans while addressing a variety of other business and financial services needs.

Goon has more than 25 years of benefits experience and is the founder of benefits brokerage and consulting firm, Benefit Consultants Inc. (BCI). He joined Stanton Group in 2002 as a partner/consultant to help create one of the largest benefit and insurance firms in Minnesota. Stanton Group was acquired by Gallagher Benefit Services in 2008.

William T. (Bill) Budde has been named vice president, Client Services and Solutions at Naperville, Ill.-based Insurance Information Technologies Inc. (INSTEC).

Budde has more than 25 years of experience with insurance companies such as Zurich and USF&G, global service providers EDS and Patni, and as a change management consultant to carriers and vendors alike.

Chris Frost joined Westrope General Insurance Agency, of Kansas City, Mo., as a production underwriter in the company’s Irvine, Calif., office.

Frost has experience underwriting all classes of commercial general liability, garage liability, excess liability and property coverage including difference-in-conditions and inland marine.

He previously was with Yates & Associates Insurance Services for nine years. The Irvine office opened in June of this year.