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Pennsylvania-based Saucon Mutual Insurance Co. has named Sean P. Murray as president and CEO. Murray is a 20-year insurance industry veteran. He most recently served as president of Conor-Patrick Insurance Services, an Indiana-based retail insurance agency. Prior to creating and operating his own agency, Murray served as president of a full-service wholesale insurance group and program manager and also served as president of a Midwest-based malpractice insurance carrier.

Vermont Mutual Insurance Group has hired Paul Liberty as its property claim program manager. Liberty is a 30-year industry veteran. He most recently held a senior management position with Narragansett Bay Insurance Co. and has also held positions with Pawtucket Mutual and Amica.

Heffernan Insurance Brokers has expanded in to New York and hired Joseph A. Mauro to manage its Manhattan-based operation in the state. Heffernan Insurance Brokers has six California offices – including its Walnut Creek headquarters – and additional locations in Portland, Oregon and Chesterfield, Missouri. Mauro previously headed business development efforts for a number of East Coast insurance firms, including Alliant Insurance Group, Bank of America Corporate Insurance Agency and Frank Crystal & Co. He will lead Heffernan’s efforts in New York and other Northeast states.

Hays Cos. of Washington, D.C. has named Shari Pataky senior vice president. She will focus on professional liability insurance and affinity programs for non-profits and associations as well as other business development opportunities in multiple lines of insurance. The 13-year industry veteran most recently served as vice president of Aon Affinity Insurance Services.

XS Brokers Insurance Agency has added David Finneran to the firm’s professional lines practice. Finneran most recently worked with DeCotis Insurance Associates and The Keating Group before joining Quincy, Massachusetts-based XS Brokers.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) named Steve Quarles senior scientist for hurricane/high-wind building durability and fire protection.Quarles will also hold the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association hazard resilience chair at the IBHS Research Center in S.C. Since 2000, Quarles served as a University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor addressing durability and in-service performance issues of wood-frame buildings. He serves as co-chair of the Extension Wildfire Information Network Community of Practice.

Managing general agency MarketScout named Brian Barrilleaux senior vice president with responsibilities for growing distribution Barrilleaux has more than 22 years of experience in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry. He most recently served as senior vice president/sales leader for Swett & Crawford in Little Rock, Ark. He was an equity owner and key executive of Risk Reducers prior to its acquisition by Swett & Crawford.

The Motorists Insurance Group appointed David L. Kaufman as chief operating officer. He most recently served as executive vice president. Kaufman’s appointment is part of the company’s long-range plan for succession. He joined Motorists in 1986 and has served as actuarial manager and vice president, vice president of commercial lines, vice president of information technology and chief information officer. He also previously served as a senior executive at American Hardware Mutual Insurance Co.