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Insurance broker Lockton has added longtime Memphis risk management executive Ben Seward to its expanding Memphis office. Seward has been named senior vice president and account executive at Lockton. He will be responsible for property/casualty insurance program development, negotiation, placement, and service for corporate clients.

Seward comes to Lockton from Marsh where he was a senior vice president and senior client advisor for the past eight years. Previously, he provided risk management leadership for 26 years at Federal Express Corp., serving as managing director of risk management from 1994 to 2003. He has experience in transportation and logistics risk and liability issues.

Miguel A. Barrales has been named president of Universal Insurance Holdings of North America, a multi-regional insurance carrier with 170 employees and operations in 17 states.

Universal North America is a subsidiary of Universal Group Inc., Puerto Rico’s principal supplier of property/casualty, auto and life insurance, policy financing and investment products. Based in Sarasota, Fla., Barrales will direct Universal North America’s business operations and strengthen its overall presence and relationships in the United States.

Barrales brings 15 years of global experience in underwriting and management to Universal North America. Previously, he was CEO of Flagstone Underwriters Latin America and also held senior management positions with Swiss Re, a reinsurance company.

Atlanta-based Greyling Insurance Brokerage is expanding into Florida. The brokerage has hired Charles Geer to open a new office in West Palm Beach, where he will be responsible for developing new business and handling day-to-day operations.

Prior to joining Greyling, Geer was a senior vice president and principal owner of Kimley-Horn Associates, where he was responsible for quality, liability, and risk management.

Kevin Walker will be the new chief financial officer and a member of the board of directors of Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. Walker, who will oversee financial functions at Fireman’s Fund, was most recently chief financial officer for Genworth Financial’s retirement and protection division. Before Genworth, he spent 15 years within the Allianz Group, which owns Fireman’s Fund.

Walker’s appointment is one of several recent changes at the top at Fireman’s Fund. In July, Lori FouchŽ became president and CEO, succeeding Michael LaRocco, who the company said left to pursue other opportunities. In its July announcement on FouchŽ, the company also announced that Jill Paterson, executive vice president, chief financial officer, would retire at the end of the year.

Workers’ compensation provider Berkley Net Underwriters has created a new south central sales region and named Kevin Foushee as director of business development for the region, which will focus on Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Foushee’s industry experience has included both business development and underwriting, including branch management and regional responsibilities for national carriers. Foushee will be based out of Nashville, Tennessee.

Insurance software firm Applied Systems has named Reid French as the company’s new chief executive officer. French will direct Applied Systems business strategy, develop client relationships, and oversee daily operations. He also becomes a member of the board of directors.

French succeeds James P. Kellner, who has served as chairman and CEO since 1998. Kellner takes on the role of non-executive chairman of the board. The company said Kellner remains a significant shareholder in the company, which is owned by private investment firm Bain Capital.

French most recently served as chief operating officer of Intergraph Corp., a geospatial and computer-aided design software company.

Topics Risk Management