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Novato, Calif.-based Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. has named David Zona as chief underwriting officer and Kathleen Zortman as chief field executive. Zona is responsible for setting the direction and priorities for commercial and personal insurance product lines and is accountable for driving growth. Prior to joining Fireman’s Fund in 2010, Zona held leadership positions at Nationwide and AIG. Zortman is responsible for leading the field underwriting, customer service and sales teams. Zortman most recently was president of Professional Risk Solutions, a wholesale broker headquartered in the Northeast.

Bob Short has been promoted from senior vice president of claims for Salt Lake City, Utah-based Workers Compensation Fund to executive vice president. Short joined WCF in 1993 as senior vice president of claims. Short is also the president and CEO of Pinnacle Risk Management Services, a WCF wholly-owned subsidiary. Charles Pugh, vice president of safety and health, will replace Short as the senior vice president of claims. Pugh joined WCF in 1996 as a senior safety and health consultant. In 2005, he was promoted to vice president of safety and health.

Beazley has appointed Lindy Hardman to develop new business and broaden the company’s broker relationships on the west coast. Hardman was recently regional vice president at Crum & Forster in Los Angeles, Calif. He has held senior positions at Zurich North America and Crump Group. Beazley plc (BEZ.L) is the parent company of specialist insurance businesses with operations in Europe, the US, Asia and Australia.

Lockton has added two reinsurance brokers to its Lockton Re team in downtown Los Angeles, Calif. Allan Huxley has been named managing director of Lockton Re and Olive Chang has been named senior vice pesident of Lockton Re, Kansas City, Mo.-based Lockton’s reinsurance intermediary. Huxley most recently was a managing director with reinsurance broker Guy Carpenter & Co., based in southern California. He has more than 35 years of experience in reinsurance. Chang most recently was a senior vice president at Guy Carpenter & Co.

The insurance segment of Dublin, Ireland-based XL Group plc (NYSE: XL) has expanded its North America property and casualty team in the Rocky Mountain area by naming Gregory Melton senior property underwriter and Stephen Sanford vice president and business development manager. Both are based in Denver. Melton comes from Ironshore Insurance Co. Sanford previously was a managing director and broker at Aon Corp.

Align General Insurance Agency Inc. has named Rod Eldred senior vice president. Eldred will lead the company’s new workers’ compensation division and the expansion of San Diego, Calif.-based Align’s commercial automobile underwriting activities. Eldred was President of the Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Cos., the regional specialty lines businesses of billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Insurance from 1990 until 2009.

Privately-heald insurance broker The Leavitt Group has named Brett Borisoff as executive vice president. Borisoff will have an office in the Leavitt Group’s PrideMark-Everest agency, in Santa Ana, Calif. Borisoff most recently served as senior vice president for SullivanCurtisMonroe.

Barbara Carey has joined Tustin, Calif.-based Yates as an underwriter and broker. Carey spent the last eight years as senior broker and vice president of another California wholesale brokerage. Carey has a background in commercial and professional lines and also has experience in the agriculture industry.

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