People – Southeast

Susanne Sclafane has joined Wells Media Group as senior editor. In her new position, Sclafane will be in charge of improving the company’s content and services to meet the information needs of high-level property/casualty insurance company executives.

Sclafane is an experienced insurance journalist who spent 16 years at National Underwriter Co., rising from staff writer to managing editor of that company’s flagship property/casualty magazine.

Most recently, Sclafane was with the professional services firm, Advisen, where she had sole responsibility for several quarterly digital journals on management liability, employment practices liability and cyber insurance.

Prior to entering insurance journalism, Sclafane, who has a degree in Mathematics, worked for the National Council on Compensation Insurance, The Atlantic Mutual Companies and Coopers & Lybrand in actuarial consulting and supervisory positions. She is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Wells Media Group is best known for its flagship Insurance Journal national and regional magazines and web site, www.InsuranceJournal.com.

Matthew Nichols has been elected president of the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices Ltd. (NAPSLO) for the 2013 term. Nichols has served on the NAPSLO board since 2005 and has chaired several committees. Currently, he is the president of All Risks Ltd., a large independent property/casualty wholesale insurance brokerage firm. Previously, Nichols held senior positions at Colony Management Services Inc. in Richmond, Va., throughout his 20-year insurance career.

Greg Thompson has assumed new responsibilities as president of Markel Specialty, a division of the Virginia-based specialty insurer Markel Corp. Thompson began his career in the brokerage industry and in 1979 formed Thompson Insurance Enterprises (Thomco) with his father. He led Thomco for 32 years, growing it from a small wholesale operation to a large program administrator. Markel acquired Thomco on Jan. 1, 2012.

Bob Heaphey has assumed responsibilities at Thomco as managing executive. Heaphey joined Thomco in 1998 as controller and was later promoted to chief operating officer. For the past two years, he has served as CEO of Thomco and will now oversee all aspects of the Thomco business as Thompson assumes his new responsibilities.

Florida-based Bankers Insurance Group recently announced the company’s new leadership lineup.

Lisa Bage has joined the firm as vice president of product development. Bage, a 22-year industry veteran, was a senior vice president at Unitrin Specialty after holding officer and product jobs at Atlanta Casualty, Leader Insurance and Progressive Insurance.

Tim Stroble has been named vice president of personal lines. Stroble has 16 years experience with Safe Harbour Underwriters, All Risks Ltd., Zurich and Farmers.

Svetlana Townsend has been named the new chief financial officer of the insurance businesses.

Also, Judy Copechal has been named vice president of commercial lines. Wayne Matthews, formerly CFO of the insurance division, now heads Renters America.

Whit Ward remains president of the Bonded Builders Warranty Group. Deb Brcka has been named vice president of sales. Jay Fontanini, a former senior product manager at Unitrin, has been named director of builders products. Tim Paddock, former chief financial officer and chief actuary at Homewise, has assumed the role of head of analytics. And Stuart Platter, a long-term asset management expert at GE Capital, has been named chief investment officer and president of Bankers Life.