People – Midwest

Michelle Mesina has been appointed executive vice president of human resources at Chicago-based Ryan Specialty Group LLC (RSG).

Mesina has more than 15 years’ experience in the area of human resources. She has been with RSG since June 2010 in the role of HR director.

Immediately prior to joining RSG, Mesina was with United Airlines. Her career experience also includes Sprint and Cerner Corp.

As executive vice president of human resources, Mesina will be responsible for recruitment and employee relations, talent management, compensation and benefits as well as leading and managing RSG HR activities.

Farmington Hills, Mich.-based Amerisure Mutual Insurance Co. announced that Carol Taylor, vice president, counsel and compliance officer, has received the Community Spirit Award from Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBI) and its Affordable Housing Advisory Council.

Taylor received the award based on her dedication and commitment to helping Vista Maria, a non-profit organization that provides care, support, treatment and education for young girls who have been victims of abuse and neglect.

In 2011, Taylor was instrumental in securing a $750,000 FHLBI Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant that helped finance the renovation of Shepherd Hall Studio Apartments.

The annual award is presented to an individual who has shown outstanding dedication to affordable housing and community economic development in Michigan. Judging is based on the nominee’s devotion to community spirit and action.

Amerisure also announced that Bill Dennis was appointed assistant vice president of Claims. Dennis will be based at the company’s Indianapolis Core Service Center (CSC) and will be responsible for claims operations in Indianapolis, Chicago and Minneapolis.

He has been with the company for 25 years and previously served as claims facility manager of Amerisure’s Indianapolis and St. Louis CSCs. He holds an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation.

Van Wert, Ohio-based Central Insurance Companies has elected Janet L. White to its board of directors, appointed her to its executive committee and promoted her to senior vice president of human resources.

White directs the human resources, training and education, and facilities departments. White also chairs the pension and savings and profit participation (SPP) advisory and administrative committees, and is a member of the management and risk management committees for the company.

She began her career at Central in February 1979. She became vice president of human resources in 2004, and has earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and Associate in General Insurance designations.

Western Dakota Insurors in Rapid City, S.D., added Glen Schmeltzer as a new producer. Schmeltzer is licensed in property/casualty and life/health insurance, and his experience includes insurance sales and service for personal and commercial clients.

Western Dakota Insurors is part of the Leavitt Group.

Managing general agency, J.M. Wilson, added Cherlyn Mims to its transportation team as assistant transportation underwriter in the company’s Arlington Heights, Ill., office.

Prior to joining J.M. Wilson, Mims was a GED teacher in the math department for GEO Group Inc. She also has experience in the insurance industry as an underwriter with Automobile Club of Southern California.

Insurance broker, Lockton, promoted four executives in St. Louis to expanded roles in the risk management practice.

Vince Gaffigan is now director of risk consulting, responsible for all marketing and service activities.

Jim Mathewson was promoted to unit manager of risk management, responsible for casualty program analysis and design, marketing support, and client consultation.

Scott Curtis is now property practice leader, responsibile for all property activity, including insurance carrier relationships, program design and policy wording.

Diane Fischer has been promoted to senior account executive and team lead in risk management.

Specialty insurer RLI Corp., based in Peoria, Ill., announced promotions within its operations and underwriting team.

Craig Kliethermes, senior vice president, risk services, has been promoted to executive vice president, operations.

Kliethermes joined RLI in 2006 and has more than 28 years of experience in the insurance industry and has extensive expertise in actuarial management, catastrophe management, reinsurance and product management.

Paul Simoneau, vice president, casualty, has been promoted to senior vice president, excess and surplus (E&S) lines. He will continue to lead the RLI Casualty Group, but will also assume responsibility for the E&S property and specialty programs groups.

Roy Die, vice president, surety, has been promoted to senior vice president, surety. Die will continue leading the commercial, contract, oil and gas, and miscellaneous surety groups.

John Stenhouse, assistant vice president, E&S property, has been promoted to vice president, E&S property and will report to Simoneau. Stenhouse will assume management responsibility for the RLI E&S Property Group following the retirement of Jeff Wefer, senior vice president, E&S property.

Susan E. Haack, senior vice president, corporate secretary and chief risk officer of The Motorists Insurance Group, has been inducted into the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame.

Haack began her career with Iowa Mutual as an accounting clerk in 1990 and was named corporate secretary of The Motorists Insurance Group in 2009. She is responsible for corporate governance, strategic planning, enterprise risk management, internal auditing and administrative support services.

Haack has earned a CPCU designation, is a CPA (inactive) and holds the Associate in Insurance Accounting and Finance and Associate in Reinsurance designations.

The Motorists Insurance Group, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, consists of 10 property/casualty insurance, life insurance and insurance brokerage companies.