People – Midwest

Caledonia, Mich.-based retail insurance brokerage, Acrisure LLC, announced that Dave Tuit has joined the firm as chief financial officer.

Tuit has more than 20 years of leadership in finance and accounting, mergers and acquisitions, operations management, and strategic planning. Most recently, he led finance and operations for Alticor Corporate Enterprises, the strategic investment group of Amway. Previously, Tuit held CFO and treasurer roles in a number of industries. He began his career with the accounting firm Ernst & Young.

Tim Byrne, vice president and partner at Wisconsin-based M3 Insurance, has been named chair of the Council of Employee Benefits Executives (CEBE).

The Council of Employee Benefits Executives is a standing working committee of The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB) and was chartered in 2001 to represent the benefits business interests of the council’s member firms.

Byrne has been with M3 Insurance since 1984, and has worked in the insurance industry for more than 40 years. Throughout his career he has served on myriad industry boards and task forces, and he participated in the federal health care reform debate of 2009-2010.

The Inland Marine Underwriters Association (IMUA) has elected a new slate of officers.

Swiss Re America’s Senior Vice President of Property & Casualty Peter Opinante, who has served as IMUA’s chairman for the past year, was inaugurated for a second term.

Also elected to second terms were Deputy Chairperson Michelle Hoehn, vice president of inland marine product and underwriting at The Travelers Group, and Vice Chairman William Rosa, vice president and Eastern regional manager at XL Reinsurance.

IMUA President/CEO Kevin O’Brien and Vice President/Secretary Lillian Colson also were re-elected.

Founded in 1930, IMUA is the national association for the commercial inland marine insurance industry.

Willis North America, a unit of Willis Group Holdings, announced appointments to its Personal Lines Practice as part of its succession plan.

Willis’ Personal Lines Practice includes 250 private client and personal insurance professionals in the United States and Canada.

Willis said the following appointments are in line with the retirement of Sandra Bravo, national practice leader and CEO, Willis Personal Lines:

Tyler Banks has been appointed national practice leader and CEO, Willis Personal Lines. He will focus on driving growth and aligning resources for the firm’s personal insurance clients. Banks joined Willis in 2012 as Western region leader and prior to that he served as sales leader for Marsh Private Client Services in California. He is based in Irvine, Calif.

Kim Connell has been appointed chief operating officer, Willis Personal Lines. Connell joined Willis in 2012, as vice president, Willis Personal Lines and has more than 30 years of experience. Prior to joining Willis, she served as senior director of Personal Insurance Marketing, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. She is based in Dallas.

Rounding out the Willis Personal Lines leadership team are Max Gilman, West region leader, based in San Francisco, and Mike Smerkanich, East region leader, based in Morristown, N.J. Each brings 25 years of experience to the role. They will report to Banks.

Houston-based HCC Insurance Holdings Inc. has launched a new Construction Property Risks Division led by Francis P. Tricamo, Sr. in New York.

Tricamo has more than 35 years of property insurance and reinsurance experience, including 10 years in loss control.

Tricamo is joined by two construction underwriters – Gregory Maciorowski in St. Louis and Michael Hausmann in Los Angeles.

Maciorowski and Hausmann both have more than 25 years of industry experience.