People – West

San Francisco, Calif.-based Edgewood Partners Insurance Center Co-founder and Executive Chairman Dan Francis is leaving, the firm announced in October.

In a separate personnel move EPIC has named Christopher Walker director of healthcare compliance and associate general counsel in employee benefits.

Francis’ departure became effective Nov. 1.

“In leaving EPIC, I’ve decided to begin a new journey outside of insurance that will afford me the opportunity to further give back and focus on some personal interests/worthy causes that have meant a lot to me over the years,” Francis said in a message shared with his EPIC colleagues.

Under Francis’ leadership EPIC grew from 63 employees in two California offices to more than 620 team members in 18 locations across the country.

Walker will be based in EPIC’s San Francisco headquarters and will report to Dan Crawford, executive vice president and general counsel. Walker will become a key member of EPIC’s national employer services platform.

Walker has more than 12 years in the healthcare and employee benefits field.

Prior to EPIC, Walker spent nearly nine years with WellPoint – Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, where he was senior legal counsel. Previously, Walker was senior associate counsel at Great-West Healthcare.

EPIC’s strategic partners include private equity firms The Carlyle Group and Stone Point Capital.

Capital Insurance Group has named Mark Houghton as the regional field executive for the Southwest region.

Houghton, the former regional manager of CIG’s Anaheim, Calif. territory, will oversee field operations and business relations for CIG’s newest regional territory comprised of Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.

Houghton has more than 20 years of experience in underwriting and marketing. He began his career in Southern California as a commercial underwriter, moving through the ranks to the position of regional underwriting manager. Houghton has held various management assignments in underwriting, information management and business development.

CIG is a regional property/casualty insurer serving the Western U.S. CIG manages personal, business, and agriculture risks underwritten by its affiliate companies: California Capital Insurance Co., Eagle West Insurance Co., Nevada Capital Insurance Co. and Monterey Insurance Co.

Nick Prinzing has joined Leavitt Great West Insurance Services in the Great Falls, Mont. location and will focus on employee benefits.

Prior to joining the agency, Prinzing worked as an advisor customizing comprehensive voluntary disability insurance within benefits programs for individuals, large employers and associations.

Leavitt Group’s Great West offices were formed when Taylor-Leavitt Insurance Agency, Northern Montana Insurance Services, and Mountain West Benefits merged in 2014.

Esurance has named Eric Brandt managing director and chief claims officer.

Brandt will oversee the strategic direction and management of Esurance’s claims function. Brandt will report to Gary Tolman and be based at Esurance headquarters in San Francisco.

Brandt has more than 20 years of experience in claims, most recently as chief claims officer at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Co. Prior to Fireman’s Fund, he spent several years at The Hartford financial services group and 16 years at Progressive in various claims leadership roles around the U.S.

Esurance provides auto, homeowners, motorcycle and renters insurance direct to consumers.

Suhr Risk Services has named Jed Dershimer vice president of employee benefits in San Jose, Calif.

Dershimer previously worked at Hays Companies, ADP and Verizon, in addition to a lengthy prior stint with Suhr. He specializes in architecting and implementing employee benefit programs.

Suhr is a full service risk management and insurance broker.

Hub International Insurance Service Inc. has named Christopher Sindle a sales consultant in the commercial division based in Folsom, Calif.

In addition to his commercial brokerage production role, Sindle will serve as a member of the commercial legal professional liability risk placement team at Hub’s Folsom office.

Prior to Hub, Sindle was with the Edgewood Partners Insurance Center in Sacramento, where he served as a commercial lines broker specializing primarily in legal professional liability risk placements. Sindle pursued a career in the insurance industry after a stint in the healthcare services industry with Direct HealthCare Solutions in Sacramento.

Chicago, Ill.-based Hub provides property/casualty, life and health, employee benefits, investment and risk management products and services through offices located in the United States, Canada and Brazil.