The board of directors of Jacksonville, Fla.-based Harden has elected three of its current vice presidents as officers for 2015. Kelly Craddock, Bettilyn Lunetta, and Elisa Simpson were recognized by the company as new senior vice presidents. In addition, Thea Lynch was selected as a new officer.
As part of Harden’s Executive Succession Plan, launched in conjunction with its internal perpetuation plan, Harden reorganized to expand the leadership team and expand decision making authority. Craddock, Lunetta, and Simpson were selected as director of operations for the Employee Benefits, Commercial Insurance, and Personal Insurance Divisions in 2014.
“Kelly, Bettilyn, and Elisa have had a significant positive impact on our organization during their first year in the role and we are confident that the organization will continue to make great strides as they further engage in their respective divisions,” said M.C. “Ceree” Harden III, CEO of Harden.
Lynch joined Harden as financial analyst and was promoted to corporate controller in 2013. The board recognized Lynch as a vice president for her leadership of the accounting/finance function and her commitment to stewardship of the firm’s financial resources.
Harden is a regional brokerage firm providing insurance, risk management, employee benefits, and financial services. Founded in 1953, the company has more than $300 million in premiums placed.
The Mississippi Senate has confirmed Beth Harkins Aldridge of Madison, Miss., to serve on the three-member state Workers Compensation Commission. She was nominated for a six-year term by Gov. Phil Bryant.
Aldridge, a physical therapist, had been chosen by Bryant to serve on the Mississippi State Board of Health in 2013, which also required Senate confirmation. She left that post to join the Workers Compensation Commission.
Aldridge is a former co-owner and president of Total Woman Health and Fitness in Ridgeland, Miss. She has been a physical therapist since 1999 and has worked in hospitals, clinics and schools.
Alliant Insurance Services, a nationwide specialty insurance brokerage firm, has added Charlotte Smith-Wilkes to its Construction Services Group as senior vice president/wrap-up director to lead the expansion of its wrap-up division in the southern United States with an emphasis on Georgia, Florida, and Texas.
“As construction activity continues to increase, the southern United States holds great opportunity for us to expand our Wrap-Up Division,” said Ken Caldwell, executive vice president, Construction Services Group.
Smith-Wilkes has more than 29 years of experience in construction risk management, specializing in large controlled insurance programs. She has worked with clients on projects exceeding $30 billion in construction value. At Alliant, Smith-Wilkes will be responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of wrap-up programs. In addition to overseeing all wrap-up client and account management functions in the South, she will provide additional controlled insurance program leadership as needed across the national Alliant system.
Joining Smith-Wilkes at Alliant are Vice President/ Wrap-Up Manager Marie Ramos-Alhadeff and Wrap-Up Program Administrator Rob McCormack. Collectively, Smith-Wilkes, Ramos-Alhadeff, and McCormack have experience working with clients on numerous sports arenas, airports, condominiums, schools, and roadways. Their efforts will be focused on delivering programs to federal and state agencies, developers, and contractors.
Ramos-Alhadeff has overseen more than 40 wrap-up programs across the United States. At Alliant, Ramos-Alhadeff is responsible for the management of controlled insurance programs in Georgia, Florida, and Texas.
McCormack has more than 20 years of experience in underwriting and risk management and is providing technical and administrative support to Alliant clients.
Smith-Wilkes maintains an office in Atlanta and is based in Lake Mary, Fla. with McCormack and Ramos-Alhadeff located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Georgia-based The Norton Agency – Insurance Division has appointed Todd Marks as vice president and managing partner of its Norton Mountain Insurance Division. Marks joins Norton as an equity partner after a 25 year career in the insurance industry.
Mark specializes in commercial insurance and loss prevention.
The Norton Agency is a privately owned insurance and real estate company with 20 offices covering three states.
The Hartford Financial Services Group has named Ray Sprague executive vice president, Personal Lines. Sprague will report to Doug Elliot, president of The Hartford. He is based in Hartford, Conn.
Most recently, Sprague was acting leader of Personal Lines and head of Strategy and Business Development.
The Hartford said the company intends to fill Sprague’s strategy role in the near future.
Sprague joined The Hartford in 1985 and has held several leadership positions including in small commercial lines division.
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