People – Midwest

The Applied Client Network, the international association of users of Applied Systems software, named Brian Langerman as chief executive officer.

Langerman has more than 18 years of technology industry experience, including global marketing, product management and business development.

Prior to joining Applied Client Network as CEO, Langerman worked at Motorola Solutions for 15 years, most recently as a senior executive in Motorola Solutions’ Global Services Organization.

Legal insurance provider, ARAG, named Patrick Cleary as managing director of Sales for the Midwest region of the United States. He is based in Chicago.

Prior to joining ARAG, Cleary held sales management roles at several industry-leading insurance companies including Unum and Prudential. Most recently, he served as vice president of Sales at BenefitVision Inc.

Clayton, Mo.-based independent insurance agency POWERS Insurance and Benefits hired Meaghan Dowd as personal account manager and Barb Walgren as insurance advisor.

Prior to joining POWERS, Dowd served as a customer service representative and producer at various local insurance companies.

Walgren previously worked as a personal lines insurance sales representative, as well as vice president of Client Relations at a local title company.

The Insurance House, located in Marion, Ill., hired Meagan Edwards as a customer service representative. Edwards has been a licensed insurance agent for nearly 10 years.

Founded in 1936, The Insurance House handles a variety of insurance products including home, auto, business, and life. The company is licensed in Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont and Wisconsin, and is a member of Valley Insurance Agency Alliance (VIAA).

Cedar Rapids-based United Fire Group (UFG) honored two agents and one employee with its Scotty McIntyre, Jr. “Go Beyond” award that recognizes individuals for their exemplary community service efforts.

Property/casualty agent Garrett Jerue is the co-founder of Hope Lives Foundation, an organization that helps mentor children and young adult cancer patients in Western Wisconsin. The foundation focuses on preventing cancer through healthy living, and providing support for survivors and their families through mentoring and fundraising.

Life agent Mark Friese is a volunteer at Public Advocacy, Dignity and Shelter (PADS), an organization focused on helping the homeless in Libertyville, Ill. The shelter provides for homeless men, women and children. Basic living necessities such as clothing, toothbrushes and reading material are provided in an environment that promotes dignity for all.

UFG employee Karen Hernandez is the volunteer director of ReDirect Nuevo Camino, which is dedicated to at risk youth in Lincoln, Calif. The organization promotes integrity and accountability by encouraging young people to hold themselves and their peers to the highest standards.

In the spirit of community service and in the name of each award recipient, UFG contributed $5,000 to the three community service organizations: Hope Lives Foundation, PADS and ReDirect Nuevo Camino.

Ohio-based insurance brokerage, Hylant, promoted Bill Pridgeon to president and chief financial officer.

Pridgeon will be responsible for the overall management and direction of the operational and financial functions of the firm, which includes 14 offices and all related businesses. He is a member of Hylant’s executive leadership team and board of directors.

Pridgeon began his career at Hylant in 1994 as the controller of Hylant Administrative Services — a division of Hylant — where he was responsible for the financial administration of company programs, as well as general corporate accounting. He was then promoted to chief financial officer and executive vice president.

Hylant also appointed Kim Carpenter vice president of Hylant Select – Indiana.

Carpenter has more than 25 years of industry experience and is an innovation leader within the personal, private client and small business marketplace. She has a property/casualty and a life/health license, and is a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and a Certified Risk Manager (CRM).

Hylant has three Indiana offices — Bloomington, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced a leadership transition in its U.S. wholesale brokerage business, Risk Placement Services (RPS).

David E. McGurn Jr., current RPS chairman, who has been with Gallagher since 1978, is stepping away from his daily responsibilities. He will be taking on a new role with Gallagher as a special advisor, providing strategic guidance to the company’s growing wholesale and retail operations, according to the announcement.

Joel D. Cavaness, current president of RPS, will take his place but retain the titles of president of RPS and corporate vice president. Cavaness will continue to provide day-to-day leadership for the business unit.

CNA appointed John Mizzi to senior vice president, Commercial Field Operations.

Mizzi joins CNA with 24 years of insurance experience. Most recently, he served as senior vice president and Eastern Territory field underwriting officer at Chubb.

JLT Specialty USA named Robert Trinkleback as its new senior vice president, Casualty Risk Control leader in JLT’s Chicago office.

Trinkleback, who most recently served as executive vice president of Safety & Risk Management Consulting at Krauter & Company, brings over 30 years of experience designing and executing professional safety and risk management programs to his new position.

Trinkleback is a Board Certified Safety Professional, Certified Safety & Health Manager, and a Certified Professional Environmental Auditor.

Safety National Re added Charles Puno as vice president with a specialty in professional liability treaty reinsurance. He is based in Indianapolis, Ind.

With more than 25 years of industry-related insurance and reinsurance experience, Puno brings an extensive background to Safety National Re, including a particular focus in the management and underwriting of medical and non-medical professional liability treaty reinsurance business.

In his new capacity with Safety National Re, Puno will be responsible for the production and underwriting of broker market professional liability treaty reinsurance opportunities.

Insurance broker Lockton hired Rich Canale as a producer in its Kansas City, Mo., office.

Canale specializes in employee benefits, bringing a holistic, consultative approach to clients’ programs.

He comes to Lockton from Unum, where he spent more than seven years as a sales executive.

Chicago-based independent regional wholesale insurance brokerage and general agent, Donald Gaddis Co. Inc., hired Angela Cale as a senior property/casualty broker.

Cale has 23 years of experience in the excess and surplus lines segment of the industry, handling both contract binding and wholesale brokerage business.