People – Midwest

Property/casualty insurance wholesaler J.M. Wilson hired Adam Benda as claims representative and personal lines underwriter, Robin Williams as public and business auto underwriter and Adam Mandwee as assistant fleet underwriter in its Portage, Mich., office.

Benda previously worked as an underwriting and technology manager for an insurance agency for 13 years. He also has served as operations manager for another insurance agency. Benda has earned his CISR (Certified Insurance Sales Representative) designation.

Prior to joining J.M. Wilson, Williams was a team lead and customer relations manager with The Teaching Company. She has six years of experience working in an insurance agency, and two years of experience in claims.

Mandwee earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management with a minor in General Business from Western Michigan University.

L.S. Howard has been appointed international editor for Insurance Journal and Carrier Management. She is based in London.

Howard succeeds Charles E. Boyle, who retired at the end of 2015 after 17 years with the company.

Insurance Journal and Carrier Management are both publications of San Diego, Calif.-based Wells Media Group, which serves the property/casualty insurance industry.

Howard has spent more than 20 years as a financial journalist, including 18 years at the insurance news magazine, National Underwriter. In 1992, she became NU’s international editor in London, a post she held until 2003 when she was hired by GE Insurance Solutions as an internal communicator.

She joined Wells Media Group as a part-time editor in 2014.

Boyle, who previously wrote for Fairchild Publications, joined Wells Media as an editor with Insurance Journal in 1998 and became IJ’s first dedicated international editor in 2004.

International Insurance Agency (IIS), a Chicago, Ill.-based managing general underwriter, appointed Daniel G. Boisvert as chief executive officer.

Boisvert is a seasoned veteran with 25 years of experience in the global insurance and reinsurance markets with the majority of his time having been spent in executive leadership roles. He will lead a team with a core mission of providing innovative healthcare products, underwriting flexibility and superior customer service.

Boisvert is also currently the CEO of GW Global Insurance LLC; he will retain those duties along with his new role as CEO of IIS. Previously, Boisvert was the president and CEO of GreenWood International Insurance Services Inc. (GWI).

International Insurance Agency Services LLC (IIA) is a full-service managing general underwriter specializing in underwriting, marketing, and administrative services to support self-funded employee benefit programs.

Milwaukee, Wis.-based independent insurance agency, Robertson Ryan & Associates Inc., promoted Jason Bott to vice president and shareholder. The firm also hired Allan Degner as marketing director, responsible for corporate marketing operations, branding, advertising and public relations.

Bott handles standard and non-standard insurance policies. He specializes in real estate risk management solutions and has developed a national reputation for insuring real estate owners and investors of varying sizes. Beyond the real estate sector, Bott handles commercial insurance for a variety of industries.

He has 15 years of insurance industry experience. Degner has nine years of marketing experience and formerly handled marketing operations, branding, PR and client relations for Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling.

Schaumburg, Ill.-based insurance brokerage Assurance, added Scott McMahon to serve as vice president in the firm’s healthcare and life sciences practice.

McMahon has focused his entire insurance and risk management career in the life sciences field, harnessing his expertise from prior roles with pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies. He specializes in domestic and international product liability, clinical trials and professional liability.

McMahon currently holds a Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) designation.

Indianapolis-based MJ Insurance added Kirsten Bell as an employee benefits communications specialist, a newly created position.

She will be responsible for expanding Benefits Consulting communications and the client Learning Center.

Prior to joining MJ, Bell served as an assignment editor and producer for a Nashville, Tenn.-based television station. Previously, Bell worked in a highly-structured legal environment as a paralegal and also as a writer specializing in search engine optimization for a host of web-based content providers.

Bell will collaborate with MJ insurance clients to develop and execute key communication strategies to increase employee enrollment, activation and optimal utilization of health care benefits.