Professional Insurance Agents of New York State Elects New Officers

The Professional Insurance Agents of New York State (PIANY) elected seven officers for its 2011-12 administrative year. The association also elected five board directors who will serve for a three-year term, ending in 2014.

The election was held at the association’s annual business meeting on Sept. 13 in Glenmont, N.Y. PIANY is a trade association representing professional, independent insurance agencies and their employees in the state.

The following are the elected PIANY officers for the 2011-12 administrative year:

• Rich Savino of Warwick, N.Y., was elected president. He is partner, president and chief executive officer of Warwick Resource Group with locations in Warwick, Rockland and Bergen counties. A PIANY member since 1985, Savino is also a founder of InsureHelp.com, an online firm aggregating specialty products offered through independent agents. In 2005, Savino received the National Producer of the Year award from American Insurance and Marketing Society.

• Michael Skeele of DeRuyter N.Y., was elected president-elect. He was also elected as a board director for a three-year term. He is president of Skeele Agency in DeRuyter. Skeele Agency Inc. also has additional New York offices, in Manlius, Cazenovia, Chittenango and New Hartford.

• Alan Plafker of Manhasset. N.Y., was elected first vice president. He was also elected as a board director for a three-year term. He is president and CEO of Member Brokerage Service in Briarwood.

• Eugene Sandy of Stony Brook, N.Y., was re-elected vice president. He is director of marketing for the Millennium Alliance Group in Syosset.

• John Parsons, of Skaneateles, N.Y., was elected vice president. He is vice president of Parsons and Associates Inc., in Syracuse.

• Tony Kubera, of Buffalo, N.Y., was elected treasurer. He is director of business development for Russell Bond & Co. Inc., in Buffalo.

• Amy Bryan, of Cornwall, N.Y., was elected secretary. She is owner of Bryan Insurance Agency with offices in New Windsor and Wappingers Falls.

• Donna Chiapperino of Blauvelt, N.Y., will serve as immediate past president. She is director of marketing for Jimcor Agencies in Montvale, N.J., with New York agencies in Saratoga Springs and Plainview.

The following are five New York insurance producers elected to serve on the board of directors for a three-year term, ending in 2014:

• Gerald Brown of Kingston, N.Y. Brown is senior vice president of insurance operations for Ulster Insurance Services Inc. in Kingston. Active in PIANY, Brown serves on the business issues/program/services committee and the Kingston advisory council.

• Eric Clauss of Buffalo, N.Y. Clauss is president of E.T. Clauss & Co. Inc., in Buffalo. Clauss is chairperson of PIANY’s Buffalo advisory council and sub-chair of the business issues/programs/services committee.

• Jamie Ferris of Lansing, N.Y. Ferris is president of P.W. Wood & Son Inc. in Ithaca. Ferris is a member of PIANY’s Southern Tier advisory council.

• Alan Plafker of Manhasset, N.Y. Plafker is president and chief executive officer of Member Brokerage Service LLC in Briarwood, N.Y. He was also elected to serve as PIANY’s first vice president for 2011-12. He is vice president and chairperson of the business issues/program/services committee and vice chairperson of the New York City advisory council. Plafker is also a member of the PIANYPAC governing committee, and the executive/budget and finance committee. He served as treasurer of PIANY in 2009-10 and secretary in 2008-09.

• Michael Skeele of DeRuyter, N.Y. He was also elected as president-elect. Skeele is president of Skeele Agency Inc. and is vice president of all the association’s regional awareness programs. He is chairperson of the Syracuse advisory council. Skeele is a member PIANY’s executive/budget and finance committee and a member of the business issues/program/services committee.

In addition, New York Young Insurance Professionals, a PIANY affiliate dedicated to the professional and personal growth of newcomers to the insurance industry, elected five officers and eight board of directors. The elected officers are:

• Michael Plafker, commercial lines customer service representative for Member Brokerage Service LLC in Briarwood, was elected president

• Gino Orrino, principal of Orrino Capital Services in Corona, was elected president-elect.

• Jennifer Berger, division manager of D.C. White Agency, in Long Beach, was elected vice president.

• George Hackney, underwriter for Jimcor Agencies in Saratoga Springs, was elected treasurer.

• Jaston Bartow of Eugene A. Bartow Insurance Agency in Deer Park, was elected secretary.

New York Young Insurance Professionals’ new board directors are: Dina Bruno of MetLife in Long Island; Amy Bryan of Bryan Insurance Agency in New Windsor; Adam Rostkowski of ProActive Brokerage Inc., in West Babylon; Michael SanAngelo of Cool Insuring Agency Inc. in Latham; Joseph Carlucci of the Robert Alan Agency in New City; Dennis D’Amico of Member Brokerage Service in Briarwood; David Lande of Century Coverage Corp. in Valley Stream; and Jacob Lerner of Irwin Siegel Agency Inc. in Rock Hill.

Topics New York Agencies