Betz to Lead New Applied Surety Operation
Applied Underwriters continues its specialty lines expansion with the launching of Applied Surety Underwriters.
Based in Houston, this new division will focus on large, commercial and contract surety business worldwide.
Joshua Betz, the former founder and president of Argo Surety, has been named president of Applied Surety Underwriters. Betz has been in the surety business for 25 years, having also worked at Travelers, CNA and Reliance.
The Hartford’s Cushing Joins Zurich Construction
Tobias “Toby” Cushing has joined Zurich as head of Construction Casualty for U.S. National Accounts, which serves large corporate and captive customers.
Cushing comes to Zurich from The Hartford, where he most recently was head of Construction for Middle & Large Commercial.
At Zurich, Cushing will lead strategies for the U.S. National Accounts construction casualty portfolio and will have direct oversight of the construction casualty field underwriting organization. He will be based in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Prior to joining Zurich, Cushing held a number of leadership positions in his nearly 12 years at The Hartford, including chief underwriting officer for Construction and head of Field Underwriting and Sales. He also has insurance litigation experience, having previously worked for Saxe Doernberger & Vita, P.C.
HUB Names Frattarola Leader of High Net Worth
Hub International said Katherine Frattarola joined the firm as executive vice president in charge of the Private Client, High Net Worth Practice. Her initial focus will center on scaling the practice’s client-centric focus, supported by investments in products, services, client experience, marketing, data and technology.
Frattarola has focused on the ultra-high-net worth client segment for most of her 20 years in the financial services industry. Most recently, she served as the chief marketing officer for PURE. Before PURE, Frattarola was with Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. Earlier in her career, Frattarola also worked at Citi Global Wealth Management and Citi’s investment bank.
Big ‘I’ Names Cline New ACT Executive Director
The Big “I” announced the appointment of Chris Cline as the new executive director of the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT). Cline replaces Ron Berg, who will retire in May after eight years of outstanding contributions to the independent agency channel.
Cline comes to this new role after having been with Westfield Insurance for 28 years, with his most recent role as national agency distribution leader, which included overseeing existing and emerging agency technology. Cline has been the host of “Closing the Gap,” a podcast for independent insurance agents, and has also worked in partnership with the Big “I” in a number of areas, including the Trusted Choice® consumer brand and on various ACT projects.
Cline will begin in his new role with ACT on April 4.
The Agents Council for Technology (ACT) was established in January 1999 by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) as a forum to address workflow and technology issues facing the independent agency system.
Topics Leadership Construction
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