People Moves: JM Wilson Makes New Hires and Promotions Nationwide

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JM Wilson, headquartered in Portage, Michigan, made several new hires and promotions in offices across the country.

Katie Priester Bird joined the company as a property and casualty underwriter. Bird previously held roles in credit card dispute resolution for PNC Bank, post-closing specialist for AmeriFirst Home Mortgage and a customer service lead for Edwards Garment. She is responsible for various new and renewal commercial risks in Michigan, Minnesota and Texas.

Tim Guinn joined as a transportation underwriter. Tim joins JM Wilson with nine years of experience in the insurance industry, focusing on fleet and non-fleet transportation for seven years. He is responsible for various new and renewal commercial risks in Michigan, Minnesota and Texas.

Matthew Peterson was promoted to transportation underwriter. His responsibilities include underwriting a wide variety of new and renewal commercial transportation risks and nurturing relationships with carrier underwriters and independent insurance agents in Indiana and Kentucky. Peterson joined JM Wilson in 2023 as an assistant transportation underwriter.

Devan Dodd was promoted to senior property and casualty underwriter. He is responsible for underwriting a wide variety of new and renewal commercial risks and strengthening relationships with carrier underwriters and independent insurance agents in Michigan and Texas. Dodd began as an intern for the property and casualty team in 2014. In 2015, he was hired as a property and casualty technician. He was promoted to property and casualty underwriter in 2021.

Samantha Mitchell joins as an accounting and finance specialist. Mitchell’s responsibilities include a variety of accounting duties, including invoice processing, collections, cash management, month-end closing and customer support for all JM Wilson offices. She joins JM Wilson with over five years in the insurance industry working for an agency.

Adam Phelps joins as a sales and agency relations specialist. Phelps is the primary resource and liaison for independent insurance agents in Georgia and South Carolina. He joins JM Wilson with 23 years in the insurance industry, where he’s held roles from producer and account executive to business development manager, vice president and president.

Laura Manner joins as the Ohio branch manager. Manner has over 18 years of experience in the insurance industry, writing multiline commercial business, focusing on technical underwriting and sales strategy. She is responsible for the Ohio office’s day-to-day operations, managing the underwriters’ team, and developing relationships that foster growth with carrier partners and independent insurance agents in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and the eastern U.S.

Laura Cole was promoted to fleet transportation underwriter. She is responsible for underwriting a wide variety of new and renewal fleet transportation risks and nurturing relationships with carrier underwriters and independent insurance agents in all states that JM Wilson writes. Cole joined JM Wilson in 2020 as an assistant fleet transportation underwriter.