RIMS Selects Risk Manager of the Year

Luke Figora, senior associate vice president and chief risk and compliance officer at Northwestern University, has been named the 2019 RIMS Risk Manager of the Year.

Luke Figora, chief risk and compliance officer, Northwestern University

RIMS, the risk management society®, will honor Figora on April 29th during the 2019 RIMS conference held in Boston, from April 28th through May 1st.

“Building a strong risk management program demands a blended approach that effectively addresses exposures while also supporting new, value-generating initiatives,” said RIMS CEO Mary Roth.

“Luke Figora masterfully captures this focus at Northwestern University,” she continued. “His accomplishments have resulted in tremendous cost-savings and have paved the way for many wonderful educational opportunities for its students. It is an honor to present Mr. Figora with the prestigious Risk Manager of the Year award.”

In addition, RIMS announced David Stills, vice president, global risk management, Walmart Inc., received the 2019 Risk Management Honor Role honor. He will also be recognized during the April conference.

FRISS Expands Leadership Team with Appointment of Vice President of Products

FRISS, a provider of AI-powered fraud and risk analytics for the P&C insurance industry, announced that Jim Murphy, CFE has joined their team as vice president of products for North America.

In this role, Murphy will drive the company’s North American product strategy and will leverage his nearly 30 years of experience in the insurance industry to help FRISS deliver fraud solutions to the market.

Before joining FRISS, Murphy was in similar roles at IBM, MetLife and Genpact.

“I see the impact that FRISS has on helping insurers make better decisions when it comes to risk and fraud, and I couldn’t pass on the chance to be a part of it,” Murphy said. “Fraud is an industry-wide problem and I’m excited to contribute toward evolving our innovative solutions and strengthening the company’s position as a market leader.”

FRISS was founded in 2006 and has launched its platform for insurers across 40 countries to date.

RT Specialty Promotes New Day Team Member to AVP

David M. Slaugenhoup has been promoted to assistant vice president within RT Specialty’s National Environmental and Construction Professional Liability Practice.

David M. Slaugenhoup, assistant vice president, RT New Day

Slaugenhoup joined RT’s New Day division with more than 10 years’ experience in environmental consulting. Since joining New Day in 2013, he has worked to help rebuild the company’s retail broker clients representing the construction, manufacturing and commercial real estate industries.

In his new role, Slaugenhoup will continue to strategically manage wide-ranging liability issues and exposures while expanding the organization’s book of business in these fields.

“David has been a tremendous asset to this team for the past six years,” said Jeff Slivka, president – National Environmental and Construction Professional Liability Practice.

“His grasp of the industry and deep understanding of each client’s risk management needs have been integral to our success and ongoing growth,” added Slivka. “We are extremely appreciative of his leadership skills, work ethic and burning desire to create new business.”

Hiscox Appoints Jennifer Nierenberg Metzger

Hiscox, the international specialist insurer, announced the appointment of Jennifer Nierenberg Metzger as head of product innovation and development in the U.S. Metzger will be based in New York and report to Eric Micheals, Hiscox USA’s chief underwriting officer.

Metzger will lead the design and construction of new insurance products and enhancements to Hiscox’s portfolio of specialty risk solutions in the U.S.

“Hiscox is committed to developing innovative products that help business owners mitigate risk,” said Micheals. “Jennifer’s extensive expertise will be instrumental in our ability to remain nimble and offer tailored solutions as risks continue to evolve.”

Metzger joins Hiscox with more than 20 years of experience in insurance and litigation. She most recently worked as a director at Nationwide in its professional liability and specialty programs underwriting group, where she was responsible for managing new program development and onboarding.

Prior to working at Nationwide, Metzger served as a senior claims counsel at CNA, where she was also the technical lead for matters involving banks and insurance companies.

Hiscox USA provides a variety of specialty risk solutions, including a broad spectrum of E&O, GL, cyber and data security, media liability, management liability, crime, kidnap & ransom, terrorism and commercial property insurance products.

The Prima Solutions-Effisoft Group Picks Up Christel Thorson 

Christel Thorson, vice president of sales, Prima Solutions-Effisoft

Christel Thorson has been appointed as vice president of sales for North America for Prima Solution-Effisoft. She will be responsible for sales and expansion in North America for the company’s WebXL reinsurance software and services.

She has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry and began her career in global business with major brokers such as Aon and Sedgwick. She spent the last 12 years in the IT sector, in charge of sales of reinsurance software at MSG Global Solutions Inc.

“I am very pleased to join the Prima Solutions-Effisoft Group,” Thorson said.

“Having tracked the rapid growth of Effisoft for years, I am well aware of the company’s commitment to customer service and to developing leading IT solutions for the reinsurance industry. I look forward to contributing to future successes within this extremely talented and innovative organization and this genuinely great team,” she added.

“We are very excited to welcome a proven sales leader to the Prima Solutions-Effisoft team. Christel’s vast experience and connections within the industry will allow us to continue our rapid expansion and growth in the North American reinsurance market,” stated Gregory Moliner, CEO of the Effisoft’s American subsidiary.

Insureon Hires Jeana Deninger as COO

Insureon, an online provider of small business insurance, announced that Jeana Deninger joins the firm as its chief operating officer. Deninger comes to Insureon from CoverHound, a San Francisco-based Insurtech company.

Jeana Deninger, COO, Insureon

“We’re very excited to welcome Jeana as the latest addition to our C-suite,” said Ted Devine, CEO, Insureon. “She’s results-driven, customer-focused and extremely execution-oriented. Jeana is also passionate about building high-performing teams, efficient operations and great company cultures. Under her leadership, I’m confident we’ll see further improvements to our operations and retail business strategy.”

With more than 20 years of experience in growing B2B and B2C businesses, Deninger has held SVP, CMO and COO positions across the Insurtech industry, developing effective strategies across marketing, strategic partnerships, sales and customer success. Her customer-centric business strategy has resulted in a leading Net Promoter Score in the insurance industry.

Deninger’s role at Insureon will be to innovate and challenge the status quo to deliver a best in class experience with seamless online and offline integration — making it easy for small business owners to compare and purchase the right insurance with the help of Insureon’s industry-leading technology and licensed agents who have a deep understanding of customer needs.

Former State Rep. Simmons Joins Texas Mutual Board

Ron Simmons has been appointed to the Texas Mutual Insurance Company board of directors by Gov. Greg Abbott. Simmons, from Carrollton, was confirmed by the Texas Senate on February 27. His board term for Texas Mutual — the state’s leading provider of workers’ compensation insurance — is set to expire on July 1, 2023.

Simmons is chairman of Retirement Advisors of America and a former state representative for District 65. He is a former board member of the American Legislative Exchange Council and served on the Education Commission of the States. Additionally, he is the former vice chairman of the Autism Society of America. Simmons earned a bachelor of arts degree in business from Dallas Baptist University.

Texas Mutual’s board members represent a diverse mix of Texas industries and regions. The governor, with the advice and consent of the Texas Senate, appoints five of the nine directors, including the chair. Policyholders elect the other four directors.