8 People on the Move

Industry Vet Joe Boren Joins Synapse Board

Synapse Services LLC announced the appointment of industry veteran Joseph Boren to its Executive Advisory Board.

Joe Boren, member, Executive Advisory Board, Synapse Services LLC

Boren brings more than 50 years’ insurance industry experience, holding numerous leadership and management positions, primarily devoted to the environmental industry.

Prior to this appointment, Boren served with Ironshore Inc. for eight years in various leadership roles.

As chairman of Ironshore Environmental, he launched the unit’s offerings of products and services, which addressed environmental incident and liability risks. In his role as president of U.S. Field Operations, he built out Ironshore’s national distribution platform that was responsible for the marketing of all Ironshore’s insurance products at a localized level.

Previously, Boren was with AIG from 1996 to 2009, where he initiated and ultimately built AIG Environmental into the largest environmental insurance carrier in the world. Under his progressive leadership as chairman and CEO of AIG Environmental, many environmental insurance executives received the technical foundation and professional development that prepared them for high-level management positions across the industry.

Boren also served as chairman of Riverkeeper, an environmental watchdog responsible for protecting the Hudson River. He is also an active board member of the New York City All-Stars Project Initiative, a national skills development program for inner city teenagers and young adults.

Jennifer King Joins Everest Insurance

Everest Insurance announced that Jennifer King  joined their Life Sciences team based in the company’s Boston office. King will have underwriting responsibility for the recently-launched Life Sciences multi-line package product.

Andy Faber, head of Life Sciences, commented, “We could not be more pleased to have Jen join our Life Sciences team. With the recent launch of our multi-line product, we have combined Everest’s established workers’ compensation, auto and property capabilities packaged with our industry-leading life sciences products liability expertise. Jennifer is a proven package underwriter who will serve as a valuable member of our growing team.”

King has nearly a decade of industry experience, most recently working as an account executive within the global technology practice at Travelers. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Northeastern University.

Caitlin Crist Now Head of Claims for Coverys

Coverys Managing Agency Limited, the Lloyd’s managing agent of Syndicates 1975, 1991, 3330 and 1110, announced the appointment Caitlin Crist to the newly created role of head of claims of Coverys Syndicate 1975. She will take up her new role in June.

Crist brings over a decade of liability claims experience to Coverys.

She joins from Brit Global Specialty where, as a complex claims specialist, she was responsible for managing and adjusting complex casualty claims and providing U.S. legal advice on contentious issues. Prior to this, Crist served as an attorney with Fields Howell, LLP, where she provided coverage advice to and represented insurers in the U.S. federal and state courts.

“In a crowded market, Coverys has already begun to differentiate itself through the quality of its underwriting, data and approach to risk management. I am looking forward to adding claims to that list and developing a claims function, which sets the business apart from its peers,” Crist said.

Pat Meacham Named to Brokerage Board

The Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage elected Patrick Meacham to its board of directors.

Patrick Meacham, director, Starkweather & Shepley

Meacham, senior vice president of transportation risks solutions, has over 20 years of experience with S&S, providing comprehensive risk management and loss control solutions for the transportation industry and auto dealerships.

“I’m most appreciative and truly honored to be elected to the board of Starkweather & Shepley,” said Meachum.

“To be part of an organization that was founded 140 years ago and always evolving is not only meaningful and special to me, but a testament to our leadership’s commitment to perpetuation as we look ahead, always committed to our clients, colleagues and our community,” he added.

Meacham graduated from Johnson & Wales University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree.

IMA Companies Promotes Luke Proctor to President, Mike Benson as CFO

The IMA Financial Group, Inc. announced the promotion of Luke Proctor to president of IMA Companies, a newly created position to oversee all IMA Financial Group subsidiaries, which generate nearly $170 million in revenue annually. Located in Wichita, Kan., he will report to IMA Financial Group chairman and CEO Robert Cohen. IMA Wichita president Kyle Orndorff will continue to lead his local team of nearly 200 associates.

The companies under Proctor’s management include IMA, Inc., a retail insurance broker; IMA Select, a small-business and personal insurance broker; Towerstone, Inc., a wholesale insurance broker; Eydent Insurance Services, a managing general underwriting specializing in niche insurance solutions; CORnerstone Risk Solutions, an alternative risk services company; and IMA Wealth, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm.

Combined, the IMA Financial Group and its subsidiaries are the fifth-largest privately held and employee-owned insurance broker in the country.

“IMA is home and where I started my career,” said  Proctor, who joined IMA in 2003. “It’s where I’ve grown personally and professionally, and it’s an organization I intend to guide through its continued expansion.”

One internal measure of IMA success has been to outperform the industry growth rate. In 2018, IMA’s organic growth rate was 8.3 percent, which exceeded the industry average of 6.1 percent.

To help manage that leading growth, and to fill Proctor’s former position, is newly hired IMA chief financial officer Mike Benson, who will work in and return home to Denver. Possessing a broad background in finance and accounting, Benson previously held positions with KSE Sports & Entertainment in Denver and was most recently COO and CFO for GROUP360 out of St. Louis, Missouri.

Benson and Proctor will work with IMA, Inc. president Bob Reiter who will manage IMA, Inc. and lead a new endeavor for the company called Client X, a transformational service initiative to help fuel IMA’s growth.

“IMA’s long history as an insurance leader is a testament to the hard work and value our associates deliver to clients across the country,” Proctor said. “In my new position, I hope to strategically support their success and provide the necessary resources to advance their great work.”

Two Key Roles Filled at MEMIC

Amanda Roberts has been appointed to the role of director of financial reporting for The MEMIC Group, where she will oversee this workers’ compensation specialist’s financial forecasting, budgeting and general ledger reconciliation.

Roberts has more than 20 years’ experience in finance, accounting and audit roles. Prior to MEMIC, she worked as a nonprofit accounting and compliance consultant and as a senior director for United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Inc. in Boston.

Amanda Roberts
Director, Financial Reporting
MEMIC

She graduated from the University of Southern Maine with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and later obtained her CPA. Active in the community, she served as treasurer and chair of the finance committee for Child Care Services of York County, ME.

In addition, Michael Michaud, has been appointed to director of IT infrastructure and will oversee MEMIC’s virtual and physical IT systems, storage, networking and communications platforms that are used to support business applications and services. Michaud will be responsible for the effective and efficient delivery of all third-party and internally managed IT infrastructure used to support all business processes across The MEMIC Group.

Michaud has more than 20 years’ experience in information technology roles. Prior to MEMIC, he worked as a director of platform services at MaineHealth/Maine Medical Center and as a senior director of information technology at Synernet MaineHealth.

Michaud is Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations Certified. He has volunteered as an executive board member and coach for South Portland National Little League and is a FIFA-certified soccer referee.