Zurich North America Names New Head of Corporate Sustainability

Ben Harper, head of corporate sustainability, Zurich North America

Zurich North America has named Ben Harper head of corporate sustainability.

In this new position, Harper will be responsible for coalescing Zurich’s people and capabilities to create innovative solutions that advance the company’s sustainability priorities of workforce in transition, climate resilience and confidence in a digital society.

Harper will be based in Schaumburg, Illinois and report to Laura Rock, chief human resources officer.

“Ben’s passion, experience and strong relationships internally and externally will be well placed in this new role as Zurich looks to continue our efforts to create a sustainable future,” Rock said.

“This new position for Zurich North America reinforces our commitment to deliver on our ambitious strategic sustainability goals.”

Harper has been with Zurich for 18 years and has three decades of experience in sustainability and insurance.

Most recently, he served as the global environmental subject matter expert in technical underwriting and as head of the pollution team supporting environmental coverages.

He served as part of Zurich Group’s Climate Office from 2009 to 2013.

IMA Inc. Adds Trey Schuler and Gavin Wallace

Gavin Wallace and Trey Schuler, co-senior vice presidents, IMA Inc.

IMA Inc., insurance brokerage firm with offices in Dallas, is planning an Texas expansion starting in Fort Worth with the addition of two insurance veterans. They are Trey Schuler and Gavin Wallace.

Schuler and Wallace will work together as co-senior vice presidents, specializing in property and casualty insurance, employee benefits and surety bonds.

“Fort Worth is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., with business-friendly conditions that favor continued expansion,” said IMA Texas President Steve Waldman. “We recognize an opportunity to support the city’s business community and expand our strategy and footprint in North Texas and throughout the state.”

“Trey and Gavin are the perfect team to lead our Fort Worth expansion, with their extensive insurance experience and deep connection to the Fort Worth community,” said IMA DFW President Rob Broz. “Even more, their values align perfectly with IMA’s team culture and mission to make a difference where we live, play and work.”

The two new senior vice presidents join their company’s 750 other associates working across Colorado, Kansas, Michigan and Texas. IMA is the sixth-largest independently owned brokerage firm in the United States.

Burns and Wilcox Promotes Andrew Dean

Burns & Wilcox, insurance wholesale broker and underwriting manager, announced the promotion of Andrew Dean to managing director based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Dean previously served as associate managing director. He will now oversea the Indianapolis team and lead office growth. He has sixteen years of experience with Burns & Wilcox, beginning his career as a commercial insurance underwriter. He will report to Jeff Diefenbach, corporate senior vice president, managing director.

“Andrew has developed into a tremendous leader over time, growing his skills through diverse experiences and educational opportunities within the Burns & Wilcox network and influencing his peers to do the same,” said Diefenbach.

“The company has operated in Indiana for nearly 40 years and experienced 25 percent growth over the past five. Andrew’s promotion is a natural progression and we look forward to him continuing to positively impact the office and our clients.”

“I am honored to take on the role of Managing Director for the Indianapolis office, continuing to build its robust business across Commercial, Personal and Professional Insurance,” said Dean. “In recent years, the Indianapolis office has expanded its expertise, becoming well-known for its Transportation capabilities and serving as a reliable resource to many other Midwest and Northeast Burns & Wilcox offices. I am eager to oversee our office’s growth locally and throughout the network.”

Midwest Insurance Agency Continues Growth

Rebekah Siegfried, agency development field specialist, Midwest Insurance Agency

Jamie Wright, regional vice president, Iowa, Midwest Insurance Agency

The Midwest Insurance Agency Alliance (MIAA), the largest regional insurance network in the Midwest, announces two new hires. The hires of Jamie Wright and Rebekah Siegfried during the expansion of business growth in Iowa.

Wright has joined MIAA as regional vice president, Iowa. She will be responsible for recruitment, development, and insurance company relations for all member agencies in Iowa. She joins from Farmers Insurance, where she worked for 15 years. She most recently served as a recruitment manager.

Rebekah Siegfried has joined MIAA as an agency development field specialist. Siegfried will be responsible for providing growth and opportunities for MIAA member agencies. She also joins from Farmers Insurance.

“As we continue to expand our support and resources for member agencies, we are very fortunate to have gained such a strong duo to place in the state of Iowa,” MIAA president and chief operating officer Doug Meacham said.

“Jamie and Rebekah possess a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of operating an independent insurance agency, and we are thrilled to add them to the MIAA team.”

ATF Medical Hires Edwina Murphy

ATF Medical, supplier of comprehensive medical equipment and housing solutions for complex workers’ compensation claims, has hired Edwina Murphy, OTR, ATP as director of rehab technology.

Murphy will be based in Houston, Texas and will provide services to the southwestern United States.

“Edwina has immense experience and is especially knowledgeable about seating and positioning,” said ATF Medical’s Executive Director of Rehab Technology Erin Zablocki.  “As an OT, she brings the clinical perspective and oversight, delivering additional value to our complex rehab offering.”

Murphy has three decades of experience in occupational therapy and rehabilitation technology throughout the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland. . Most recently, she was a rehabilitation technology specialist with Great American Mobility.

ATF is headquartered in Woodbridge, Virginia.

FM Global Makes Two Senior Executive Changes

Gerry Alonso, senior vice president, division manager of AFM, FM Global

James Galloway, executive vice president, FM Global

FM Global, commercial property insurer, has appointed Gerry L. Alonso as senior vice president, division manager of AFM, and James R. Galloway to executive vice president.

Alonso, currently FM Global’s Eastern USA division manager, will assume his new role effective Feb. 1, 2020, and be based at AFM’s corporate offices in Johnston, Rhode Island, USA. Galloway will also be based out of Johnston and succeeds Chris Johnson.

Since joining the company in 1985 as an engineering consultant in Dallas, Texas, Alonso has held various management roles.

In 2006, he was named senior vice president, manager, claims, a role he served in until 2018, when he became the company’s Boston, Massachusetts, USA, operations manager.

Galloway joined FM Global in 1986 in the San Francisco office as a loss prevention consultant and has held various positions in the company.

After serving as Seattle’s branch manager, Galloway served as the international division underwriting manager in Windsor, U.K. and later held multiple other leadership roles around the U.S. He most recently served as senior vice president, AFM, division manager. &