Moves and Views

1 Scott Tannas [1], founder, president and CEO of Western Financial Group, has been appointed to the Senate, filling the vacancy left by Bert Brown, who is retiring. Tannas’s “strong business background and deep knowledge of Alberta are sure to benefit the Senate,” Prime Minister Stephen Harper says in a statement. Western Financial Group reports the company has begun its transition plan, including finding a successor for Tannas.

A new president and CEO, expected to be named by Labour Day, will be able to work with Tannas for the last few months of 2013. Tannas will remain president and CEO until December 31, after which he will become vice chairman and hold the title of company founder. Tannas founded Western Financial Group in 1996, a subsidiary of Desjardins Group since 2011.

2 Economical Insurance of Waterloo, Ontario has named Elizabeth (Betty) DelBianco [2] to its Board of Directors. DelBianco, chief legal and administrative officer for Celestica Inc., replaces David MacIntosh, who had served as chairman of the board’s pension and investment committees.

DelBianco has extensive experience in executive compensation, public company compliance, securities and mergers and acquisitions, Economical reports. She is on the board of the Information Technology Association of Canada and is called to the bar in Ontario and New York. DelBianco was welcomed “as we continue to prepare to be the first Canadian property and casualty insurance company to demutualize,” notes Economical chairman Gerald Hooper.

“Demutualization will put us on a level playing field to thrive in a consolidating industry. We will gain access to capital that will give us the ability to make significant acquisitions as well as strategic investments in tools and processes that will improve our productivity and the level of support we provide our broker partners who help generate our business.”

3 Peel Mutual Insurance Company in Brampton, Ontario reports that John Lockwood [3] is its new president and CEO. Most recently vice president of claims for the property and casualty carrier, Lockwood was to take the helm April 1. He has been president and CEO designate since March 4 and replaces Brian Bessey, who is retiring.

4 Several companies in the property and casualty industry have made Deloitte’s list of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. Among this year’s recipients was Toronto’s FirstOnSite Restoration.

“Over the years, we have strived to meet our commitment to excellence in customer service, employee engagement and innovation at every touch point,” says company CEO Dave Demos [4a]. STRONE of Oakville, Ontario was also honoured. Neil Blinco, co-CEO of marketing and sales, acknowledged “our people and their dedication to our vision of ensuring STRONE continues to set and maintain a position of leadership within the disaster recovery and restoration industry.”

TU Group, which includes Travel Underwriters in Canada, also made Deloitte’s picks as a first-time applicant. “We’ve been innovating and evolving in the travel insurance industry for 49 years,” says Patrick Robinson [4b], group president and CEO. Cambridge, Ontario-based brokerage Cowan Insurance Group also made the list. President Heather McLachlin [4c] praised “the calibre of talent we have within our organization” and “their unwavering commitment to put our customers at the centre of all we do.” Among the requalified winners (have made the list for two consecutive years) were CARSTAR Automotive Canada Inc. and CarProof.

5 CNA Canada reports that Michael O’Connor [5] has been named the company’s vice president of underwriting. At CNA, O’Connor has held several positions, including as senior underwriter, branch manager in Montreal, and assistant vice president of marine underwriting, and served in a specialty/casualty role. He previously worked for Kemper Canada and Chubb Insurance.

6 The Guarantee Company of North America has partnered with IDT911 Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona. The insurer now offers several privacy risk services to corporate policyholders though IDT911, such as helping victims of a privacy breach avoid fraud and identity theft. IDT911 will also provide the insurer’s clients with project management to mitigate costs that might be incurred as a result of a privacy breach. “This is an area of growing exposure for corporations and particularly for members of Boards of Directors,” says Alister Campbell, CEO of The Guarantee.

7 Joyce Usher-Mesiano [7], president of National Brokers Insurance Services Inc. and Monarch Intermediaries Inc. in Mississauga, Ontario, is among the recipients of the Enterprising Women of the Year Award for 2013, presented by the U.S. publication, Enterprising Women. Nominees are judged based on, among other things, leadership exhibited in their communities and/or at the state, national or international levels.

Monarch Intermediaries, launched by Usher-Mesiano after her sister’s battle with cancer was influenced by a second opinion, offers patients, employees of businesses and customers of insurers and financial institutions quick and easy access to second opinions from medical professionals and academic health care institutions. Among other things, she is chair of the Waterloo Insurance Advisory Council and a member of Economical Insurance’s National Council.

8 RSA has announced its upper mid-market, large domestic, complex, multinational and specialty risks business will now operate under the collective title of Global Specialty Lines (GSL). The GSL leadership team includes the following: Bernard McNulty, vice president of underwriting for GSL; Tony Hayes, vice president of sales and marketing for RSA; Paul Lucarelli, vice president, Ontario for GSL; Chris Short, vice president, West for GSL; Rosalind Staples, vice president, Atlantic for RSA; and Glen Bates, vice president, Quebec for RSA.

9 University Park, Illinois-based Applied Systems Inc. has announced it has agreed to acquire the property and casualty business of IVANS Inc., a data exchange solution provider based in Stamford, Connecticut, for an undisclosed amount. IVANS P&C will operate as a separate business division of Applied Systems, led by Jim Ochiltree, current president of IVANS P&C, and its existing senior management team. Applied Systems will maintain and invest in IVANS’ open platform and integration with all carriers and agency management systems in the marketplace. It is expected the transaction, which is subject to customary conditions, will be complete during the first half of 2013.

10 The Guy Carpenter Professorship in Agriculture Risk Management and Insurance has been created at the University of Manitoba. Made possible through a $750,000 gift from Guy Carpenter, the professorship is located in the Warren Centre for Actuarial Studies and Research, part of the University of Manitoba’s I.H. Asper School of Business in Winnipeg. Lysa Porth, Ph.D. [10] started her role in the professorship February 1. Dr. Porth’s research covers topics ranging from crop insurance to price insurance, business interruption insurance and weather insurance.