Executive Changes
LL Global Names Head of Industry Solutions, CFO

LL Global, the parent company for LIMRA, LOMA and Secure Retirement Institute, has named Mark Singleton as its new head of industry solutions and chief financial officer.

As head of LL Global's industry solutions program, Singleton will work with members to identify new ideas to help address common issues, and build and execute the go-to-market strategies. He also will oversee the overall operations for LL Global's conferences and meetings (both virtual and in-person), to ensure consistency and enhanced member value.

Singleton has more than 25 years of financial management, distribution and operational experience. He has held leadership roles in the financial services industry and most recently, was president and chief executive officer of 5Star Life Insurance Co., the life insurance carrier for the Armed Forces Benefit Association. In 2019, Singleton also served as board chair for the Life Insurers Council, an LL Global forum for senior-level life insurance executives, primarily from small-to-medium-sized companies.

“Mark's breadth of knowledge and proven record of building state-of-the art marketing and sales strategies will help LL Global continue its long tradition of supporting its members through cost-effective, shared industry solutions and compelling convening programs,” said Gina Birchall, chief operating officer, LL Global.

—Staff Report

Zurich Insurance Group Names Senior Risk Consultant for Climate Change

Zurich Insurance Group has named Belinda Bates to the newly created post of senior risk consultant, climate change, in commercial insurance.

In her new role on the risk engineering team, Bates will work with Amar Rahman, global natural hazards practice leader, as well as the underwriting teams, to develop and deploy Zurich's climate change resilience services.

Prior to joining Zurich, Bates was a consultant in financial risk management at EY for more than four years.

Global Reinsurance Forum Names Chairman and Vice Chairman

The Global Reinsurance Forum has named Emmanuel Clarke to succeed Kevin O'Donnell as chairman, and Jean-Jacques Henchoz as vice chairman.

Clarke, president and chief executive officer at PartnerRe, will be appointed for a two-year term and replaces O'Donnell, CEO of RenaissanceRe, who became chairman in 2018. Henchoz, CEO of Hannover Re, was elected vice chairman.

The Global Reinsurance Forum is composed of 12 global reinsurers; its main objective is to promote a stable, innovative and competitive worldwide reinsurance market. The members of the GRF represent Axa XL, Gen Re, Hannover Re, Lloyd's, Mapfre Re, Munich Re, PartnerRe, RenaissanceRe, RGA, Scor, Swiss Re and Toa Re.

Lockton Capital Markets Names CEO

Lockton Capital Markets has named Ken Pierce as chief executive officer.

Pierce has 30 years of experience as a leader in the insurance and alternative asset management industries. In 2019, Pierce founded and began serving as CEO of Vanpoint Advisors, which originated and structured asset portfolio financing transactions for alternative asset managers, as well as closed block reinsurance, sidecar reinsurance, and surplus notes.

On June 1, the assets of Vanpoint were merged into Lockton Capital Markets.

He also previously served as co-founder of Vanbridge, and held leadership roles at Mayer Brown, Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers.

SUNZ Holdings Names President

SUNZ Holdings LLC has named Rick Leonard as president of the company.

Leonard has been at SUNZ for almost 10 years, most recently as director of sales and executive vice president. He initially joined as a broker relations executive and was quickly promoted to director.

Leonard's background consists of retail broker experience, field sales, marketing, loss control, and client relations. He has more than 18 years of experience in the insurance industry.

FBL Financial Group Names Chief Investment Officer

FBL Financial Group Inc. named Jeffrey A. Whitehead to succeed Charles T. Happel as chief investment officer.

Whitehead was to transition to his new role on June 15 to replace Happel, who is retiring this year. Whitehead will be a member of FBL's management team and have overall responsibility for managing the company's investment policy and strategy.

Whitehead had been with Aegon USA Investment Management for the past 19 years serving as head of insurance asset management and client investment solutions.

QBE North America Names Head of Newly Created Specialty Insurance Group

QBE North America has named Steve Gransbury as head of its newly created specialty insurance group and Tara Krauss to succeed Gransbury as head of accident and health.

In his new role, Gransbury will lead the specialty insurance unit that consists of QBE's accident & health, aviation, and trade credit and surety practices.

Previously, Gransbury had been leading accident & health, the largest of the three businesses. QBE Specialty Insurance is part of QBE North America's Specialty & Commercial organization. Gransbury joined QBE in 2009 when the company acquired SLG Benefits & Insurance LLC, a program management company co-founded by Gransbury. He has over 25 years of experience in the insurance, reinsurance and captive industry.

Krauss has been promoted to replace Gransbury as the leader of QBE Accident & Health. Her most recent role was senior vice president of underwriting operations for accident & health.

Krauss has more than 24 years of experience in the insurance industry. Since joining QBE in 2009, she has held several leadership roles with increasing responsibilities. Prior to joining QBE, Krauss held various underwriting positions with HCC Insurance (formerly LDG) and SLG Benefits & Insurance LLC.

Tokio Marine HCC - Credit Group Names Chairman and President

Tokio Marine HCC - Credit Group has named Mark Reynolds, currently president of Tokio Marine HCC - Credit Group, as chairman. Jerome Swinscoe, currently chief underwriting officer of the same group, will succeed Reynolds as president.

Reynolds and Swinscoe will transition to their new roles on Jan. 1, 2021.

Swinscoe joined Tokio Marine HCC - Credit Group as senior underwriter in 2007 and became chief underwriting officer in 2017. Prior to joining Tokio Marine HCC, he was an underwriter at Catlin Group Ltd. Swinscoe began his insurance career with Marsh in France.

Industry Veteran Jack Bogardus Dies at 92

John “Jack” Bogardus, the former chief executive officer and chairman of broker Alexander & Alexander and co-author of Spreading the Risks: Insuring the American Experience, has died from complications of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 92.

Bogardus spent more than 40 years in the insurance industry. He joined Alexander & Alexander—now part of Aon Corp.—as a trainee in 1950 and spent his entire professional career with the firm. He held the positions of vice president, executive vice president, president and chief operating officer, president and CEO, chairman and CEO, chairman of the board, and director, according to the Insurance Risk Management Institute.

Bogardus enlisted in the Navy toward the close of World War II, where he served on the USS Brown. Some years later, during the Korean conflict, he was a commissioned officer and served on the USS Roanoke based out of Norfolk, Virginia, according to his obituary.

Bogardus was the author of articles in various professional journals and co-author with Robert Moore of Spreading the Risks: Insuring the American Experience in 2003, according to IRMI.

He served as a director of the Insurance Brokers Association of New York and a director and chairman of the governing committee of the National Association of Insurance Brokers. He was also a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Insurance Committee, and a board member of the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters and of the Insurance Institute of America.

Bogardus is survived by his wife of 70 years, Lela, and four children; six grandchildren and two great grandchildren, according to his obituary.