Members in the News

Milwaukee, WI (November 1, 2020) - The second annual Insurance Business Global 100 has been released. Insurance Business is placing a spotlight on outstanding industry professionals who are making a positive difference and helping drive change across the insurance industry.

This Global 100 list features outstanding industry professionals from all of Insurance Business’ markets who are making waves in the industry, whether by driving growth and innovation within their own company or by championing issues that benefit the sector.

Robertson Ryan & Associates is proud to share Dan Lau, VP of Operations, has made the Global 100 list. “Dan’s achievements at RRA are far reaching. To be an agency of the future we recognize that we need leading talent focusing on key business goals including: Revenue Drivers, Technology, Operational Excellence and Being a Great Place to Work,” shared Allan Degner, VP of Marketing at Robertson Ryan.

“Dan’s leadership approach revolves around these core objectives that can be linked to activities during our agency forward. We are building upon a company culture that is strong and is committed to a pattern of growth that is supported by a unified and talented team. We are placing great focus on recruiting and developing the next generation of insurance leaders to continue driving our firm forward and further ahead in Top 100 US Insurance Agency rankings. Most of all, we want to be the company of choice for our team, carrier partners and insureds. Dan adds significant value to our executive leadership team, which is driving RRA into the future. We couldn’t be more proud of Dan’s achievement of being recognized as a Global 100 in the insurance industry,” added Degner.

Sheboygan, WI (November 9, 2020) - Acuity announced that it has earned three awards from ACORD in 2020, including the ACORD Millennial Women’s Insurance Advancement Award and two ACORD Case Study Awards. ACORD is a nonprofit organization recognized as the global standards-setting body for the insurance and related financial services industries.

The ACORD Millennial Women’s Insurance Advancement Award recognizes companies that have made impressive strides in attracting and retaining millennials within the insurance industry. A video featuring some of Acuity’s amazing millennial women is “Acuity focuses on creating a workplace culture that promotes growth and advancement of employees of all ages, genders, and backgrounds,” said Ben Salzmann, Acuity President and CEO. “Our workplace initiatives have had a significant impact on staff recruitment, development, and retention, including millennial women.”

The ACORD Case Study Award is presented to organizations that have demonstrated how the implementation of ACORD standards significantly improved business processes. Acuity earned two awards—one for using ACORD-based services to support real-time online integrations with independent agencies and one for utilizing ACORD standards to interface with HSB to deliver additional products to agents and customers.

“Acuity’s work to build integrations, using ACORD standards, between our rating and policy systems and those systems utilized by agencies and digital platforms allows agents to focus on providing guidance and coverage customization, rather than entering data,” said Marcus Knuth, Acuity Vice President – Enterprise Technology.

Acuity Insurance, headquartered in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, insures over 100,000 businesses, including 300,000 commercial vehicles, and nearly a half million homes and private passenger autos across 29 states. Rated A+ by A.M. Best and S&P, Acuity employs over 1,400 people.

Neenah, WI (November 20, 2020) - SECURA Insurance promoted five company leaders: Amy DeHart, Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary; Dan Ferris, Chief Legal Officer; Tripp Humston, Regional Vice President–Sales; Tim O’Brien, Vice President–Controller; and Brett Purcell, Regional Vice President–Sales.

“These five individuals embody the qualities we look for in SECURA leaders,” said Dave Gross, SECURA President & CEO. “Each bring a wealth of insurance industry knowledge to guide their teams, and they will play important roles as SECURA continues growing to serve our policyholders and independent agency force.”

The promotions are effective Jan. 4, 2021.

DeHart began her journey with SECURA’s actuarial team in 2000 as an actuarial consultant. In 2013, she was promoted to Vice President-Actuarial services before taking on her current role as Vice President and Chief Actuary in 2018 where she oversees the company’s pricing, reserving, strategic planning, enterprise services, and related functions.

Prior to joining SECURA, DeHart worked as an actuary for John Deere Transportation Insurance, a specialty writer of long haul trucking. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Ferris joined SECURA in 1990 as the Corporate Attorney. In 1996, he also assumed the role of SECURA’s Assistant Secretary.

He earned his bachelor’s degree form Georgetown University and his Juris Doctorate from the American University-Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C.

Before joining SECURA, Ferris was a partner at a law firm in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin, the Association of Corporate Counsel, and the Society of CPCU.

Humston joined SECURA in 2014 as a market manager before becoming Regional Sales Director for Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan in 2018. Prior to joining SECURA, he worked for Liberty Mutual as a territory manager for 10 years.

Humston has a Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in marketing and minoring in communication arts from Georgetown College in Georgetown, Ky., and holds the CIC designation.

O’Brien joined SECURA in 2002 as an accounting manager, and has held various roles in finance, including his most recent position as controller. O’Brien is proud of the consistent integrity of SECURA’s financial reporting, including successful audit results from external auditors, OCI, IRS, and state governments.

Prior to joining SECURA, O’Brien worked for Midwest Security Insurance and Engelson and Associates.

Purcell joined SECURA in 2012 and since then he has been an invaluable partner for our agents. In 2018, he was promoted to Director – Sales, where he oversees a team of sales managers in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri.

Purcell has a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in marketing from John Carroll University in Ohio, and an M.B.A. from Grand Canyon University. He holds the CPCU, CIC, AINS, API, and AIS designations. Prior to SECURA, he worked for State Auto Mutual Insurance and Universal North America Insurance Company.

SECURA has an A (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best, is recognized as one of Ward’s 50 top performing property-casualty insurance companies, and is a Great Place to Work Certified-company.

SECURA Insurance is headquartered in Neenah, Wis. More than 550 independent insurance agencies in 12 states represent the company, which provides a broad range of competitive commercial, personal, farm, nonprofit, and special events products. It is known for providing exceptional service to its agents and policyholders since 1900, and is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best for its excellent ability to meet policyholder obligations. The carrier also is a Ward’s Top 50 company for outstanding results in financial performance and consistency over a five-year period, and it is certified Great Place to Work. Visit secura.net to learn more.

on a special brew to benefit Willkie House, one of the oldest African-American community-based organizations in Iowa.

Willkie House offers after-school and summer programs for children 5-14 years of age, who are primarily from low-income households of color.

“This is the second year we’ve done a ‘Local Cause Brew’ to benefit a nonprofit,” said John Martin Confluence Brewing Co-Founder, President, and Head Brewer. “With all of the conversations this year about social justice and racial inequality, we wanted to do something to support the Black community.”

This year’s brew is a coffee Kolsch, a blonde beer with subtle coffee flavor. In addition to the proceeds benefitting Willkie House, the brew features beans from Des Moines-based BLK and Bold, the first Black-owned, nationally distributed coffee brand. The can features artwork from Ames-based Black artist Jamie Malone.

“EMC is pleased to serve as corporate partner for this Local Cause Brew,” said Scott Jean, EMC President and CEO. “We insure a large number of breweries and wineries around the country, so it makes sense for us to support a local brewery that is trying to make a difference. And diversity, equity and inclusion is a big focus for EMC, so supporting the Black community – especially at this time – was important to us.”

The Local Cause Brew will be available in the Confluence taproom on Dec. 4, and in stores the week of Dec. 7. Confluence brews are distributed widely in stores around the state of Iowa. The Local Cause Brew will be available in kegs and in four packs of cans, until it sells out.

“The mission of Willkie House is to develop character and esteem in young people through the promotion of academics, social skill building, health, and recreation,” said John Douglas, Willkie House Executive Director. “We appreciate being the featured nonprofit of this Local Cause Brew as it enables us to share our story about the important work we do.”

The funds raised will be used toward funding Willkie House’s middle school mentoring program, which focuses on preparing youth for future vocations in trades, STEM and more.

The Willkie House is located at 900 17th Street in Des Moines. To learn more about volunteering, visit it’s website. Opportunities include reading and playing games with kids, helping with facility maintenance and assisting with administrative projects. The Willkie House also has regular needs for donations of board games, children’s books, art supplies, drinks, snacks and prize candy. Donations can be dropped off at the facility.

EMC Insurance Companies is among the top 60 property/ casualty insurance organizations in the country based on net written premium, with more than 2,400 employees. Employers Mutual Casualty Company (EMCC) was organized in 1911 to write workers’ compensation protection in Iowa. Today, operating under the trade name EMC Insurance Companies, the company provides property and casualty insurance products and services throughout the United States and writes reinsurance contracts worldwide. EMCC is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit emcins.com.