People on the Move

As part of its ongoing strategic realignment, Assurant, Inc. announced that Gene Mergelmeyer will be appointed to the role of chief operating officer, effective July 1, 2016.

In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing the operations of Assurant’s business lines worldwide, ensuring a coordinated approach across the Housing and Lifestyle markets and improving execution to drive long-term, profitable growth.

Mergelmeyer is an 18-year veteran of Assurant and since 2007 has served as president and chief executive officer of Assurant Specialty Property. In 2014, he assumed the additional roles of executive vice president and chief administrative officer for Assurant, overseeing the company’s enterprise transformation initiatives to optimize customer service, technology and procurement operations.

In addition to Mergelmeyer’s appointment, Assurant also named Mike Anderson to the role of interim president of Assurant Solutions, effective immediately. Anderson succeeds Assurant Solutions President and CEO S. Craig Lemasters who will retire on July 1, 2016 following more than 25 years of distinguished service.

Anderson joined Assurant in 1998 through the acquisition of MS Diversified Inc. In 2013, he was named COO of Assurant Solutions to strengthen the business segment’s global platform. Under his leadership, Assurant Solutions has become a leading independent provider of vehicle service contracts and related products and services to U.S. auto and recreational vehicle dealers.

Australia-based QBE North America named Daniel Franzetti chief claims officer. In this role, Franzetti will serve on the Executive Management Board and have responsibility for leadership of QBE North America’s claims function.

Franzetti has deep claims expertise, a passion for the business and a proven track record of delivering excellent claims service. Working from QBE’s New York City office, he will report to QBE North America’s CEO, Dave Duclos.

In a career that has spanned nearly 20 years, Franzetti most recently served as chief claims officer for Zurich Australia Insurance Limited. He also previously led Zurich’s Claims Technical Shared Services in North America as a senior vice president. Prior to this role, he was head of Global Claims Vendor Management for Zurich’s global general insurance practice.

Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY), a commercial property/casualty and professional liability insurance company for niche markets, announced the promotion of two vice presidents to senior vice president. Sam Garro is now senior vice president of Compliance and Patrick Walton assumes the position of senior vice president of Underwriting.

Garro joined PHLY in 2012 as vice president of the Compliance Department, responsible for managing the work of the various units in the department including product development, agent licensing and underwriting audits. He also is a liaison for the company in market conduct exams.

Garro has worked in the insurance industry for over 27 years and also teaches workshops on behalf of the Insurance Society of Philadelphia. He is currently Mid-Atlantic regional president of the Association of Insurance Compliance Professionals, a national compliance association for the insurance industry. He also holds the CPCU designation.

Walton joined PHLY in 2013 as vice president of Corporate Underwriting. He is responsible for the placement of PHLY’s reinsurance treaties and managing the facultative reinsurance process. He has also directed PHLY’s catastrophe modeling and aggregate management, quarterly property portfolio optimization updates and the underwriting analysis unit.

Walton has spent 30 years in insurance and reinsurance. He began his career as an actuary and has held various insurance and reinsurance underwriting roles with national and global insurance firms. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society.