People News: Wells Media, ICW, EFI Global

Wells Media Group has named Pamela Simpson to the position of senior strategist, Branded Content and Research.

In this new role, Simpson will work collaboratively with the company’s marketing and production teams to coordinate content projects for Wells Media clients. She will implement the overall content strategy on Wells brands’ Research & Trends platforms as well as approve all sponsored content for quality.

Wells Media is publisher of Insurance Journal, Claims Journal and Carrier Management.

Simpson is the co-founder of cyber security incident response software company 9yahds, and also founded the consulting firm Extra Day. Her diverse management background in the software and financial industries includes marketing, consulting and research. Simpson is also the author of two books.

She holds a BS in Marketing and Communications from Babson College and an MBA from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts.

“We were fortunate to work with Pam for several months on a freelance basis and she’s been a great asset to both the marketing and content teams,” said Julie Tinney, chief marketing officer, Wells Media Group. “More and more of our clients are adding whitepapers, webinars, surveys, polls, blogs and custom audio and video to their marketing mix. It’s sometimes challenging. Pam is available to help clients with the content strategy to make these products successful.”

ICW Group Insurance Companies, a group of property and casualty carriers, announced the appointment of John Novak as chief operating and strategic execution officer, effective immediately. Novak will succeed David Hoppen, who accepted the position of president of VerTerra Insurance Company (a member company of ICW Group). Hoppen will relocate to Florida and assume this position beginning Jan. 1, 2018.

Novak joins ICW Group with more than 24 years of leadership experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry. Prior to joining ICW Group, he served as managing director of Guy Carpenter, a leading global reinsurance broker. Novak also has expertise in enterprise risk management, compliance, financial reporting and capital markets.

As chief operating and strategic execution officer, Novak will report directly to Prior in leading ICW Group’s operations and driving the company’s strategic business plans. He will be based at the ICW Group Corporate Headquarters in San Diego.

EFI Global named Ron Maggard, PG vice president and director of operations. He will work closely with the Regional and Service Line Vice Presidents to drive strategic direction and resource alignment for operational efficiencies that support future growth and expansion.

Maggard is an experienced senior corporate leader with more than 30 years in forensic services. He is a registered professional geologist and a recognized expert in subsidence and sinkhole-related subsurface activity.

He will be based in Tampa and will report to the President of EFI Global.