People News: Navigators, W.R. Berkley, State Auto

The Navigators Group, Inc. promoted Michael J. McKenna to chief underwriting officer for the U.S. Insurance segment. In this newly created role, McKenna will work with the U.S. Insurance divisional leaders to advance the growth and profitability of the segment’s business, including expanding the portfolio into new geographic markets and specialty products. He will continue to report to Vincent C. Tizzio, president, U.S. Insurance.

Succeeding McKenna as head of U.S. Marine is Anthony N. Plutino, a seasoned marine executive with deep market knowledge developed over the past 35 years. Plutino joins Navigators from Crum & Forster, where he served as head of U.S. Marine. Plutino was instrumental in forming and building a successful marine underwriting agency which was sold to Crum & Forster in 2014. Plutino will be based in Iselin, New Jersey.

Since joining Navigators in 2010, McKenna has served in a range of positions within the U.S. Marine division and most recently served as President, U.S. Marine. He also previously led the U.S. Excess and Surplus Lines Property division. He will continue to have oversight responsibility for this division and for the U.S. Marine division. McKenna is also based in Iselin and is a member of the company’s global leadership team.

Navigators Group, Inc. is an international specialty insurance holding company with operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe and Asia.

W. R. Berkley Corporation announced the appointment of Michael A. Lex as president of Continental Western Group (CWG), a Berkley Company. Mr. Lex succeeds Michael G. Connor, who has been appointed president of Berkley FinSecure, a Berkley Company. The appointments are effective immediately.

Lex joins CWG with over 20 years of experience in the property casualty insurance industry and significant expertise in all aspects of distribution and underwriting management. He most recently served as senior vice president, commercial product/pricing, for a major U.S. insurer. An Iowa native, he is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter.

The boards of directors of State Auto Financial Corporation and State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company (State Auto Mutual) announced the extension of president and CEO Mike LaRocco’s employment agreement through Dec. 31, 2021. LaRocco’s previous agreement was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2018.

LaRocco joined Ohio-based State Auto in 2015 after leading large national insurance carriers and forming a technology startup. Since 2015, he has led the transformation of State Auto’s culture, the development of a new strategy and the rollout of a new technology platform that has delivered a significant increase in new business.