People News: The Hartford, AGCS, BSA, Gallagher Bassett

The Hartford announced that Stephanie Bush, who has led Small Commercial since July 2014, will expand her responsibilities to include oversight for Personal Lines. She replaces Ray Sprague, who is retiring after a 30-year career with The Hartford. Bush will continue to report to The Hartford’s President Doug Elliot.

Bush returned to The Hartford in 2013 as chief product and underwriting officer for Small Commercial, and was promoted to head of the business in 2014. Under her leadership, The Hartford completed the acquisition of Maxum, an excess and surplus (E&S) lines insurer, and expanded its focus on micro-business. Previously Bush was senior vice president of product management in personal insurance at Travelers, and prior to that she spent 20 years at The Hartford in positions of increasing responsibility in commercial insurance product, underwriting and field operations. Bush is on the board of directors of the National Council on Compensation Insurance.

Sprague joined The Hartford in 1985 and has held leadership positions across the enterprise, most recently leading Personal Lines. Prior to that, Sprague led Small Commercial where he spearheaded major improvements to product offerings and the ICON system, which vastly improved the agent quoting and new business experience.

Allianz Group’s specialist corporate insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) announced that effective December 31, Henning Haagen will take over as North American regional head of Specialty Lines, and Rich Soja will become the North American regional head of Marine. These appointments follow the retirement of John Barnwell after more than 20 years with the company. While taking on these new responsibilities, both Haagen and Soja will continue in their current roles as Northeast Zone Executive in the U.S. and Global Head of Inland Marine, respectively.

Since joining Allianz in 2008, Haagen has held a range of global leadership positions within the organization both in Munich and London, before being named global head of Aviation in 2015 and eventually relocating to New York. In January of 2017, Haagen was appointed Northeast Zone executive, leading and executing local business strategies, plans and change initiatives for AGCS. As head of Specialty, he will now be responsible for the Aviation, Energy, Entertainment and Marine segments for the entire North American region, including Canada.

Prior to AGCS, Haagen worked as a senior underwriter for both GE Insurance Solutions and Augsburg Re/Brit Insurance. He began his insurance career at Gerling Insurance and Reinsurance AG.

Soja joined Allianz in August of this year from Tokio Marine Management, where he served as senior vice president, Marine. As the new global head of Inland Marine for Allianz, he is responsible for the oversight of both the Global and North American Inland Marine strategies with key distribution partners. The Inland Marine division covers risks in construction, transportation, communication, fine arts, related property and other specialty classes. Now as the regional head of Marine for North America, he will oversee the underwriting of both inland and ocean marine classes of business.

Prior to joining Allianz, Soja held several global leadership positions within the Marine divisions for Aspen and Chubb Insurance; he began his underwriting career at Crum & Foster.

Brentwood Services Administrators Inc. (BSA), headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., recently announced that Angela Stokes joined the firm as claims adjuster trainee in its occupational injury unit in its new Florence, Ala., office.

In her new position as a claims adjuster trainee, Stokes is responsible for reviewing, processing and handling occupational injury indemnity claims. She determines the compensability of the claim and extent of liability, and communicates directly with clients, employers, injured works, physicians and attorneys to manage claims in a timely and economic manner. She is under the leadership of Jim Stewart.

Gallagher Bassett (GB) announced that Caryn Siebert joined the organization’s Carrier Practice team, effective December 4, 2017. Siebert will serve as vice president focused on business development and strategic initiatives.

Siebert has more than 20 years of claims, legal, risk management and process improvement expertise.

Based in Orange County, Calif., Siebert assumes responsibility for strategic initiatives and business development in the national casualty carrier marketplace.

She is the chairperson of the Combined Claims Conference in southern California.

Prior to joining GB, Siebert held executive leadership positions with Carl Warren & Company and Knight Insurance Group.