John D. Finnegan, executive vice president of General Motors Corp. and chairman and president of General Motors Acceptance Corp. (GMAC) became President, CEO and director of The Chubb Corp. Finnegan succeeded Dean R. O'Hare, who retired after 39 years with Chubb. Chubb's lead director, Joel J. Cohen, was elected nonexecutive chairman of the board. Thomas F. Motamed, executive vice president and COO, was promoted to vice chairman and COO. President John Degnan and Executive Vice President Michael O'Reilly were promoted to vice chairmen and will retain their current responsibilities. The three new vice chairmen report to Finnegan. Earlier, Michael O'Reilly, executive vice president and chief investment officer of The Chubb Corp., was named to the position of chief financial officer. O'Reilly succeeded Weston Hicks, who resigned as Chubb CFO to accept a position as executive vice president of Alleghany Corp.Several executive appointments have been made at MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife Inc. Peggy Fechtmann is now responsible for individual business operations; Georgette Piligian has been named CIO of corporate systems; and Larry Blakeman will assume the position of CIO of MetLife Auto & Home upon the retirement of Richard Small, vice president and CIO of MetLife Auto & Home.
Richard (Rick) Madock, former president of CNA Insurance Group's small commercial unit has joined Charter Consulting Inc. as a director. Madock will work closely with Michael Rice, managing director overseeing the management consulting firm's financial services practice.
Thomas J. Wilson has been named president of Allstate Protection, succeeding Richard I. Cohen, who is retiring at year-end. Wilson was the chairman and president of Allstate Financial. Allstate Protection will combine the operations of Allstate Property and Casualty and the Ivantage Group, selling property/casualty products through Allstate and independent agents, respectively. Casey J. Sylla, the acting chief financial officer of Allstate Financial, is succeeding Wilson. Before joining Allstate in 1995 as chief investment officer and then as president of Allstate Investments LLC, Sylla was a senior vice president at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Leon L. Bascome has been appointed assistant vice resident, general casualty, at Allied World Assurance Co. Ltd. (AWAC) Prior to joining AWAC, Mr. Bascome was assistant vice president at XL Insurance Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of XL Capital Ltd.
Argonaut Group Inc. named Barbara C. Bufkin vice president of corporate business development. A 22-year veteran of the insurance industry, Bufkin is now responsible for developing growth strategies and initiatives, new business relationships, ceded reinsurance programs and corporate communications.
Morris, Manning & Martin LLP has formed a new practice group to serve the needs of independent insurance Managing General Agents (MGAs). The Insurance Managing General Agents Practice Group brings together some of the firm's best insurance, litigation, and corporate attorneys. Lew Hassett, who leads the firm's insurance/reinsurance disputes group, and Joe Cregan, a member of the insurance group, are co-chairs in the effort. Senior group members include Skip Myers, a partner in the insurance group, and Ward Bondurant, a partner in the corporate practices area.
The National Association of Independent Insurers (NAII), Des Plaines, Ill., elected members for its board of governors at its annual meeting. William L. Pollard, executive vice president and general manager of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co. was elected chairman of the board of governors, and Herm Arends, chairman and CEO of Auto-Owners Group was elected first vice chair. Thomas R. Brown, chairman of the board and CEO of California Casualty Management Co. was elected second vice chair. The following executives were selected to serve three-year terms: Joseph A. Desmond, chairman and CEO of Concord General Mutual Insurance Co.; C. Lee Ellis, executive vice president-operations, Alfa Insurance Group; Norman F. Ernst, Jr. , chairman and CEO, NOVA Casualty Co.; Gerald Garnett, executive vice president and CEO, Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Group; Stephen A. Gilbert, president and CEO, Preserver Group Inc.; Robert J. Joyce, COO, Westfield Group; Anthony F. Markel, president and COO, Markel Corp.; Harvey R. Pierce, chairman and CEO, American Family Mutual Insurance Co.; Michael J. Snead, director, Admiral Insurance Co.; and Donald G. Southwell, president, insurance operations, Unitrin Inc.
