Blaise D’Antoni promoted to Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox

DETROIT (November 5, 2019) – H.W. Kaufman Group, a global network of companies, and Kaufman’s subsidiary Burns & Wilcox, North America’s leading wholesale insurance broker and underwriting manager, today publicly announced leadership promotions that were revealed during its annual Kaufman Leadership Meeting. Each year, associates are invited to the Kaufman Leadership Meeting to celebrate their accomplishments, plan for the future and hear unique perspectives from internal and industry experts. Twenty-three insurance industry associates across 15 locations in the United States and Canada were promoted at a recognition dinner during the event.

One of the most prominent promotions is Blaise D’Antoni, who was promoted to Corporate Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Corporate Senior Vice President, Managing Director. D’Antoni, in his new role, based in New Orleans, will oversee the growth and operations of the Burns & Wilcox South Region, with offices that extend from Texas to the Carolinas.

With more than two decades spent with the company, he has been instrumental in the robust underwriting capabilities in Commercial and Personal Insurance within the Gulf States. He is also known for his outstanding leadership through major natural catastrophes, such as Hurricane Katrina, providing brokers and agents expert consult and support.

Promotions announced during the 2019 Kaufman Leadership Meeting include:

• Blaise D’Antoni was promoted to Corporate Executive Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Corporate Senior Vice President, Managing Director (New Orleans, Louisiana)
• David Derigiotis was promoted to Corporate Senior Vice President, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, from Corporate Vice President, Professional Liability (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Bill Gatewood was promoted to Corporate Senior Vice President, Personal Insurance, Burns & Wilcox, from Corporate Vice President (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Rich Gobler was promoted to Corporate Senior Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Corporate Vice President, Managing Director (San Francisco, California)
• Kori Johanson was promoted to Chief Compliance Officer, Corporate Senior Vice President, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Chief Compliance Officer (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Christine Tricoli was promoted to Corporate Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officers (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Mark de Waal was promoted to Executive Vice President, Afirm, from Senior Vice President (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
• Matthew Brady was promoted to Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox from Vice President, Associate Managing Director (Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas)
• Taylor Smith was promoted to Corporate Vice President, Corporate Development, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Associate Vice President, Corporate Development (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Tyson Peel was promoted to Vice President, Burns & Wilcox Canada, from Director, Property & Casualty (Toronto, Ontario)
• Nicole Greene was promoted to Associate Vice President, National Brokerage Operations, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, from Associate Vice President, Brokerage Director, Professional Liability (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Laura Guthinger was promoted to Associate Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Managing Director (Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
• Anella Niewenhous was promoted to Associate Vice President, Regional Practice Group Leader, Personal Insurance, Burns & Wilcox, from Regional Practice Group Leader (Morehead City, North Carolina)
• Carolyn Reiter was promoted to Associate Vice President, Associate Managing Director, Global Excess Partners, from Associate Vice President (New York, New York)
• Berri Willis was promoted to Associate Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Managing Director (Charlotte, Morehead City, and Wilmington, North Carolina)
• William Briscoe was promoted to Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Associate Managing Director (Oxford, Mississippi)
• Becky Thomas was promoted to Associate Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Underwriting Manager (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Kelly Viviano was promoted to Senior Director, Corporate Communications, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Director, Corporate Communications (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Felicia Armstrong was promoted to Underwriting Director, Burns & Wilcox, from Underwriting Manager (Denver, Colorado)
• Rahmad Bauldrick was promoted to Director, Regional Practice Group Leader, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, from Brokerage Manager (Chicago, Illinois)
• Michael Muglia was promoted to Director, National Underwriting Operations, Professional Liability, Burns & Wilcox, from Underwriting Manager (Farmington Hills, Michigan)
• Patricia Chiodo was promoted to Manager, Human Resources, Burns & Wilcox Canada, from HR Leader (Toronto, Canada)
• Brad Swift was promoted to Manager, Casualty, Burns & Wilcox, from Broker (Chicago, Illinois)

About H.W. Kaufman Group and Burns & Wilcox

Burns & Wilcox is the insurance industry’s leading wholesale insurance broker and underwriting manager internationally recognized for its expertise in commercial and professional liability, property, environmental, marine and personal insurance.

Burns & Wilcox is a member of H.W. Kaufman Group, which has over 60 offices across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom and employs more than 2,000 professionals. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Metro Detroit, H.W. Kaufman Group also includes: Burns & Wilcox, Burns & Wilcox Brokerage, Burns & Wilcox Canada, Atain Insurance Companies, Afirm, Global Excess Partners, RB Jones, Stonemark, Minuteman Adjusters, Kaufman Institute and London-based, Chesterfield Insurance Brokers, Lochain Patrick, Cranbrook Underwriting and Node International. More information can be found at www.burnsandwilcox.com or www.hwkaufman.com.

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