AF Group Announces Executive Promotions

AF Group is pleased to announce several executive promotions, reflecting the strong leadership that continues to drive the success of the organization. These include:

“AF Group is a leading force in the property and casualty space, and these promotions build on the strength, expertise and creativity of key leaders to support our significant growth and transformation as an organization,” said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. “I’m excited these individuals will help us continue to lead, innovate and redefine our business toward a successful future.”

Patrick Stewart has more than 30 years of experience spanning corporate accounting and finance, insurance and strategic leadership. He began his career in financial services at KPMG and later joined AmeriTrust Group, holding several financial leadership roles. Following AF Group’s acquisition of AmeriTrust in 2023, Stewart helped manage the successful integration of the two organizations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Michigan State University.

With two decades of experience across property, casualty and workers’ compensation lines, Olivia Rogers joined AF Group in 2019, having previously served as vice president of JLT Reinsurance. She earned an MBA in investment management from Drexel University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and Spanish from Colgate University. Rogers holds Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Associate in Reinsurance (ARe) designations.

Jason Foreman has more than 15 years of leadership experience in the insurance industry, specializing in Underwriting, Product Management and Business Development. He has served in various leadership roles within Century Insurance Group. Foreman earned an MBA from Xavier University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and history from Miami University of Ohio, and he holds Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Associate in Reinsurance (ARe) and Associate in General Insurance (AINS) designations.

LANSING, Mich. – Accident Fund is proud to recognize BHS Insurance as its Agency of the Year for strong premium performance, new business growth, retention and more during 2024.

“Relationships are the backbone of the insurance industry, and strong ones lead to success,” said Mike Valiante, senior vice president of Small Commercial Market, AF Group. “BHS Insurance is a true partner, and we appreciate their trust, insights and gratitude that they show for their staff. We’re pleased to award them with this Agency of the Year recognition and look forward to growing together.”

“We are grateful for the partnership we have built with Accident Fund at every level within their organization,” said Kim Slager, president of Commercial Lines at BHS Insurance. “We can rely on them to meet our needs, serve our clients and provide strength and stability to our industry. Accident Fund works closely with us to create safer environments and maintain productive workplaces which help our clients succeed. In the end, we sell a promise to serve, and we couldn’t do it without the support of everyone at Accident Fund.”

About BHS Insurance

BHS Insurance has an 85-year history of providing superior service as one of the largest independent insurance agencies in Michigan. BHS has approximately 200 employees operating out of seven locations and services clients throughout 49 states. BHS is a full-service insurance organization providing Group Benefits, Personal Lines, 401k/Wealth Management and Commercial Insurance for businesses of all sizes.

LANSING, Mich. – Accident Fund is proud to recognize their President’s Club Award honorees and Regional Agency of the Territory winners, representing high-performing agent partners across the U.S. Recipients of these important awards exhibited outstanding results in premium, cumulative loss ratio and premium retention in 2024.

“Accident Fund congratulates all of our winners for their strong performance,” said Mike Valiante, senior vice president of Small Commercial Market, AF Group. “These agencies deserve to be recognized for sharing their knowledge, building trust and always being there for our mutual policyholders. We are grateful for their partnership and look forward to a bright future together.”

The 2024 President’s Club Award winners are:

Additionally, Accident Fund recognizes the following high performers as Regional Agency of the Territory winners:

AF Group – a Ward’s 50 company whose affiliate brands are premier providers of innovative, specialty insurance solutions nationwide – has announced the appointment of Marcos Iglesias, M.D., M.M.M., as chief medical director. Iglesias will oversee the organization’s medical management strategy and will serve as clinical liaison to the organization’s affiliate brands, facilitating communication and relations with providers and medical vendors across the country.

“We are excited to have Dr. Iglesias join our organization to continue our transformative claims efforts,” said Paul Kearney, chief claims officer of AF Group. “He has a clear passion for providing quality care and fluid access to care for injured workers and has designed transformative medical management solutions and innovative claims strategies that will significantly enhance our claims delivery.”

Iglesias is a seasoned physician-executive with more than 30 years of clinical and administrative experience in workers’ compensation, occupational medicine, utilization management, disability insurance leadership, medical education, medical group management and hospital utilization. He most recently served as chief medical director at Travelers. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president and chief medical officer at Broadspire Services Inc. and as vice president and chief medical officer at The Hartford.

Iglesias is a thought leader on medical and disability management as well as employee mental wellbeing. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of occupational and Environmental Medicine and the American Institute of Healthcare Quality. He is also a member of the American Academy of Insurance Medicine and is board certified in Family Medicine and Utilization Review and Quality Assurance.

Iglesias earned his medical degree at the University of Toronto and completed his residency in family medicine at Sunnybrook Medical Centre in Toronto. He holds a master’s degree in medical management from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California.

AF Group has demonstrated its continued support for local communities and charities by providing nearly $1.5 million to regional and national organizations in 2024. 

Through the company’s annual Caring & Sharing employee giving program, teammates donated $342,000, which was enhanced by a dollar-for-dollar match from AF Group and the wider Emergent Holdings organization of which the company is a part, for a combined total give of $735,000. These donations helped support 186 charitable organizations nationwide. An additional $753,000 in corporate sponsorships from AF Group and Emergent Holdings led to the total contributions. 

“We’re proud of our benevolent People First culture, which models how we interact with our teammates, partners, customers and communities,” said Sarah Garcia, director of Community Relations, AF Group. “Every year, our teammates support these causes with enthusiasm, kindness and empathy. AF Group is proud to support their passion and generosity so that we can help make a positive impact in the communities where we work and live.” 

“AF Group’s unwavering generosity over the past year has made an incredible difference for grieving families in our community,” said Kristine Kuhnert, director of Ele’s Place. “Ele’s Place has provided vital grief support services at no cost to those who need them most thanks to AF Group’s support. We are especially grateful to them for supporting us from day one and exemplifying a deep commitment to our mission and the families we serve.” 

Teammates logged more than 1,550 volunteer hours in 2024, with nearly 1,200 hours coming from company-sponsored events with groups such as Ele’s Place, No Senior Without Christmas and Communities in Schools of Michigan among many others. 

“Volunteering has been a rewarding experience for myself and my team through the opportunities coordinated by AF Group,” said Kim Morehouse, business operations specialist, AF Group. “It gives us the ability to help those most in need in our community while collaborating with our teammates in ways that bring us closer together and give us a break from our usual day-to-day tasks. It’s fun, gratifying and I look forward to doing more volunteering in 2025.” 

LANSING, Mich. – AF Group has announced the appointment of Kriss Barronton as chief operating officer. In her new role, Barronton will lead a number of key teams including Business Transformation, Loss Control, Premium Audit, Service Center and Corporate Underwriting. Barronton joins AF Group, a Ward’s 50 company for five years running and whose affiliate brands are premier providers of innovative, specialty insurance solutions nationwide.

“We’re so pleased to welcome Kriss to our executive leadership team – and will certainly benefit from her significant experience and expertise in the industry,” said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. “She will be a tremendous asset to our organization.”

Barronton most recently served as Automobile and International Product Line leader for USAA. She has also held executive roles for leading insurers nationwide.

Barronton earned an MBA in Risk Management from the J. Mack Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Florida Atlantic University. Additionally, she has earned the Associate in Claims designation from The Institutes.

LANSING, Mich. – Accident Fund is proud to recognize HUB International Midwest Grand Rapids as its Agency of the Year for strong premium performance, new business growth, retention and more during 2023.

“Our strong agency partnerships begin with genuine trust and care for others, so that together we can prioritize the needs of our mutual policyholders,” said Mike Valiante, senior vice president of Small Commercial Market, AF Group. “HUB International Midwest Grand Rapids is a genuine example of those shared values, which is why we are pleased to award them with this Agency of the Year recognition and look forward to the exciting future ahead.”

“Our partnership with Accident Fund is a cornerstone of our Workers’ Compensation Practice, and being named their Agency of the Year for 2023 is an honor,” said Justin Dailey, chief marketing officer, HUB International Midwest Grand Rapids. “This award underscores our dedication to excellence and celebrates the exceptional results we consistently achieve for our clients.”

About HUB International

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Hub International Limited is a leading full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm providing risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services. With more than 17,000 employees in offices located throughout North America, Hub’s vast network of specialists brings clarity to a changing world with tailored solutions and unrelenting advocacy, so clients are ready for tomorrow. For more information, please visit www.hubinternational.com.

LANSING, Mich. – Accident Fund is proud to recognize President’s Club Award honorees and Regional Agency of the Territory winners, representing high-performing agent partners across the U.S. Recipients of this important award exhibited outstanding results in premium, cumulative loss ratio and premium retention in 2023.

“Accident Fund congratulates all of our winners for the hard work and care shown throughout the year,” said Mike Valiante, senior vice president of Small Commercial Market, AF Group. “These dynamic agencies have earned this recognition by providing a high level of personal attention, expertise and value to our mutual policyholders. We are grateful for these incredible partners, leaders and collaborators, and look forward to working together to reach new levels of success in 2024.”

The President’s Club Award winners are:

Additionally, Accident Fund recognized the following high performers as Regional Agency of the Territory winners:

AF Group has demonstrated its continued support for local communities and charities by providing more than $1.4 million to regional and national organizations last year. 

Through the company’s annual Caring & Sharing employee giving program, teammates donated $338,000 – which was enhanced by a dollar-for-dollar match from AF Group and the wider Emergent Holdings organization of which the company is a part – totaling nearly $700,000 which was distributed to 50 charitable organizations nationwide last year. An additional $730,000 in corporate sponsorships from AF Group and Emergent Holdings led to the total contributions. 

“Community engagement is part of our culture at AF Group and Emergent Holdings, and our teammates are passionate about causes that are close to home and across the country,” said Sarah Garcia, director of Community Relations. “We’re proud to support their generosity so these exceptional organizations can continue to serve those in need and make a difference in the lives of people in the communities where we work and live.” 

Teammates also logged nearly 1,300 volunteer hours through company-sponsored events in 2023, including time with the Lansing, Mich., chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a national nonprofit organization that builds, assembles and delivers beds to children and families in need. Nearly 80 AF Group teammates spent an afternoon in December building 40 twin beds for local children.  

Organization contributes $100,000 to groups in California, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin

As part of its ongoing commitment to serve local communities, AF Group, a nationally recognized holding company whose affiliated companies provide workers’ compensation and other specialty insurance solutions across the U.S., has contributed $100,000 to six organizations that serve the educational needs of children and families across five states.

“AF Group has a long history of giving back to those most in need in the communities where we work and live,” said Sarah Garcia, director of Community Relations. “We are proud to support the incredible work of these amazing organizations so that the children and families in our local communities can build successful, happy lives.”

The organizations receiving assistance include:

AF Group, a nationally recognized holding company whose affiliated companies provide workers’ compensation and other specialty insurance solutions across the U.S., has named the recipients of its annual employee awards. These significant honors recognize teammates who demonstrate AF Group’s People First culture through their outstanding character, leadership and commitment to excellence.

“Each of our winners is an absolute shining example of who we are as a People First, values-driven organization,” said Lisa Corless, president and CEO. “These strong leaders and exceptional teammates are committed to their teams and to each other, as well as to our customers and valued agent partners. We’re all made better by having them as part of our team.”

Recipients of AF Group’s employee awards are nominated by their peers and leaders based on exceptional performance. The 2023 winners include:

Pinnacle Award – recognizes achievement of teammates who support AF Group, as part of our Enterprise Services teams.

Horizon Award – recognizes teammates in one of AF Group’s Specialty Lines, including Century Insurance, Fundamental Underwriters and AF Specialty.

Legend Award – recognizes teammates within and/or who serve AF Group’s Commercial Markets division and AmeriTrust Admitted teammates.

Special Recognition – honors a group of teammates for their contributions to AF Group and AmeriTrust’s strategic integration efforts in 2023.

AF Group has been named to PropertyCasulaty360’s Insurance Luminaries Class of 2023 in the category of Risk Management Innovation.

AF Group was recognized for our Loss Run/Risk Management Modernization program, which includes a Digital Reporting Center and Loss Run Automation initiative. Our self-service report center provides agents with dynamic, real-time access to agency metrics, loss runs and other risk metrics through a 24/7 portal. In addition, an automation of loss run data with partner, Groundspeed, provides a fully integrated end-to-end solution that has improved underwriting efficiency, data accuracy and alignment with vendor and business requirements.

“This is an incredible recognition for AF Group and the teams who work every day to provide value to our customers,” said Mitch Walsh, vice president of Business Transformation. “We are helping our industry grow by focusing on the needs of our customers and creating a collaborative environment for teams to thrive. Congratulations to our actuarial, data science, IT, IT Security, Innovation, Customer Experience, PMO and Business Development teams!”

This recognition celebrates innovation in the property and casualty insurance industry. The program spotlights top professionals, teams, organizations, programs, practices and products within the sector that strive to modernize and humanize the business. The 2023 honorees were selected by a panel of industry experts based on how well they stated and achieved goals with regards to the nomination category; how impactful their work has been; how dedicated the nominee has been to furthering modernization and humanization in the P&C insurance business; and how committed and dedicated the nominee has been to high ethical standards, service and excellence.

“Today’s top insurance organizations recognize the industry’s history and purpose while embodying contemporary processes and services,” says NU Property & Casualty Executive Editor Elana Ashanti Jefferson. “My colleagues and I are thrilled to be able to recognize pace-setting insurance organizations, programs, practices, teams and individuals as part of the annual NU PropertyCasualty360 Luminaries recognition program.”

AF Group, a nationally recognized holding company whose affiliated companies provide workers’ compensation and other specialty insurance solutions across the U.S., has been named to the Ward’s 50® list of top-performing property and casualty insurance companies for the fifth year in a row. 

“The efforts and commitment of our teammates continues to earn recognition across the industry,” said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. “This honor is especially meaningful given their contributions, and I am proud to see our outstanding results in safety, consistency and superior performance repeatedly recognized.” 

Ward Benchmarking, part of Aon, is a leading provider of benchmarking and best practice studies for the insurance industry. Each year they closely examine nearly 3,000 U.S. property-casualty insurance companies to determine their top-performer list. This year’s list recognizes companies that have passed all safety and consistency screens and have achieved superior performance over the five years analyzed (2018-2022). 

For more information about the 2023 Ward’s 50 list, visit https://ward.aon.com/ward-benchmarking/wards50. 

AF Group has announced Andrea Burns as chief underwriting officer, aligning a proven industry executive with the organization’s strong underwriting expertise and success as a growing, innovative and diversified leader in specialty insurance.

“Andrea’s appointment reflects our commitment to furthering our underwriting discipline, and we’re so pleased to welcome an individual with such impressive experience to our executive leadership team,” said Lisa Corless, president and CEO of AF Group. “Her track record of building strong teams and insights on both the challenges and opportunities of underwriting will be highly valuable to our continued success.”

Burns has held executive roles at several major industry carriers, most recently serving as director and head of Commercial Property and Liability Product Line Management for Allstate Insurance. Previously she was regional product director for Encompass Insurance and vice president of Sales & Distribution for Zurich North America.

Burns earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign and holds Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) designations. She is a CPCU In Good Standing and is Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certified.

Accident Fund is proud to recognize UNICO Group Inc. as its 2022 Agency of the Year. This is the second year in a row that Lincoln, Nebraska-based UNICO has received the award.

“We place tremendous value on our agency partnerships – and Accident Fund’s longstanding relationship with UNICO is a great example of what can be accomplished together through trust and a mutual commitment to servicing our customers,” said Steve Cooper, president of AF Group Commercial Markets. “Their back-to-back Agency of the Year recognition further demonstrates the investment they’ve placed in building a long-term relationship with Accident Fund!”

“We at UNICO are thrilled to be recognized as Accident Fund’s Agency of the Year for a second year in a row,” said Ric Stoakes, executive vice president and partner at UNICO. “Our reputation in the industry is a testament to the strong relationships we’ve fostered with our carrier partners. We value the importance of personal connections that extend beyond business. We’re proud of our long-standing partnership with Accident Fund and appreciate their commitment to providing our clients with exceptional service and tailored solutions.”

“Our partnership with UNICO was developed with a core belief to keep our mutual policyholders’ workplaces safe and productive and to stand behind our promises to be there for them in their time of need,” said Mike Valiante, vice president of Business and Development Operations for Accident Fund. “We are absolutely thrilled to award UNICO with another Agency of the Year recognition and are even more excited about what the future holds moving forward.”