Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Names Important Staff Appointments and Promotions

August 21, 2015

As a result of expansion, a number of important staff appointments and promotions have been made. Read our press releases to learn more.

Traci Herring

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Cos. has named Traci Herring a senior field representative in Northern California. Herring is responsible for identifying prospects for appointments while providing information about available resources and new developments to existing members of the distribution network. She also functions as agents’ field liaison with Berkshire Hathaway GUARD’s underwriting, loss control and claims staff. Herring has extensive experience with underwriting, sales and partnership building. In October of 2012, GUARD Insurance Group was acquired by National Indemnity Co., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. In 2013, GUARD unveiled a new identity as Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Cos.
Source: Insurance Journal

Sue Bonkowski and Mike Lawless

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, has hired Sue Bonkowski and Mike Lawless as senior field representatives. Bonkowski is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and will promote targeted growth in western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia. Bonkowski most recently was territory sales manager at Grange Insurance. Lawless is based in Fayetteville, New York, and will promote targeted growth in upstate New York. Most recently, he was sales manager for commercial and personal lines at Nationwide Insurance. Bonkowski and Lawless will be responsible for identifying prospects for appointments in their respective regions while providing information about available resources and new developments to existing members of the distribution network. They will also serve as agents’ field liaison with Berkshire Hathaway GUARD’s underwriting, loss control and claims staff.
Source: Insurance Journal

Mark Martinez

Berkshire Hathaway Guard Insurance Cos. has named Mark Martinez senior field representative. Martinez will help promote growth in Southern California. In this capacity, he is responsible for identifying prospects for appointments while providing information about available resources and new developments to existing members of the distribution network. He also functions as agents’ field liaison with Berkshire Hathaway Guard’s underwriting, loss control and claims staff. Martinez has more than 25 years of experience, primarily representing national carriers. In October of 2012, Guard Insurance Group was acquired by National Indemnity Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.
Source: Insurance Journal

Lyle Hitt

Workers’ compensation insurer Berkshire Hathaway GUARD recently named Lyle Hitt as executive vice president of Property and Liability Insurance as the company plans to expand. In his new role, Hitt will oversee activities related to lines of coverage used to complement the company’s traditional workers’ compensation specialty. The company said Hitt will lead the expansion of the organization’s property and liability lines into new states; refine existing products to address the needs of an even wider audience of commercial accounts; and develop new products. Hitt brings a quarter century of experience in the insurance industry to his new role. As an executive at Arch Insurance Group, he most recently oversaw the insurer’s Professional Liability Division, Corporate Training and Travel Insurance Division. Hitt also held executive positions at Zurich North America. Berkshire Hathaway GUARD began diversifying into other lines of insurance in 2008 with the introduction of a new multi-line BizGUARD Plus product that features businessowners, commercial umbrella, and commercial auto policies. President and CEO Sy Foguel said that within about two years, the BizGUARD Plus product will, like its workers’ compensation policies, be available in all states. He said the company’s long-term goal is to be “one-stop insurance Shop for commercial accounts.” National Indemnity Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, acquired GUARD Insurance Group in 2012.
Source: Insurance Journal

Connie Bedaw

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies recently added Connie Bedaw as a senior field representative to address targeted growth in New England. She will serve producers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, three of the longest tenured territories in the company’s operating area. In her new capacity, Bedaw is responsible for identifying prospects for appointments while providing information about available resources and new developments to existing members of the distribution network. She will also function as agents’ field liaison with Berkshire Hathaway GUARD’s underwriting, loss control and claims staff. Bedaw has been part of the insurance industry in New England for over 35 years and has extensive experience with all lines of coverage while working with a variety of agency groups. According to Assistant Vice President of Regional Sales Larry Weinert, “Berkshire Hathaway GUARD is anxious to increase our presence and our market share in the region. We’ve enjoyed a long history of success in New England, and we believe the addition of Connie Bedaw to serve Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont will help us further expand and develop our presence in that part of the country.” A specialist in writing workers compensation insurance, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD was rated A+ (“Superior”) by A.M. Best. Source: The Standard