Williams joined Nationwide in December 2021 after serving as head of global client support services for Guy Carpenter . •
INDUSTRY NEWS
KANSAS MARKETPLACE HEADLINES
IN MEMORIAM - AL SHANK
Our KAIA family is deeply saddened by the loss of member , Al Shank Jr ., owner and CEO of Al Shank Insurance , Inc ., in Liberal , Kansas , who passed away February 22 .
Al was active in KAIA since the 1980s , chairing numerous committees . In addition , Al was a past president of KAIA , participated on several Big “ I ” national committees , and was the recipient of the Outstanding Agent of the Year award in 2022 . Involvement in the community was a cornerstone of his career , including being a graduate of Leadership Kansas , supporting the rotary club , fundraising for the local community college , and being active in the Kansas Republican Party . Al ' s agency was also a “ Best Practices ” Agency that in 2021 celebrated their 80- year anniversary as a family-owned agency .
KS COMMISSIONER SCHMIDT NAMED TO 3 NAIC COMMITTEES
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced that she will be serving on three committees for the National Association of Insurance Commissioners ( NAIC ) in 2024 .
Committee assignments were made at the NAIC ’ s winter meeting in January . Schmidt was assigned to the Property and Casualty Insurance ( C ) Committee , Financial Condition ( E ) Committee , and International Insurance Relations ( G ) Committee .
She also serves on the National Insurance Producer Registry ( NIPR ) Board of Directors and the Consumer Participation Board of Trustees .
FARMERS ALLIANCE BOARD ADDS DOMINO
operations .
David Domino has been elected a director for the Farmers Alliance Companies , headquartered in McPherson , Kansas . Domino will provide guidance , direction and oversight for the companies ’ property and casualty insurance
Domino previously served as chairman for the regional / mutual segment at Guy Carpenter & Company , LLC , where he has worked in reinsurance brokerage for over 20 years . His extensive industry experience includes time as a reinsurance underwriter and client executive .
RT ' S BALLARD ELECTED WSIA PRES .
Brenda ( Ballard ) Austenfeld was elected to serve as 2024-2025 Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association ( WSIA ) president
Austenfeld , CEO and president of RT Specialty ’ s national property practice , was chosen by membership at the organization ’ s annual business meeting earlier this month . She joined the legacy NAPSLO Board of Directors in 2016 and the WSIA Board of Directors in 2017 .
NATIONWIDE ELEVATES WILLIAMS
Nationwide , headquartered in Columbus , Ohio , has appointed George Williams to lead its small market commercial lines business . Williams previously served as the company ’ s chief operating officer for commercial lines , excess & surplus and specialty , bringing more than two decades of industry experience to the role .
Williams joined Nationwide in December 2021 after serving as head of global client support services for Guy Carpenter . •
MARCH / APRIL 2024
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