Selective Insurance Company of America, a subsidiary of Selective Insurance Group, has revealed it has made several officer appointments across its various departments.
Maria Orecchio has been appointed senior vice-president, deputy general counsel. She joined Selective in 2012 as vice-president, assistant general counsel. Before joining Selective, Orecchio served as senior counsel at Clyde and Co US LLP. She received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Fordham University in New York and her J.D. from St. John’s University Law School in New York.
Jamie Beal, meanwhile, has been named vice-president, director of communications. She joined Selective in 2015, initially as an assistant vice-president, director of communications. Prior to this, she was serving as senior manager of internal communications at Toys “R” Us. Beal is a recipient of a bachelor’s degree in public relations, with a minor in Speech and Communications from York College in Pennsylvania.
Steven Bennett has been promoted to vice-president, field operations. When he joined Selective in 2005, he initially served as an agency management specialist. Prior to his promotion, he was most recently territory manager for the Southern Region. Bennett earned his bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in Statistics from Georgia State University and he also holds the Certified Insurance Counselor designation.
Selective has also tapped Brian Bessler to serve as vice-president, field operations. He originally joined Selective in April 2013 as a territory manager for the Mid-Atlantic Region. Before this, he was a producer at Murphy Insurance in Cincinnati, OH and a field representative for Cincinnati Insurance. Bessler earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Xavier University in Ohio.
Deneen Dallago-Lohan has been appointed vice-president, regional manager. Dallago-Lohan has been with Selective since 2006, and has served in a variety of roles – including general liability lines of business leader in the company’s corporate underwriting department. She received her bachelor’s degree in business from Delaware Valley University in Pennsylvania and holds designations as both an Associate in Underwriting and Associate in General Insurance.
Michael Mazzarella has been selected to serve as vice-president, commercial lines underwriting. Mazzarella is a Selective veteran, having worked for the company since 1988, initially as a corporate trainee. His most recent role was vice-president, underwriting for the Northeast Region – a position he had held since 2008. Mazzarella earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Moravian College in Pennsylvania and holds designations as both a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter and a Certified Insurance Counselor.
John Villani was chosen to serve as vice-president, underwriting. Villani joined the company in 2005 as an agency management specialist; he was most recently territory manager for the Northeast Region. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Villanova University in Pennsylvania and has designations as both a Certified Insurance Counselor and Certified Risk Manager.
Selective Insurance has also named Contrina Hall assistant vice-president, regional claims manager. She had just joined the company in March 2018, having previously served as the chief claims officer at McNeil & Company. Hall has a Master of Business Administration degree in conflict and negotiation management, and she is in the process of earning a master’s degree in education from Trident University. She also has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and history from Chapman University in California.
Nicole Hayes has been promoted to assistant vice-president, contractors strategic business unit leader. She has been a part of the Selective team since 2010, joining the company as a corporate SBU summer intern. Hayes was later transitioned to the Northeast Region as an underwriter, before she was promoted to agency management specialist in 2013. She received a bachelor’s degree in economics, with a dual minor in business society and culture and sociology, from Drew University in New Jersey, and holds the Associate in Underwriting designation.
Finally, Justin Kohlhepp has been appointed assistant vice-president, IT application delivery. Kohlhepp has been part of Selective since February 2018. Before joining, he served as director of IT delivery at The Hartford Financial Services Group. He is the recipient of a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Hartford, and has earned a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from Quinnipiac University.
