The Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA) has appointed Michael Garrison and Lou Levinson to its board of directors to replace Henry Lopez and Janet Jordan-Foster, respectively.
Garrison of Navigators, a brand of The Hartford, is stepping in to complete Lopez’s unfinished term after the latter retired from the same firm and resigned from the WSIA board last month. Levinson, meanwhile, takes over for Jordan-Foster, who left the board following her departure from AXIS Insurance.
The appointments were made by WSIA board chair Brenda (Ballard) Austenfeld with the help of the nominating committee.
Austenfeld commented: “We are thrilled to welcome Michael and Lou to the WSIA board. They are proven leaders, and their extensive industry experience will be beneficial to the association’s ongoing success. I look forward to collaborating with them this year as we continue to enhance WSIA’s value to members.”
Garrison currently serves as wholesale head at Navigators, having joined the company in 2021. His credentials include time spent as president of Asia-Pacific for Allied World, as well as stints at Starr, AIG, and Marsh.
Levinson, with a robust 30-year career in the insurance sector, is president and chief executive of Lexington Insurance Company. His previous roles include leading Argo’s excess & surplus property, casualty, and professional liability businesses, and serving as president of casualty at Ace/Westchester.
Earlier this year, WSIA named Steve Boyd (Bridge Specialty) and Annie Dawson (RT Specialty) as new board members, while several others were elected to three-year terms.
More recently, WSIA executive director Brady Kelley told Insurance Business: “The industry is certainly dealing with the race for talent.
“Our association has been focused for a long time on attracting talent through outreach to colleges, universities, internships, scholarships, students, symposiums – a bunch of things to attract student talent into the industry.”
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