Consumer Federation of America Names an Insurance Director: Personnel Moves

The Consumer Federation of America has picked Doug Heller to succeed J. Robert Hunter as its director of insurance.

Hunter, an actuary and former Texas insurance commissioner who has been the Washington-based group’s insurance director since 1995, is retiring from that post. He will now be CFA’s insurance director emeritus.

Hunter has helped to shape federal and state-level insurance policy in areas such as market conduct regulation, regulator transparency and the debate over whether the federal terrorism reinsurance program should cover group life arrangements.

Since 2013, Heller has been a member of a California advisory board that oversees a state auto insurance program for low-income state residents.

He is also a member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance.

He was the executive director of Consumer Watchdog, an insurance consumer advocacy group, from 1997 through 2013.

Heller has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.

Other organizations also have personnel news this week.

Libra

Libra Insurance Partners, a Linthicum Heights, Maryland-based insurance marketing organization — has hired Jonathan Jacobs to be senior vice president of business development. He will work with insurance company distribution teams and with life insurance brokerage general agencies.

Jacobs previously founded Wealth Management Outcomes, a consulting firm.

He has also worked for Crump, a life insurance, annuities, long-term care, and disability insurance wholesaler.

Mountain Life

Mountain Life Insurance Co. and a sibling, Kentucky Home Life Insurance Co,, have promoted Michael Noyes to vice president of sales.

Noyes as been a regional director of marketing at the Lexington, Kentucky-based carriers. He has also worked for Farm Bureau Financial Services and for Allstate.

The carriers write life insurance in Kentucky and other nearby states.

Noyes has a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University. He holds the chartered leadership fellow professional designation.

Kuvare

Kuvare, a New York-based company that owns and runs insurance companies, has hired Ana Morales to be managing director, head of business development and product strategy, for a new Kuvare Insurance Services unit.

The unit will sell asset management services to insurers outside of Kuvare’s organization.

Morales was previously a senior relationship manager in the insurance asset management business at Goldman Sachs.

Kuvare has also hired Joseph Orofino, a Swiss Re veteran, to be head of investment risk management, and Thomas Pasuit, a MetLife alumnus, to be the chief legal officer.

Priority Health

Priority Health — a health coverage provider based in Grand Rapids, Michigan — has promoted Carrie Kincaid to senior vice president of market development.

Kincaid was previously the company’s vice president of individual markets.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Alma College and a master’s degree in business from Grand Valley State University.

SirusPoint

SiriusPoint — a Hamilton, Bermuda-based insurer and reinsurer — has hired Christopher Price to be head of travel accident and health products.

He was previously head of travel and accident for the region that includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Zurich Insurance Group.

Washington State

Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has named Michael Wood to be chief deputy commissioner.

Wood will succeed Mark Dietzler, who became deputy commissioner in October 2021, after working for Liberty Mutual Group.

Dietzler is returning to the private sector, Kreidler says.

Wood began working for the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner in October, after serving as administrator for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Oregon.

He has also worked at the Washington Department of Labor and Industries and at the state Legislature.

He has a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University.

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