Headquarters:
30833 Northwestern Hwy, #220 Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Year founded:
1969
Number of employees:
1,030
Phone:
248 932 9030
Email:
aehein@hwkaufman.com
Website:
burnsandwilcox.com
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/burns-&-wilcox
“We will leverage data and insights, along with AI and machine learning, to better understand the needs of our clients and work even closer with our carrier partners”
Danny Kaufman,
Burns & Wilcox
BURNS & WILCOX
Alan Jay Kaufman
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Danny Kaufman
President
Zach Blaetz
Director of Sales
Leadership
Alan Jay Kaufman is the chairman and CEO of Burns & Wilcox. Under his decades of leadership, the company has built a reputation for prioritizing specialty expertise and lifelong learning.
He established the Kaufman Institute, an educational hub dedicated to expanding the knowledge and skills of its associates and industry professionals overall. He also endowed a professorship in insurance within the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University.
Kaufman’s active board memberships span many organizations, including Business Leaders for Michigan, St. John’s University School of Insurance, Risk Management and Actuarial Science in New York City, and more.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Alan Jay Kaufman
Danny Kaufman is the president of Burns & Wilcox.
Representing the third generation of family leadership, Kaufman oversees the US operations for Burns & Wilcox and guides its global sales, marketing and technology teams. Under his leadership, the company has prioritized innovation, including the development of a proprietary digital platform and resources designed to foster internal collaboration and client engagement.
Kaufman serves as a board member for the City of Hope National Insurance Industry Council, among several other organizations.
He received his BA from the University of Michigan and his JD from Loyola University.
President
Danny Kaufman
Zach Blaetz is an accomplished director of sales with over eight years of experience at Appalachian Underwriters. He manages a team of sales representatives across the country and was instrumental in starting the Burlington, NC office. Blaetz is a skilled communicator and relationship builder, able to connect with clients and colleagues alike. He is adept at developing and executing sales strategies that drive revenue growth and is committed to delivering exceptional customer service.
Director of Sales
Zach Blaetz
“We will leverage data and insights, along with AI and machine learning, to better understand the needs of our clients and work even closer with our carrier partners”
Danny Kaufman,
Burns & Wilcox
“I am proud of our commitment to deliver the industry’s best expertise – our teams lean into the extensive relationships they have built with our longstanding carrier partners to bring products to the market that meet specific needs”
Danny Kaufman,
Burns & Wilcox
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“I am proud of our commitment to deliver the industry’s best expertise – our teams lean into the extensive relationships they have built with our longstanding carrier partners to bring products to the market that meet specific needs”
Danny Kaufman,
Burns & Wilcox
“We will leverage data and insights, along with AI and machine learning, to better understand the needs of our clients and work even closer with our carrier partners”
Danny Kaufman,
Burns & Wilcox
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John Chisenhall
Director of Marketing and Digital Partnerships
John Chisenhall is the director of marketing and digital partnerships at Appalachian Underwriters. He joined the company in 2022 as a regional sales manager and recently moved to his current role. With over 15 years of experience in the insurance industry, Chisenhall has primarily worked on the wholesale and MGA side. His background is in commercial insurance, specializing in workers’ compensation, real estate, and hospitality. Chisenhall is skilled in digital strategy, communication, and relationship building, and is focused on driving business growth and building strong partnerships in the industry.
Director of Marketing and Digital Partnerships
John Chisenhall
Kristin Downey
Chief Administrative Officer
Kristin Downey leads the team responsible for developing and implementing the people strategies to support Amwins’ business objectives. She also directs the management and operations for compensation and benefits, HR systems and payroll, employee relations and assistance, talent management, training and development, and marketing and communications. Downey also leads the company’s philanthropic efforts, including the Amwins Foundation.
Chief Administrative Officer
Kristin Downey
Founded in 1969 by Herbert W. Kaufman, Burns & Wilcox is a leading independent wholesale insurance broker and underwriting manager in North America.
“As a privately held, family-owned and operated organization, we have the freedom to prioritize our associates and their professional development,” says president Danny Kaufman.
Representing the third generation of family leadership, Kaufman oversees the company’s US operations and guides its global sales, marketing, and technology teams.
With over 60 offices globally and more than 2,000 professionals, Burns & Wilcox provides clients a range of highly specialized sector specific expertise that includes personal lines, professional liability, cannabis, transportation, excess casualty, and flood.
Innovation has always been a cornerstone of its business and currently, Burns & Wilcox is engaged in a multi-year proprietary partnership with Salesforce, Kaufman says, “It will enable our teams to work faster and smarter. We will leverage data and insights, along with AI and machine learning, to better understand the needs of our clients and work even closer with our carrier partners.”
Kaufman is committed to doubling the size of Burns & Wilcox over the next few years via organic growth and by acquisition.
“I am proud of our commitment to deliver the industry’s best expertise – our teams lean into the extensive relationships they have built with our longstanding carrier partners to bring products to the market that meet specific needs”
Danny Kaufman,
Burns & Wilcox
Donna Hargrove
General Counsel
Mark Bernacki
Chief Underwriting Officer
Julie Prewitt
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Since 2008, Donna Hargrove has served as general counsel of Amwins and is responsible for identifying and managing all legal risks for the company. She advises executive leadership and the board of directors on a range of business issues, including corporate governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining Amwins, Hargrove served as corporate in-house counsel for BB&T Insurance Services. Earlier in her career, she served in private practice with Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, concentrating on mergers and acquisitions and general corporate matters.
General Counsel
Donna Hargrove
Mark Bernacki is the chief underwriting officer of Amwins, the first to serve in the role. Prior to that, he served as president of Amwins Special Risk Underwriters. In addition to his leadership in underwriting, Bernacki runs the Amwins Alternative Risk Transfer Team for Amwins.
Chief Underwriting Officer
Mark Bernacki
Julie Prewitt has worked on nearly every aspect of marketing and advertising in her nearly 20 years in the industry. Her team at REInsurePro manages branding, advertising, events, content, digital campaigns, and agent engagement and plays a key role in product development.
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Julie Prewitt
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
In 2023, Burns & Wilcox delivered its best year on record and fourth consecutive year of double-digit growth.
The Burns & Wilcox teams further sharpened their expertise and industry-leading relationships, with a record number of professionals achieving new production thresholds.
The company acquired McIntyre & Associates, an MGA based in Louisiana with a thriving Commercial business. Additionally, Burns & Wilcox purchased Environmental Underwriting Solutions, which will double the size of its environmental business.
The Personal Insurance Practice delivered a record-setting performance in premium and brought new property programs and capacity to the market.
Its Professional Liability Practice delivered double-digit growth, rapidly expanding across areas such as Technology, E&O, Cyber Liability, and Healthcare.
“It was a productive year – I am proud of our commitment to deliver the industry’s best expertise – our teams lean into the extensive relationships they have built with our longstanding carrier partners to bring products to the market that meet specific needs. It’s about understanding the market conditions and reacting with what best serves our clients and their insureds,” says Kaufman.
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“We will continue to strengthen our service proposition and customer experience as a key differentiator, as we build on the momentum we have achieved to date across multiple business lines and territories,” says McLean. “Our im is to continue to grow our market relevance and strengthen our partnerships with our strategic brokers as we expand our leadership position in key sectors.
“We will also continue to invest in talent. We are committed to drawing from the broadest pools of talent, and to creating an environment that attracts and retains stellar employees. We recognise the importance of building teams that are diverse, collaborative, and innovative and are dedicated to cultivating a supportive and inclusive workplace culture in which all our employees can thrive.”
