USG Insurance Services

Timothy Horton

President

Jennifer Kessel

Chief Operating Officer

Kathy Partazana

Director of Human Resources

Leadership

Timothy W. Horton is the president of USG Insurance/USG Holding, a national wholesaler of property and casualty insurance with offices throughout the country. He oversees strategic development out of the Tampa, FL location. His contributions built the footprint, distribution, products, training, infrastructure, and technology of USG since 2001. Horton proudly served as a sergeant in the US Marine Corps before starting his career in the insurance industry, which spans over 32 years.

President

Timothy Horton

Jennifer Kessel, Chief Operating Officer of USG Insurance Services, has been a driving force in the wholesale insurance industry for over a decade. Known for her strategic vision, operational expertise, and commitment to innovation, Kessel has played a pivotal role in USG’s growth and expansion. She is passionate about leadership and mentorship, fostering development within her team and the industry. Recognized as an Elite Woman, Rising Star, and Young Gun by Insurance Business America, she continues to shape the future of insurance while actively contributing to professional and community initiatives that promote excellence and diversity.

Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Kessel

Kathy Partazana, director of human resources at USG Insurance Services, is a dedicated HR leader with over 27 years of experience. She plays a strategic role in optimizing processes, driving organizational growth, and fostering a culture of mentorship. Known for her approachable leadership, Partazana values employee input to create a collaborative and thriving work environment. A natural problem solver and creative thinker, she balances employee needs with company goals. Her passion for HR, talent development, and innovation has helped USG cultivate a strong workplace culture, ensuring continued growth and success. Her professional journey is a testament to her passion for HR and her unwavering commitment to nurturing talent, driving innovation, and fostering a positive workplace culture. Under her guidance, USG Insurance Services has reached new heights, embracing innovation and fostering a culture of growth and development.

Director of Human Resources

Kathy Partazana

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Harold Nam

Chief Financial Officer

Harold Nam has seen the firm through many pivotal accounting transitions, including two significant M&A transactions, improvement of department alignment with the day-to-day needs of production staff, and has helped lead the finance and accounting department through unprecedented growth. Nam has been instrumental in helping B&R grow from a regional specialty broker to the largest fully independent, owner-operated, national wholesale brokerage firm in the US. Nam joined Brown & Riding as a staff accountant in 2008. Since joining the firm, he has continued to ascend to positions of increased responsibility, becoming chief financial officer in 2021.

Chief Financial Officer

Harold Nam

Cristi Carrington

Chief Distribution Officer

Cristi Carrington has nearly 30 years of experience in the insurance industry and is the point person for Brown & Riding’s carrier relationships. She also manages the firm’s underwriting division and has developed many specialized programs for the company during her tenure, including a habitational program, DIC, MPL, All Risk, including Wind & Earthquake, and a nationwide risk purchasing group for a top 40 nationally ranked retailer. Carrington has served on several committees and industry associations throughout her career. Currently, she has been serving on the WSIA Board of Directors since 2021, is also co-chair of the WSIA PAC Committee, and is president of the Surplus Line Association of Washington.

Chief Distribution Officer

Cristi Carrington

USG Insurance Services is a distinguished national leader in the insurance industry, renowned for its innovative approach to resolving complex commercial challenges. Specializing in hard-to-place risks, we provide a comprehensive portfolio of solutions sourced from A rated carriers, offering both admitted and non-admitted options. As a family-owned and operated MGA/wholesaler, we have established ourselves as a trusted partner for retail agents, delivering bespoke solutions tailored to their clients' unique needs. Our commitment to continual growth and exploration in risk management enables us to adeptly navigate evolving industry demands. At the core of USG’s success is our proactive problem-solving philosophy. By forging strategic partnerships and driving new business development, we consistently demonstrate our dedication to advancing industry standards and pioneering innovative solutions.

“Monarch E&S has the products, talent, expertise, and reputation to get deals done with our strategic partners and clients, which is essentially table stakes”

Yiana Stavrakis, Monarch E&S Insurance Services

Elizabeth Bounds

General Counsel

Nealy Farshadi

Principal, Strategic Client Relations

Christopher Welty

Chief Human Resources Officer

Simon Williams

Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955

Elizabeth Bounds oversees Brown & Riding’s legal, risk management, and claims departments. As the company’s chief legal resource, she reviews and negotiates corporate contracts and manages the firm’s litigation, internal legal resources, and relationships with outside counsel. Bounds also works closely with B&R’s senior management in developing overall risk management strategies for the firm and is directly accountable to the Board of Directors for implementing risk control measures and for the facilitation and oversight of corporate liability insurance placements. In the claims department, she takes an active role in policy interpretation and client claims advocacy.

General Counsel

Elizabeth Bounds

Nealy Farshadi is instrumental in helping strengthen and grow Brown & Riding’s client relationships. She maintains and improves quality procedures, oversees B&R’s ISO certification, and manages the firm’s client feedback program. Her contributions enable the executive management team to act on client input effectively. As a result, B&R’s client feedback scores greatly exceed the average and continue to improve each year. Farshadi also supports and furthers the growth of B&R and its employees by contributing to professional development within the organization and being a resource to staff.

Principal, Strategic Client Relations

Nealy Farshadi

Christopher Welty is dedicated to aligning employees with B&R’s vision and values, fostering mutual growth for all. During his tenure, B&R has more than quadrupled in size. He has helped successfully integrate the company through two mergers and has been a strong advocate for many of the company’s important benefit plan enhancements and development programs. He excels at collaboration and has been a key contributor in establishing and promoting the company’s culture and offering programs and opportunities to help employees build a rewarding career. Welty joined Brown & Riding in 2007 as an HR assistant. His dedication and talent earned swift advancement, culminating in his appointment as the firm’s CHRO in 2019.

Chief Human Resources Officer

Christopher Welty

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

Partner

Kimi Shah

Partner

Kimi Shah

maintaining an in-house team of more than 20 programmers to facilitate fast improvements direct bill options to streamline the payment process for the agent and the insured providing IVANS policy downloads that enable up to 30 percent labor savings to independent agencies delivering online capabilities including rating, policy documents, payments, and claims reporting

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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.”

Monarch’s sister company, Capitol Special Risks, is now part of the Monarch umbrella to provide retail broker customers with expertise and markets in the professional, management, and cyber liability space. “I am very proud of our young and dynamic leadership team,” says Derek Borisoff, chief executive officer of Monarch E&S. “Stefanie McLeod, vice president of personal lines, and Devon Borisoff, vice president of commercial lines, are led by Yiana Stavrakis, our very capable president. All three are known standouts in our industry who lead by example in both work ethic and desire to solve problems. Our firm’s outstanding performance is a result of their positive communications with our people, superb carrier relationships, and proactive management style.” As a full-service MGA and wholesale brokerage, Monarch gives retail insurance brokers access to many different lines of business through its commercial lines, personal lines, professional lines, transportation, mining/energy, CAT property, earthquake, and flood departments. “Monarch E&S has the products, talent, expertise, and reputation to get deals done with our strategic partners and clients, which is essentially table stakes,” says Yiana Stavrakis, president at Monarch E&S. “How do we go above and beyond? We aim to work on every deal, regardless of size, as if it were our personal account and provide our retail brokers with problem-solving competencies to handle hard-to-place risks. Most competitors do not provide the same level of service for smaller brokers and risks as they do for larger ones. Monarch thrives when it comes to providing solutions for small to mid-market risks.”

relationships and teamwork embracing and driving change holding teammates accountable pursuing excellence with humility giving back to the community

Furthermore, talent acquisition and retention pose a significant challenge and are at the forefront of most business leaders’ minds during this unique time. The insurance industry has been aware for years of a looming talent shortage caused by the Baby Boomer generation’s retirement and is now experiencing a war for talent. “Monarch has been able to overcome this talent acquisition challenge by staying true to who we are, a family environment with national resources, which is something we will continue to encourage and promote,” says Stavrakis. “When working for a team like ours, you are not another cog in the wheel but have the opportunity to make your mark and grow with us as we build out Monarch 2.0.” Monarch E&S Insurance Services is licensed in every state and is continuously finding ways to enhance its team, client, and carrier partner experiences. Get ready for the royal treatment as Monarch 2.0 expands digitally.

“I am very proud of our young and dynamic leadership team. Our firm’s outstanding performance is a result of their positive communications with our people, superb carrier relationships, and proactive management style”

Derek Borisoff, Monarch E&S Insurance Services

Yiana Stavrakis, Monarch E&S Insurance Services