Brown & Riding

Chris Brown

Chairman

Jeff Rodriguez

President and Chief Executive Officer

Mike Boseman

Chief Operating Officer

Leadership

As chairman, Chris Brown drives product specialties across the firm’s national property, casualty, and management and professional liability departments. He remains dedicated to strengthening client relationships, drives client advocacy, and continues to develop the current and future leaders of Brown & Riding (B&R)’s growing number of industry specialty practice areas. Brown joined B&R in 1985 as the company’s first marketing representative in Southern California. He was elected president in 1990 and named chairman in 2007. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a commitment to excellence and consistently upholds the company’s core values of teamwork, quality, and professionalism.

Chairman

Chris Brown

Jeff Rodriguez is the president and chief executive officer of Brown & Riding (B&R). During his tenure, B&R has achieved significant growth, organically and through strategic acquisition, and has earned marked recognition at local, regional, and national levels. The firm has consistently been ranked as one of the largest E&S brokers in the nation under his leadership. Rodriguez joined B&R as chief operating officer in 2005, was named president in 2007, and became CEO in 2010. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration and has earned numerous insurance certifications. He is frequently called upon to speak at regional and national industry events.

President and Chief Executive Officer

Jeff Rodriguez

As chief operating officer, Mike Boseman has been instrumental in developing Brown & Riding (B&R)’s key client relationships and facilitating the growth of the organization, including expanding the company’s national footprint. He is responsible for strategic operations, including client and carrier development, enhancing the company’s information technology service offerings, and enforcing the company’s service standards and regulatory compliance. Boseman joined B&R’s brokerage division in 2007, where he grew a highly profitable book of property business before transitioning to operations in 2015. He became chief operating officer in 2017. Boseman holds a BBA in finance from the University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Chief Operating Officer

Mike Boseman

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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 and 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 Brown & Riding (B&R) grow from a regional specialty broker to the largest fully independent, owner-operated, national wholesale brokerage firm in the US. He joined B&R 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 (B&R) 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

Brown & Riding has carved out a distinctive place in the US insurance wholesale brokerage and MGA landscape by holding fast to a simple but unwavering mission: to remain fiercely independent while continuously raising the bar for excellence. Founded in 1980, the firm is built around the core values of: • teamwork • quality • professionalism Culturally, Brown & Riding is unapologetically people-first. The firm’s independence and internal ownership are the backbone of its operating philosophy. With no outside debt and no external owners, Brown & Riding keeps its focus squarely on retailers, carriers, and staff, free from the channel conflicts that can arise in more complex corporate structures. That same philosophy fuels a robust perpetuation strategy that offers industry-leading ownership and wealth-building opportunities to top performers, ensuring that those shaping client solutions also help shape the firm’s future. Inside the organization, freedom comes with high standards. Flexible hours, hybrid and remote options, and a high-trust environment are paired with rigorous expectations around performance, professionalism, and living the firm’s values. Brown & Riding invests heavily in its people: paying for continuing education, certifications and designations, funding business workshops and conferences, and offering significant bonuses for professional development. Its Rainmaker program, designed to mentor emerging producers, is emblematic of this commitment and has already produced a strong cohort of successful brokers. The results are tangible: close to 70% of the firm’s revenue comes from individuals for whom Brown & Riding is their first wholesale broker role, and voluntary turnover remains below industry averages. What truly differentiates Brown & Riding in a crowded E&S market is its specialist, team-based model and conflict-free focus on wholesale. Professionals are specialists, not generalists, organized by expertise rather than geography. Retailers gain access to coordinated teams across practice areas and coverage lines, with broker groups collaborating to place complex accounts. If additional market access or technical depth is needed, other specialists are brought in, ensuring each risk is matched with the right expertise. That service promise is underpinned by disciplined, measurable execution. Brown & Riding was the first US wholesale broker to achieve ISO 9001 certification and has maintained that accreditation for more than two decades, institutionalizing quality through documented workflows, audits, and consistent processes. A seven-figure investment in a proprietary, custom-built agency management system, rolled out in 2023, has further integrated submission tracking, marketing documentation, analytics, and a secure client portal that gives retailers real-time visibility into carrier marketing and responses. For clients, this translates into transparent, data-driven advocacy, options on every deal, and the collective effort of the entire firm working to secure the best terms and coverage. For future employees, it offers a rare combination: a top-tier national wholesale platform that remains privately held, specialist-driven, and committed to internal promotion, ownership, and long-term careers. In an era of consolidation and competing priorities, Brown & Riding’s unwavering independence, specialist model, and investment in people and technology have positioned it as one of the industry’s standout wholesale brokers – a partner putting retailers and their insureds first.

“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 (B&R) 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 (B&R) 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 Brown & Riding (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 B&R in 2007 as an HR assistant. His dedication and talent earned swift advancement, culminating in his appointment as the firm’s chief human resources officer 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