Companies:
- James River Group Holdings, Ltd.
- James River Insurance Company
- Falls Lakes Insurance
- JRG Reinsurance Company, Ltd.
Sarah C. Doran
Chief Financial Officer of James River Group Holdings, Ltd.
Ms. Doran has served as our Chief Financial Officer since January 2017. Ms. Doran previously served as Senior Vice President, Strategy, Treasurer and Investor Relations at Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG, a specialty insurer and reinsurer. Prior to that, Ms. Doran worked as an investment banker in the Financial Institutions Group of Barclays and Lehman Brothers. Ms. Doran received an MBA in Finance and Economics from the University of Chicago and a BA in Government from the University of Notre Dame. She and her partner are the parents of two young daughters.
Frank N. D'Orazio
Chief Executive Officer of James River Group Holdings, Ltd.
Mr. D'Orazio joined James River Group Holdings in November 2020 as our Chief Executive Officer. From 2003 to 2020, Mr. D'Orazio held various executive positions at Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG., a specialty insurer and reinsurer, most recently serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff. Mr. D'Orazio previously held the positions of President, Underwriting and Global Risk; President, International Insurance; Chief Underwriting Officer; and Senior Vice President, Global Product Manager for General Casualty at the same company. Prior to Allied World, Mr. D'Orazio was a Regional Vice President, Global Risk Management at Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. Mr. D'Orazio began his career with The Chubb Group. Mr. D'Orazio received a B.A. in Political Science and American Studies from Fairfield University.
J. Adam Abram
Mr. Abram has served as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board since November 2020. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of the Board from August 2019 through November 2020 and from September 2014 through December 2017. Mr. Abram was Non-Executive Chairman of the Board from January 2018 to August 2019 and from October 2012 through September 2014. Mr. Abram was a founder of James River Group, Inc., our principal subsidiary, and he served as the Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of James River Group, Inc. from its inception in 2002 through 2007 and from March 2008 until October 2012. From 2002 through 2007, and from March 2008 until October 2012, Mr. Abram also periodically served in different roles at various operating units. Mr. Abram served as lead independent director of the Yadkin Financial Corporation (“Yadkin”), a bank holding company, from July 2014 until its acquisition by F. N. B. Corporation in March 2017 and, prior to that, as the Chairman of the Board of VantageSouth Bancshares, Inc., a bank holding company, and its subsidiary bank, VantageSouth Bank, from November 2011 until its acquisition by Yadkin in July 2014. He also served as Chairman of Piedmont Community Bank Holdings, Inc., a bank holding company, from the time he co-founded it in 2009 until it was also acquired by Yadkin in July 2014. Mr. Abram received his B.A. from Harvard University.
Thomas L. Brown
Mr. Brown has served on our Board of Directors since October 2021. Mr. Brown retired in 2019 as the Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of RLI Corp (“RLI”), a NYSE listed specialty insurer serving diverse niche property, casualty and surety markets. He previously served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at RLI from 2011 to 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Brown was a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, where he served for ten years as its Central Region Financial Services Leader and led teams responsible for the banking, insurance, capital markets, real estate and investment management business sectors. Mr. Brown currently serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Old National Bancorp, a Nasdaq listed company, and served on the board of First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. from 2017 until its acquisition by Old National Bancorp in February 2022. In 2020, Mr. Brown joined the board of directors of Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley, and he previously served on the board of Easter Seals Central Illinois. From 2004 to 2017, Mr. Brown served on the board of trustees of Illinois Wesleyan University. Mr. Brown received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1979. He is a certified public accountant.
Janet R. Cowell
Ms. Cowell has served on our Board of Directors since May 2016. Ms. Cowell serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dix Park Conservancy in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ms. Cowell served as Treasurer of the State of North Carolina from 2009 through 2016 and Chief Executive Officer of Girls Who Invest from 2018 through 2020. Before that, Ms. Cowell served as a member of the North Carolina State Senate from 2005 to 2008. Prior to that, she served as a member of the Raleigh City Council from 2001 to 2005, and before that she worked as a business consultant with Sibson & Co. and a securities analyst with HSBC Bank and Lehman Brothers. Ms. Cowell has served as a director of ChannelAdvisor Corporation, an e-commerce cloud platform company, since 2016. Ms. Cowell has served as the independent chair of IFM’s Global Infrastructure Fund Investor Advisor Committee since January 2019. She has served as lead independent director for New Republic Partners, a multi-family office and bank based in Charlotte, NC since 2021. Ms. Cowell received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from the Wharton School of Business and an M.A. from the Lauder Institute. Ms. Cowell is also a level 1 CFA.
Kirstin M. Gould
Ms. Gould has served on our Board of Directors since October 2021. Ms. Gould served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of XL Group Ltd (“XL”), a NYSE listed global insurance and reinsurance company, until XL was acquired by AXA, S.A. in 2018. Ms. Gould joined XL in 2000 and served in various leadership roles during her tenure, including leading the marketing and communications function from 2007-2015 while concurrently serving as General Counsel from September 2007. From 2005-2011, Ms. Gould chaired the Policy Committee of the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers (ABIR), which is a trade association of international property and casualty insurers and reinsurers. Ms. Gould currently serves on the board of Pacific Life Re Global Limited where she is a member of the Risk, Audit and Remuneration Committees. She is also the founder of Harrington Advisors LLC, a consulting company focused on strategic advice including M&A, corporate governance and insurance regulatory matters. Ms. Gould began her career in private practice with the law firms Dewey Ballantine LLP in New York (1991-1995) and Clifford Chance LLP in New York and London (1996-2000). Ms. Gould received a Bachelor of Arts degree (summa cum laude) from the State University of New York at Albany and a Juris Doctor degree (cum laude) from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law.
Michael T. Oakes
Mr. Oakes has served on our Board of Directors since December 2007. Mr. Oakes has served as the President of Conifer Group, Inc., a consulting company, since February 2011. Prior to this, Mr. Oakes served as Executive Vice President of the Company from June 2010 until his retirement in January 2011. From December 2007 through June 2010, Mr. Oakes served as our Chief Financial Officer, and from March 2008 through June 2010, he served as our Chief Executive Officer. From 2004 through 2007, he served as Chief Financial Officer of James River Group and from 1998 until 2004, Mr. Oakes was a Managing Director in the Insurance Investment Banking Group at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., an investment banking firm based in New York. Mr. Oakes received a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Patricia H. Roberts
Ms. Roberts has served on our Board of Directors since July 2019. She retired in 2012 from her dual position as President and Chairman of General Star Management Company and President and Chairman of Genesis Management and Insurance Services Corporation, two wholly-owned subsidiaries of General Reinsurance Corporation (“GenRe”). Ms. Roberts began working at GenRe in 1977 and held positions with increasing levels of responsibility. Ms. Roberts served on the Navigators Group Inc. (“Navigators”) board from 2014 until 2019 when Navigators was sold to Hartford Financial Services Group. Ms. Roberts holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from George Mason University and received her CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter) designation in 1985.
Ollie L. Sherman, Jr.
Mr. Sherman has served on our Board of Directors since May 2016. Mr. Sherman retired as a Managing Principal with Towers Watson in 2010. At Towers Watson, Mr. Sherman functioned as a consulting actuary and practice manager for Tower Watson’s property and casualty division for over 25 years. Prior to joining Towers Watson, Mr. Sherman was employed by the Travelers Insurance Company for ten years where he had overall responsibility for countrywide workers’ compensation pricing. Mr. Sherman graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics, and he is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Ollie L. Sherman, Jr.
Mr. Sherman has served on our Board of Directors since May 2016. Mr. Sherman retired as a Managing Principal with Towers Watson in 2010. At Towers Watson, Mr. Sherman functioned as a consulting actuary and practice manager for Tower Watson’s property and casualty division for over 25 years. Prior to joining Towers Watson, Mr. Sherman was employed by the Travelers Insurance Company for ten years where he had overall responsibility for countrywide workers’ compensation pricing. Mr. Sherman graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics, and he is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society.
Richard J. Schmitzer
President and CEO of the Excess and Surplus Lines Division
Mr. Schmitzer has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer and a director of our subsidiaries in our Excess and Surplus Lines segment since March 2010. He joined the James River Insurance Group in July 2009 as Senior Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer. Prior to that, Mr. Schmitzer served nineteen years at the Scottsdale Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Nationwide Mutual, where he served in a variety of underwriting and underwriting management roles, most recently as Vice President of Brokerage, Professional Liability and Programs. Mr. Schmitzer received his B.S. in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.
Terry M. McCafferty
Segment President and CEO
Mr. McCafferty has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of our Specialty Admitted Insurance segment since joining the Falls Lake Insurance group in October 2018. Prior to this, he served as Head of Group Captives and Alternative Risk at Zurich, from 2015 to 2018. Prior to that, Mr. McCafferty served as Chief Operating Officer at Zurich Programs and Direct Markets, from 2006 to 2015. From 2000 to 2006, Mr. McCafferty held multiple Vice President positions at Farmers Insurance Group, including Finance Operations, Corporate Planning and P and C Operations. Prior to that, Mr. McCafferty served as Assistant Vice President at Zurich Personal Insurance, Recreational Products, from 1998 to 2000. Mr. McCafferty began his career in 1985, working in Audit at Ernst and Young. He’s also worked at Great American Insurance in Internal Audit, Financial Reporting and Product Management. Mr. McCafferty received his MBA in Finance from Xavier University and B.A. in Finance and Accounting from Miami University.
Daniel J. Heinlein
President and CEO of the Casualty Reinsurance Division
Mr. Heinlein was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer of JRG Reinsurance Company Ltd., our subsidiary engaged in the casualty reinsurance business, in April of 2018. He most recently held the position of Vice President of Underwriting for JRG Re. Mr. Heinlein joined JRG Re in June of 2012 from Willis Re Inc. where he produced and serviced US property and casualty treaty reinsurance accounts. Mr. Heinlein is a graduate of Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with majors in Finance and Banking, and Risk Management and Insurance.
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Angie J. Burnett
Chief HR & Operations Officer
Mrs. Burnett joined James River Insurance Company in April 2009, and assumed leadership of HR Shared Services for James River Group Holdings, Ltd., parent company of Falls Lake Insurance Companies, in 2014. Prior to joining James River, she held the position of Vice President of Human Resources at LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. In the 20 plus years Mrs. Burnett has been in the Human Resources field, she has held leadership positions with responsibilities in many areas of HR including talent management and change leadership, strategic HR program development and planning, succession planning, leadership and management training, large-scale project planning and execution, merger integration, talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits, compensation, operations and process improvement. Mrs. Burnett earned a B.S. degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation.
Thomas E. Peach
Chief Information Officer
Mr. Peach joined James River Group Holdings, Ltd., parent company of Falls Lake Insurance Companies, in March 2019 bringing over 30 years of IT leadership experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining James River, he served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Zurich North America, responsible for end-to-end delivery of all technology services including strategy development, application service management, infrastructure, desktop services as well as outsourced services. During his tenure in the underwriting solutions area, Mr. Peach gained expertise in underwriting automation including predictive analytics and pricing, policy administration, agency upload/download, rating and print technologies. Mr. Peach has an Information Systems Management degree from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He has completed executive course work from Northwestern Kellogg School of Business and the Center for Creative Leadership.
Jim W. Gunson
Senior Vice President, Chief Claims Officer.
Mr. Gunson joined James River Group in September 2021. Prior to joining James River, he served as Senior Vice President of Complex Casualty Claims for CNA Insurance, where he was responsible for establishing and implementing strategy for continued improvement of claim handling, customer service, and claim results for all Casualty Lines of Business, for providing his underwriting and actuarial business partners with information related to claim trends and product development, and for oversight and resolution of all “portfolio” exposures including CNA’s legacy asbestos and pollution exposures, abuse, and opioid claims. Prior to joining CNA, Mr. Gunson held a variety of positions of increasing responsibility in Chubb’s General Counsel and Claim Department that culminated with him serving as Chubb’s Worldwide Casualty Claim Manager. Prior to joining Chubb, Mr. Gunson worked for close to a decade as a partner in a New Jersey law firm, CMK, where his areas of practice included insurance defense, insurance coverage litigation, construction defect litigation and complex commercial disputes. He began his legal career as a law clerk to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Mr. Gunson is a former U.S. Army Military Police Officer who served with the U.S. Army’s 59th Ordinance Brigade in Siegelsbach, Germany. He is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Delaware and received his Juris Doctorate magna cum laude from the University of Maine School of Law.