Wholesale, fronting and specialty insurance platforms have rolled out a string of leadership moves centered on underwriting control, program execution and alternative risk capabilities across the US market.
CRC Group has named Matt Blessing (pictured top, left) office president in Kansas City, Missouri, where he will continue leading CRC Select binding operations. Blessing will oversee underwriting strategy, talent development and market expansion while supporting retail partners with service and carrier relationships. He brings nearly two decades of underwriting and binding authority experience.
MS Transverse has appointed Tom McGrath (pictured top, right) senior vice president, head of program underwriting.
Reporting to Ethan Allen, chief program officer, McGrath will oversee underwriting execution across MS Transverse’s MGA and program partnerships, with responsibility for underwriting consistency, oversight and support for program growth.
McGrath joins from AIG, where he served as senior vice president and head of AIG US Programs, managing 30 programs generating about $1 billion in annual gross written premium. He previously held roles at Old Republic Specialty Insurance Underwriters, ACE Insurance Group (now Chubb), and Munich Re.
The team, part of AXA XL’s large commercial segment, centralizes alternative risk expertise to support alternative risk transfer solutions in the US, Canada and Bermuda.
The ARS team will initially focus on captive solutions, including structured risk solutions led by Austin Su, group captives led by Joseph Davina, and single cell parent captives. The team will work closely with Steve Bauman, head of captives programs on AXA XL’s client broker management team, with plans to broaden capabilities in the future.
Bouteillé retains his responsibilities as chief underwriting officer, specialty, in the Americas. He joined AXA XL in August 2025 and brings more than 30 years of re/insurance experience.
Falcon Risk Services, an HDI company, has promoted John Merchant to chief underwriting officer effective Jan. 1, 2026. Merchant, Falcon’s first employee who joined in October 2021, oversees cyber, professional liability and management liability and will set overall underwriting direction.
Arch Capital Group Ltd. said board member John Vollaro will not stand for reelection and will serve through his term ending May 5, 2026. Vollaro has been on the board since 2009 and served as CFO, treasurer and executive vice president from 2002 to 2009.
EverPeak Insurance has created a unified leadership team headed by president Kathy Kranz, formed from the unification of Method, Attune and EverPeak. Kranz previously served as CFO of Pinnacol Assurance.
Alliant Insurance Services has named Sara Owens senior vice president, regional director within Alliant Americas, based in Los Angeles, overseeing revenue growth initiatives and carrier relationships across Southern California.
