Two companies have announced leadership moves in the US insurance industry.
FM has appointed Johnell Holly (pictured above, left) executive vice president of United States and Latin America operations. Holly joined the company in 2001 as a consultant engineer and later held senior roles in sales, client service and operations. He most recently served as senior vice president of global client service, sales and marketing and will continue to oversee broker relations and sales.
The insurer has also named James O’Brien executive vice president of specialty business. O’Brien, who joined FM in 1989 as a loss-prevention engineering consultant, will oversee FM Intellium, FM Solutions, Velocity Specialty Insurance Company, FM Boiler Re, FM Cargo operations, Chemical Operations, Forest Products and FM Renewable Energy. He previously served as senior vice president of Canada and specialty industries.
“With their many years of driving strong results for our clients and FM, Johnell and Jim bring extensive leadership and operational experience to these roles,” said chief operating officer Randy Hodge.
FM’s appointments follow recent affirmations of its financial strength ratings. S&P Global Ratings affirmed FM’s AA- rating with a stable outlook in a report that cited its “engineering-driven underwriting approach” and a “strong competitive position.” The agency noted “excellent capitalization” and “consistently solid operating earnings.”
Penn National Insurance has outlined an executive transition effective January 5, 2026. Robert Brandon (pictured, right) will move to CEO before retiring on July 1, 2026. John Foster, currently senior vice president of insurance operations, will become president, join the board and assume the CEO role after Brandon’s retirement.
Brandon joined the company in 1995 and most recently served as president and CEO starting in 2020. During his tenure, the insurer reported earning an A.M. Best rating of A in 2023, surpassing $1 billion in annual direct premiums written in 2024 and posting a surplus of $906.6 million as of September 30, 2025.
Board chair Steve Swanson said the board appreciates Brandon’s “steady leadership during a historically turbulent time.”
Foster joined the insurer in 2006 and held roles in personal lines, underwriting operations and insurance operations. Foster said he is “honored to be chosen by the board to lead Penn National Insurance.”
Penn National Insurance also appointed Randal Mancini senior vice president of insurance operations, effective Jan. 5. Mancini will oversee commercial and personal lines underwriting, field operations, distribution and claims and will join the executive leadership team.
