A series of leadership appointments and strategic expansions have been announced across the US insurance market.
HDI Global Insurance Company (HGIC), the US arm of international corporate and specialty insurer HDI Global, has appointed executive underwriter Marc Estrada (pictured, left) to its newly launched environmental liability product line. The move supports HDI’s global ESG strategy and the rollout of bespoke liability solutions for international clients and brokers.
With more than a decade of experience in environmental underwriting, Estrada joins from Westchester Environmental, where he served as assistant vice president and Midwest manager. Commenting on his appointment, Estrada noted that his cross-border experience across the US and Canada will strengthen risk analysis in the complex and highly regulated environmental insurance market.
Selective Insurance Group, Inc. has appointed Julie Parsons (pictured, center) to its board of directors, effective November 3, 2025.
Parsons brings more than 30 years of experience from Allstate Corporation, where she most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer for property and liability insurance.
Alliant Insurance Services has appointed Khynna Ausink (pictured, right) as vice president within its employee benefits group, expanding the firm’s presence in the Pacific Northwest. Ausink will serve a national client base, delivering benefits strategies that align organizational goals with employee needs.
Ausink previously served as sales director at a national disability insurance provider and holds a degree in economics from the University of Washington.
Kevin Sherry (pictured immediately above, left) has been promoted to assistant vice president and treasurer, overseeing treasury operations, liquidity management, banking structure, and financial risk mitigation. Sherry joined The Standard in 2002 as a claim examiner in employee bbefore moving into corporate finance and accounting in 2008. He has held several leadership roles since then, most recently as senior director.
The Standard has also promoted Laxman Prakash (pictured immediately above, center) to senior vice president of IT Infrastructure and chief information security officer. In this role, Prakash leads the company’s IT infrastructure organization, embedding security into all aspects of operations and governance. Prakash joined The Standard in 2011 as director of Information Security and Business Continuity, later serving as assistant vice president of IT Infrastructure and CISO.
In the investment division, Zaur Akhriev (pictured immediately above, right) has been promoted to assistant vice president of fixed income, providing strategic direction to the portfolio management team with a focus on asset allocation, portfolio structure, and credit risk. Akhriev joined The Standard in 2007 as an investment analyst and became senior director of investments in 2022.
The company has also welcomed Rob Kerscher (pictured immediately above, left) as regional vice president in retirement plans. He has more than 25 years of experience in the retirement plans industry, most recently with principal, and holds FINRA Series 6 and 63 licenses.
In the finance division, Chad Naganuma (pictured immediately above, right) has been promoted to assistant vice president of financial planning and analysis. He will lead the corporate FP&A team in providing strategic insights and financial guidance across the organization. Naganuma joined The Standard in 2017 as an accounting and reporting manager after several years in public accounting.
At NFP, an Aon company, Jessica Espinoza and Stephen Jans have been named national practice leaders of retirement advisory and wealth management, respectively.
The appointments follow Aon’s sale of several wealth management platforms to Madison Dearborn Partners and signal NFP’s continued investment in retirement and wealth solutions.
Espinoza, a CFA charterholder with nearly two decades of experience, will oversee NFP’s retirement operations nationally, while Jans, a 30-year veteran of wealth management, will focus on delivering personalized financial strategies and tools to clients across the country.
New York Life has announced that Howard Grosfield, group president of US consumer services at American Express, has joined its board of directors. Grosfield will serve on the board’s audit and insurance & operations committees.
Craig DeSanto, New York Life chair and CEO, said Grosfield’s experience in digital innovation and consumer financial services will help the company deliver more seamless client experiences and strengthen financial security offerings. Grosfield’s career at American Express includes leadership across US consumer services, global marketing, and banking divisions.
Howden has named Colleen Ryan as chief communications and marketing officer for its recently launched US retail division, a move aligned with the firm's broader US growth ambitions.
Ryan, who brings over two decades of experience across corporate, public-sector, and policy communications, will lead marketing and brand strategy to establish Howden’s retail identity in the US market.
Mike Parrish, CEO of Howden US, said Ryan’s expertise will be instrumental in shaping the firm’s presence in the world’s largest insurance market. Ryan described the opportunity to build Howden’s US retail brand “unencumbered by legacy constraints” as a defining moment in her career.
