Chubb appointed a new executive to lead its U.S. Major Accounts/Property arm. Starr Companies named its latest president and chief executive officer for Starr Insurance Holdings. Grinnell Mutual has an acting president while its designated successor recovers from West Nile Virus.

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Chubb named Matt Booker to the position of senior vice president, Major Accounts Property, in the United States.

In his new role, he’ll be responsible for underwriting, strategy, production, product development, management, and profit and loss performance for Chubb’s retail commercial large accounts property insurance business. This division focuses on the risk transfer and fronting needs of domestic and multinational clients based in the United States.

Booker succeeds Brian Church, who was recently appointed head of International Property for Chubb’s overseas general business. He oversees all of Chubb’s retail commercial property insurance business throughout Asia, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Booker reports to Derek Talbott, division chairman of Chubb’s North America Property.

Booker has 15 years of insurance experience, with seven years spent at Chubb. Previously, he served as a senior vice president and New York and Mid-Atlantic regional property underwriting manager. Earlier in his career, Booker held a number of positions at Munich Re, including as a senior property underwriter/team leader in London and as a property underwriter in Germany. Booker started his property underwriting career with XL Insurance in New York.

Chubb’s Major Accounts Property division provides significant risk and catastrophe capacity and specialized fronting and captive products to large multinational customers. The unit distributes its core property products through retail partners across the country.

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Starr Companies today announced the appointment of Steve Blakey as president and chief executive officer of Starr Insurance Holdings.

He has more than 35 years of experience and helped establish Starr’s presence in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe. Starr Companies Chairman Maurice Greenberg credits Blakey with also helping make Starr a major global player in aviation and aerospace insurance.

Blakey replaces Chuck Dangelo, who has announced his retirement. Dangelo is a 46-year insurance industry veteran.

Starr Companies is the global marketing name for the operating insurance and travel assistance companies and subsidiaries of Starr International Company Inc. and for the investment business of C.V. Starr & Co. Inc. and its subsidiaries.

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Dave Wingert, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Grinnell Mutual, will serve as acting president to help deal with a retirement and a health crisis.

Former Grinnell Mutual President and CEO Larry Jansen retired on Dec. 15 after 38 years with the company. Jeff Menary, executive vice president of line operations, was named Jansen’s successor last spring, but he was diagnosed with West Nile virus in September and is undergoing rehabilitation. Wingert will serve as president during this transitional period.

Wingert joined Grinnell Mutual in 2011 as chief financial officer, vice president of the Finance division and treasurer. Previously, he was senior vice president and controller at Aviva USA in Desmoines, Iowa.

Sources: Grinnell Mutual, Chubb, Starr Companies