The Wholesale and Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA) has appointed Michael Garrison and Lou Levinson to its Board of Directors, replacing Henry Lopez and Janet Jordan Foster, respectively.

Garrison of Navigators, a brand of The Hartford, is filling Lopez’s unexpired term after he retired from the same company and resigned from the WSIA board last month. Levinson, meanwhile, is taking over for Jordan Foster, who left the board after leaving AXIS Insurance.

The appointments were made by WSIA Board Chair Brenda (Ballard) Ostenfeld with the assistance of the Nominating Committee.

“We are thrilled to welcome Michael and Lou to the WSIA Board of Directors,” commented Ostenfeld. “They are proven leaders whose extensive industry experience will be instrumental to the association’s continued success. I look forward to working with them this year as we continue to enhance the value of WSIA to members.”

Garrison currently serves as President of Wholesale at Navigators, having joined the company in 2021. His background includes time as President of Asia Pacific at Allied World, as well as stints at Starr, AIG, and Marsh.

Levinson, who has a solid 30-year career in the insurance industry, serves as Chairman and CEO of Lexington Insurance Company. His previous roles include leading the excess and surplus property, casualty and professional liability businesses at Argo and serving as President of Casualty at ACE/Westchester.

Earlier this year, WSIA appointed Steve Boyd (Bridge Specialty) and Annie Dawson (RT Specialty) as new board members, while several others were elected to three-year terms.

“The industry is definitely dealing with a race for talent,” WSIA Executive Director Brady Kelly recently told Insurance Business.

“Our association has long focused on attracting talent through outreach to colleges and universities, internships, scholarships, students, seminars – a combination of things to attract student talent to the industry.”

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