Amwins appoints head for program management MGA

Amwins appoints head for program management MGA | Insurance Business America

Insurance News

Amwins appoints head for program management MGA

Predecessor to retire after 15 years at the helm

Insurance News

By
Kenneth Araullo

Amwins has announced the appointment of Jon Beckham (pictured above, left) as the new head of Amwins Program Underwriters (APU), an MGA that specializes in managing affinity programs.

Beckham will succeed Ben Francavilla (pictured above, right), who has been at the helm since 2009 and will retire later this year.

Beckham, who has over 25 years of experience both in the US and internationally, previously served as president of Beat Capital Partners and as CEO and director at DUAL North America. Amwins highlighted his extensive management experience across various national and international managing general agencies, with expertise in program/product development, business development, operations, and capacity management.

In his new role, Beckham takes on the responsibility of managing the day-to-day operations of APU and will oversee the growth and development of its 35 insurance programs that serve various niche industries. APU operates across nine US locations, employs over 175 professionals, and generates $550 million in annual premium.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jon to the APU family. With his extensive industry experience, underwriting-focused expertise, and market know-how, he is a perfect fit to lead us forward, and we’re confident that, under his guidance, APU will continue to thrive and achieve new heights of success,” Amwins Underwriting president Ruan Armijo said.

“Jon is ideally suited for this role. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position with a thoughtful leadership style that is a great fit with Amwins’ culture,” Francavilla said.

The company also paid tribute to the outgoing Francavilla, who joined Amwins in 1999 as part of one of its founding entities. Amwins stated that he led APU to nearly double its specialty programs and grow its annual premium by more than 400%.

“Ben has been foundational to the growth of our underwriting capabilities and the formalization of Amwins’ underwriting division. During his tenure, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s direction and growth, contributing immensely to its success,” Armijo said.

“His passion, dedication, mentorship, and strategic vision have been instrumental in establishing APU as a leader in our industry,” Armijo said. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Ben for his contributions and wish him the best in retirement and all his future adventures.”

In other recent developments, APU launched a new home healthcare HNOA (hired and non-owned auto) program, aimed at providing hired and non-owned auto liability coverage specifically for the home healthcare sector.

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