Farmington Hills, Mich. (November 14, 2022) – H.W. Kaufman Group, a privately held global insurance organization, today publicly announced promotions for 16 associates throughout the United States. These promotions come following the company’s annual Kaufman Leadership Meeting where managers and leaders from its family of companies gather to celebrate their accomplishments, discuss the past year, and strategically plan for the new year ahead. Sixteen insurance industry professionals across several office locations were promoted in October. 

Three of the most prominent promotions this year are for Kevin Heckman, who was promoted to Corporate Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Corporate Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer; Mark DeWaal, who was promoted to President of Afirm, from Executive Vice President, Afirm; and Manny Manuelidis, who was promoted to Corporate Senior Vice President, Atain, from Corporate Vice President, Claims & Litigation, Atain.  

“For more than 50 years, Kaufman’s competitive advantage has been driven by our talented people,” said Alan Jay Kaufman, Chairman, President and CEO, H.W. Kaufman Group. “We are fortunate these individuals are ready to expand their skillsets and elevate their careers with us. We are confident they will perform well in these roles as they continue to influence the ongoing success and growth of our global companies.” 

All promotions announced during October 2022 include: 

• Kevin Heckman promoted to Corporate Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Corporate Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer 

• Mark DeWaal promoted to President, Afirm, from Executive Vice President 

• Manny Manuelidis promoted to Corporate Senior Vice President, Atain, from Corporate Vice President, Claims & Litigation 

• Sam Carson promoted to Corporate Vice President, Operations, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Corporate Associate Vice President, Operations 

• Jamie Bonner promoted to Corporate Vice President, Talent Acquisition, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Corporate Associate Vice President, Talent Acquisition 

• Drew Dean promoted to Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, Indiana, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Associate Vice President, Managing Director 

• Tracy Madigan promoted to Corporate Associate Vice President, Talent Experience, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Director, HR Systems & Measurement 

• Shelby Zgnilec promoted to Corporate Associate Vice President, Operations & Strategic Initiatives, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Director, Operations & Strategic Initiatives

• William Briscoe promoted to Associate Vice President, Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, Birmingham, Alabama and Oxford, Mississippi from Managing Director 

• Jeff Ditmar promoted to Associate Vice President, Claims, Atain, from Senior Claims Director 

• Amy Felder promoted to Associate Vice President, Claims, Atain, from Claims Director 

• Derek Kilmer promoted to Associate Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, Michigan, from Manager, Professional Liability 

• Justin Pressly promoted to Associate Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, North Carolina, from Director, Personal Insurance 

• George Paull promoted to Associate Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox Brokerage, Scottsdale, Arizona, from Broker, Casualty 

• Brandon Hunter promoted to Associate Managing Director, Burns & Wilcox, Indianapolis, Indiana, from Manager, Commercial Insurance 

• Jennifer MacKay promoted to Senior Director, Digital Transformation, H.W. Kaufman Group, from Director, Digital Transformation

In 2022, Kaufman has hired 377 new associates year to date. To learn more about careers at H.W. Kaufman Group, Burns & Wilcox, and its family of companies, visit burnsandwilcox.com/careers.  

About H.W. Kaufman Group:  

H.W. Kaufman Group, a privately held global insurance organization, employs more than 2,000 professionals. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Metro Detroit, Michigan, H.W. Kaufman Group also includes: Burns & Wilcox, Burns & Wilcox Brokerage, Burns & Wilcox Canada, Atain Insurance Companies, Afirm, RB Jones, Stonemark, Minuteman Adjusters, Kaufman Institute, and Noremac Marketing Group. H.W. Kaufman Group International includes: H.W. Kaufman Group Europe, Chesterfield Group, Lochain Patrick, Burns & Wilcox United Kingdom, Node International and Cranbrook Underwriting. More information can be found at www.hwkaufman.com.          

###