WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va.-The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers, the association of leading commercial property/casualty agencies and brokerages, elected new officers during its annual meeting last week.

John C. Adams Jr., executive vp of Hilb, Rogal & Hamilton Co. and chief executive of its Florida operations in Daytona Beach, was elected chairman for 1997-98.

Mr. Adams, who had served as vice chairman, succeeds Albert Counselman, president of Riggs, Counselman, Michaels & Downs Inc. in Baltimore.

Other newly elected officials included James J. Kilbride, chairman of Morse, Payson & Noyes Insurance of Portland, Maine, who was elected vice chairman; Robert A. Gleason Jr., chairman and CEO of The Gleason Agency in Johnstown, Pa., who was elected treasurer; and John Van Osdall, senior vp of USI Insurance Services Corp. of Houston, elected secretary.

Elected and re-elected to the Council's board of directors were:

James R. Davis, a partner with John L. Wortham & Son L.L.P. of Houston; John W. Doetzer, president of Consolidated Insurance Center Inc. of Owings Mills, Md.; Joseph H. Feitelberg, president of The Feitelberg Co. Inc. of Fall River, Mass.; Bruce D. Guthart, president and CEO of Kaye Insurance Associates Inc. of New York; Martin B. Hughes, president of Mack & Parker Inc. of Chicago; Bill G. Jensen, senior vp of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. of Itasca, Ill.; Alan D. Mathog, managing principal of Mathog & Moniello Cos. Inc. of East Haven, Conn.; John C. Pearson, president and CEO of the Central Division of Willis Corroon Corp. of Nashville, Tenn.; James R. Pender, CEO of The James B. Oswald Co. of Cleveland; Richard S. Rhode, partner of Barney & Barney of San Diego; Dell G. Van Gilder Jr., president of Van Gilder Insurance Corp. of Denver; and J. Dixon Witherspoon, vp of Gale, Smith & Co. Inc. of Brentwood, Tenn.

The Council's 85th annual joint conference with the Council of Insurance Company Executives will be held Oct. 3-7, 1988, at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.

For more information about the conference, contact the Council, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Suite 750, Washington, D.C. 20004-2608; 202-783-4400; fax: 202-783-4410; Internet: www.ciab.com