2017 Break Out Awards

Business Insurance’s Break Out Awards program honors 40 top professionals on track to be the next leaders in the risk management and property/casualty insurance field.

Succeeding our 40 Under 40 program, which was limited to brokers, the Break Out Awards recognize professionals from across the risk management and insurance spectrum — risk managers, brokers, insurers, wholesalers, lawyers and other service providers.

We want to highlight the achievements of up-and-coming leaders in the industry, so while there is no age limit, nominees must have been in the industry for less than 15 years to be eligible for the awards.

We also wanted to have a diversity of honorees so the winners are divided into to four geographic regions with no single company having more than one winner per region.

In the following profiles, you can read edited excerpts of interviews Business Insurance reporters conducted with the winners and gain insights into their personalities, their paths to success and their views on the industry.

The winners will be celebrated at regional award events this month in New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles.

---

2017 BREAK OUT AWARDS WINNERS

NORTHEAST

Caitlin Costello
Marsh L.L.C.

Timothy Crowley
Crystal & Company

Gisel Castillo Davila
Tishman Speyer Properties

Shane Hogan
Aon Risk Solutions

John Loftus
Willis Towers Watson P.L.C.

Megan Miller
Beecher Carlson Insurance Services L.L.P.

JillAllison Opell
Michelman & Robinson L.L.P.

Manan Patel
The Spofford Group Insurance Brokerage Ltd.

Grace Ries
FM Global

Michael Turnbull
American International Group Inc.

SOUTH

Kimberly Ashmore
Wiley Rein L.L.P.

Jeffrey D. Howard
Gillis, Ellis & Baker Inc.

Alexandra Lunde
Aon Risk Solutions

Megan McClellan
Marsh L.L.C.

Jared Mathis
Blue River Underwriters

Meghan Mullee
Alliant Insurance Services Inc.

Brandon Perry
Victor O. Schinnerer & Co.

Wynne Sharpe
JLT Specialty Insurance Services Inc.

Kevin Smith
Willis Towers Watson P.L.C.

Joey Sylvester
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

MIDWEST

Sean M. Carney
Sidley Austin L.L.P.

Chris Consolo
Marsh L.L.C.

Courtney C. Davis
The University of Chicago

David Derigiotis
Burns & Wilcox Ltd.

Jay Gates
RMH Franchise Holdings Inc.

Prasad Gunturi
Willis Re

Natalya Harvey
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants

Michael Hessling
Gallagher Bassett Services Inc.

Tyler LaMantia
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Chris Rafferty
Aon Risk Solutions

WEST

Michelle Bennett
Cable One Inc.

Eric K. Brown
Lockton Cos. L.L.C.

Gardner Jones
ABD Insurance & Financial Services Inc.

Joseph A. Laskowski
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Andy Lewis
Alliant Insurance Services Inc.

Matt Nicholas
Willis Towers Watson P.L.C.

Michael Parme
Haight Brown & Bonesteel L.L.P.

Sarah Sherman
JLT Specialty USA

Jennifer Smith
Marsh L.L.C.

Amy Vitarelli
Heffernan Insurance Brokers