CEO and Chairman Vern Chalfant to focus on acquisitions, global strategy and initiatives
McLarens, the global loss adjuster with a niche focus on commercial claims, has announced a number of changes to its global and USA leadership teams as part of a restructure aimed at providing better operational management across the business. Among the changes, McLarens stalwart Gary Brown has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of McLarens Global Limited. Steve Whitmarsh will assume the Regional Manager role of the USA and Canada; George Wasielke becomes Eastern Regional Manager of the USA. In addition to improving operational management, the changes will free CEO and Chairman of the Board Vern Chalfant to focus on strategy, acquisitions and global initiatives.
As President and COO, Gary Brown assumes responsibility for all McLarens regions, in addition to Norcross, McLarens’ mid-market offering in the USA. Vern Chalfant will retain responsibility for Airclaims, Finance, Information Technology, Sales and Marketing, Human Resources-USA, and Talent Management. Chalfant will also focus on strategy, acquisitions and global initiatives across the business.
Previously Regional Director, Americas, Brown has 28 years experience in the loss adjusting business. He joined McLarens predecessor Maxson Young in 1988, and was based in Jamaica before transferring to the New York office in 1989. Brown became Manager of the Los Angeles Branch in 1996 and a member of the firm’s Board in 1998. He assumed responsibility for the North America Branch Operations when the Company merged with McLarens in 2004.
Along with these changes come a number of senior promotions in the USA. Steve Whitmarsh, with 17 years’ experience as a loss adjuster and who joined McLarens in 2004, will assume the Regional Manager role of USA and Canada. Steve will be supported by George Wasielke as the Eastern Regional Manager of the USA, encompassing all branches east of the Mississippi River.
Vern Chalfant, CEO and Chairman of the Board, commented: “As the business continues to expand and evolve, it is necessary to broaden senior management responsibilities. We have always been a practitioner-led business and I am delighted to have someone of Gary’s caliber and experience running such a vast and diverse part of the organisation. Since meeting Gary in 1990 when he was in our New York office working as a junior specie adjuster, I’ve watched him grow as an adjuster and manager. I have the utmost confidence in his abilities. Steve and George are also trusted members of the McLarens team and I know they will both add value in their new roles and responsibilities.
“These important moves free me to focus on global strategy and initiatives, as well as acquisitions. It has been a busy few years for McLarens in this respect: since 2011 we have entered into the aviation and agricultural markets, via mergers with Airclaims and Agrical, and we have also entered the middle market segment of the business in the USA with our new brand Norcross. I believe that there remains further opportunity to expand into other specialist markets within commercial loss adjusting.”
For further information, please contact:
Jennifer Osborne-Zdaniuk | McLarensMarketing & Communications Executivejennifer.zdaniuk@mclarens.com
+44 (0)208 104 1193 | office+44 (0)78 8970 6229 | mobile
Press Release: McLarens Promotes Gary Brown to President and COO
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