SOUTH WESTERN INSURANCE GROUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Operations Officer
- Member of the Leadership Team
Anastasia is the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Operations Officer at South Western Insurance Group. She joined the company in September 2019, bringing with her a wealth of experience in senior financial roles. Prior to her current appointment with South Western Insurance Group, Anastasia provided financial consulting services to MedThree Insurance Group and Three Holdings Inc.
As the CFO, Anastasia plays a pivotal role in the organization, providing financial leadership, ensuring compliance with regulations, and aligning business and finance strategies for healthy growth.
As the COO, Anastasia oversees the day-to-day operational and administrative functions of the business including underwriting support, Human Resources, Marketing, IT, and Compliance.
Anastasia holds the designations of Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA CMA) and Payroll Compliance Practitioner (PCP). Recently, Anastasia obtained her Managing General Agent (MGA) designation from the Insurance Institute of Canada and continues working towards her CIP designation.
Colleen operates as a single portal for all current and emerging compliance matters. Since the ongoing challenges and issues of compliance and governance intersect with all departments, Colleen employs a consistent, diligent approach, with an open-door policy. Our services are technology-enabled and structured to drive efficiency, minimize risk, reduce costs, and support transparency to our compliance and governance processes.
Colleen launched her career with SWG in 1993, and thrived as a senior underwriter in specialty markets; eventually gravitating toward compliance as a full-time pursuit. Colleen is at the helm of driving continuous improvement in organizational compliance and governance with our technology partners, external resources and with our broker communities. Through community-centric collaboration, Colleen and her team underpin consistent compliance insights, support and communications for new, existing and future regulations to ensure all parties are prepared and compliant. `
Colleen is also exploring how we as an organization can create long-term value across a broader spectrum of stakeholders through financial and corporate sustainability.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Vice President of Professional Lines
Darlene has over 30 years of insurance experience, with the majority of those years focused on underwriting large complex professional liability risks. As VP of Professional Lines Darlene is responsible for overseeing the Healthcare and Professional Liability divisions of SWG. Darlene's extensive underwriting experience allows her to present solutions, advice and coaching in collaboration with her team. As part of her role, Darlene also designs negotiates and implements comprehensive insurance programs for Professional Lines, focusing on targeted, profitable growth. Darlene's Professional Lines team have always been focused on providing our brokers with excellent customer service and building broker relationships.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Team Lead - Liability
As Senior Underwriter/Team Lead for South Western Insurance Group (SWG); Gary is responsible for transforming growth across our national liability markets. Gary joined SWG in 2020, having invested more than 20 years in underwriting, leadership and management positions, specializing primarily in property and casualty as a Managing General Agent (MGA).
Gary leads his team by ensuring SWG services reflect a combination of deep industry intelligence and insight; building broker-trust service levels that deliver as predicted; and in collaboration with his team, a commitment to a continuous improvement approach to product quality, effectiveness and execution.
Job Titles:
- Chief Underwriting Officer
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Leadership Team
- President
John is the president and CEO of South Western Insurance Group. He has been with the company for 10 years overseeing its growth and expansion.
John believes that the growth of the business has been driven by the expertise and knowledge of its colleagues, who have specialized industry and segment understanding. He emphasizes the importance of helping community brokers and retaining or winning accounts by delivering them expertise and knowledge.
John has reinvested the company's cash flow back into the business, which has allowed for investment in both infrastructure and market facing sides of the business.
Over the last 10 years, John is proud of the pace of new product introduction, improving the product density available to the broker channel. He sees the next 10 years as a challenge, where business process automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning will be imperative for the company to excel. John also aims to help the colleagues spend more time facing the market and less time facing the transaction.
Job Titles:
- Team Lead - Financial Services
Logan Switzer, our Marketing Coordinator, plays a pivotal role in driving the success of our marketing efforts. Logan joined the SWG team in 2023. With a passion for connecting with audiences and an understanding of the insurance industry, Logan consistently crafts strategic campaigns that resonate with our target market.
Mary joined South Western Insurance Group in February 2023 and brings extensive experience in financial management, reporting and compliance. As Controller, Mary is responsible for overseeing the daily activities of the Finance department, stewardship of financial performance, and ensuring a strong internal control environment. Mary brings compassion to her leadership style and has a passion for coaching and empowering others, and driving positive results with a customer focus.
Job Titles:
- Fellow
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Team Lead - Property
With over 25 years of experience in the Insurance Industry, Melrose has always had a passion for coaching and developing others. In her past role of 15 years as a Commercial Property/Casualty Supervisor (P&C) she led a team of up to 10 direct reports. Her passion is to coach, develop and mentor technically strong underwriters and leaders for the future.
Melrose joined the South Western Insurance Group in May 2021 as an Underwriter and was promoted to a Team Lead/Senior Underwriter in July 2021.
Melrose is a Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP), a Certified Risk Manager (CRM), a Registered Insurance Broker of Ontario (RIBO), and holds a Business Management Certificate from the University of Toronto.
Navin Stanly has a remarkable 18-year journey across the global landscape of Information Technology, Navin Stanly stands as an innovator and leader in this field. A true IT enthusiast, Navin's passion for technological advancement, digitalization, and process automation has left an indelible mark on diverse industries.
At the helm of the IT division at Southwestern Insurance Group (SWG), Navin orchestrates a symphony of innovation, seamlessly bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and organizational strategy. His deep-rooted expertise has played an instrumental role in driving the digital transformation of critical processes, ensuring SWG remains at the forefront of technological evolution.
Navin's leadership has been the driving force behind key projects that align with SWG's strategic objectives. His strategic acumen and profound understanding of technology's role in business have allowed him to not just navigate the ever-evolving IT landscape, but to thrive within it. Under his guidance, SWG has witnessed the harmonization of technology and organizational goals, resulting in enhanced efficiency, agility, and customer-centricity.
With a proven track record of spearheading technological advancements and fostering a culture of innovation, Navin Stanly embodies the essence of a forward-looking IT Senior Manager. His leadership continues to shape the future of SWG's IT division, driving it towards unparalleled success in the digital age.
Job Titles:
- Team Lead - Allied Health
Job Titles:
- Member of the Leadership Team
- Team Lead - Direct & Facultative Business Solutions
Ulli began her insurance career at South Western Group roughly 20 years ago, starting from the bottom and learning the business from the ground up. She began in the mailroom and after a year, was promoted to become an Underwriting Assistant. Ulli then progressed to work as a Junior Underwriter for specific programs, including Bonds for Surety and Fidelity, where she held the seal for several insurance markets. Through her journey, Ulli gained valuable experience and knowledge that helped her become a Senior Underwriter for General Liability, Commercial Property and Pollution Liability. Her hard work paid off when she was promoted to become the Team Lead for the Casualty Department in Toronto and Vancouver, B.C. in 2021.
In 2022 Ulli has developed (or created) the Direct & Facultative - Business Solutions team, which is providing Open Market solutions for hard to place, out of the ordinary and/or high risk business operations, while mentoring Junior Underwriters.