Frank Crystal & Company Names Michele Centeno Senior Managing Director

Industry leader brings more than 20 years of expertise to grow risk management practice

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Frank Crystal & Company, one of the nation’s largest independent insurance brokerage firms, today announced that Michele Centeno has joined the company effective February 7 as senior managing director, Risk Management Practice. Ms. Centeno will report to John C. Smith, executive vice president of Frank Crystal & Company. She will be based in Miami, Florida.

In this role Ms. Centeno will be responsible for the growth of the risk management practice on a national level. She will work closely with John C. Smith and Ed Kiessling, executive vice president of Frank Crystal & Co., to drive growth across the company. Ms. Centeno will call upon her depth of knowledge to align resources, deliver exceptional service and provide effective solutions for clients with complex risk landscapes.

“As we continue to build out our national platform, this key hire underscores our commitment to attracting not only the industry’s best and brightest to lead our teams, but those that also share our dedication to client service and customized solutions,” said John C. Smith.

Ms. Centeno brings an impressive two decades of experience in the insurance industry. In her most recent role as managing director of Beecher Carlson she produced and led a team supporting a client base of large, Fortune 1000 accounts. During her tenure, she established a successful track record with clients for addressing their total cost of risk and creating innovative program structures and solutions.

Prior to Beecher Carlson, Ms. Centeno held several senior level positions including managing director at Marsh USA, Inc. where she was southeast practice leader of the FINPRO operation, managing director at Allianz where she was one of four partners selected to execute the new US operation, and regional vice president at St. Paul (Travelers), where she, among other things, led a team of 60 underwriters across three states and established the company’s first New York City office. In her role as senior vice president at CNA insurance she established and built the company’s middle market group.

Ms. Centeno started her career as an underwriter at National Union/AIG, and moved on to become a vice president at Johnson & Higgins.

“Michele’s deep industry experience provides her with a unique understanding of the complex service demands and needs of companies operating in the global risk environment,” continued Ed Kiessling. “Further, the depth of risk management expertise she brings having built and managed significant books of business throughout her career will be invaluable as we take on a greater share of large market clients.”

She received her degree from Kean University in Union, NJ where she majored in Communications and Business Management, and completed a graduate executive leadership program at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg FL.

About Frank Crystal & Company

Founded in 1933, Frank Crystal & Company is one of the largest privately held insurance brokerage firms in the United States. Headquartered in New York City, the company has more than 400 employees and regional offices in Miami, Houston, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Southampton, and Washington, DC. Frank Crystal provides industry-leading insurance services, solutions, and counsel to corporations as well as individuals. The company provides a highly consultative approach, leveraging its insurance advisory, claims management, risk control engineering, and administrative expertise to the benefit of its clients. For more information, visit www.frankcrystal.com.

Makovsky & CompanyJacqueline Broder, 212-508-9646
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Source: Frank Crystal & Company