FARIBAULT, Minn. —ABC Companies has recognized three employees for 30 years of exceptional service to their customers and the industry.
They are Wendy Hansen, who stared at ABC Financial Services as a document coordinator and is now the senior financial services administrator; Carlo Schiantabasti, who worked for 11 years as a mechanic at the Auch-Merz Bus Lines in Philadelphia before being hired by ABC as a technician in its then-new Camden, N.J., facility; and Charlie Walser, who was in agriculture in Minnesota before joining ABC and is now Southern California senior account manager.
“A 30-year anniversary is a milestone that is not often achieved in the workplace today and we are truly honored to be able to recognize three ABC employees for this 30-year milestone,” said Dane Cornell, ABC’s chairman and CEO.
“We appreciate their dedication and loyalty to our organization and service and commitment to our customers. A heartfelt thank you to Carlos, Charlie and Wendy from all of us for a job well done and we look forward to many more successful and productive years.”
LONG BEACH, N.Y. — In arguably the worst insurance fraud jurisdiction in the U.S., the New York City metropolitan area, Lancer Insurance Co.’s special investigations unit has been named the 2016 SIU Department of the Year by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
NICB’s award recognizes Lancer’s efforts in fighting auto-related insurance fraud and its strong working relationship with local, state and federal authorities involved in the fight against this growing criminal activity.
The top department award received by Lancer for 2016 joins with the individual awards previously received from NICB by Lancer claims professionals Paul Wasielewski (2015) and Christina Federici (2014).
RICHFIELD, Ohio –National Interstate Insurance has promoted George Skuggen to senior vice president and has hired Steve Blankenship as vice president, passenger transportation.
In his new role, Skuggen will oversee National Interstate’s truck and environmental, national accounts and passenger transportation products. He previously served as vice president of truck and environmental.
Prior to joining National Interstate, he held key leadership positions at several insurance companies, including Westfield, CNA, and Progressive.
Blankenship will oversee all passenger transportation insurance products while utilizing his extensive underwriting background to uncover additional business opportunities. He has more than 26 years of industry experience, most recently serving in a management role for AIG.
ESTERO, Fla. —Eric Elliott has been promoted to vice president of sales and marketing at Distinctive Systems Inc., which supplies software to the motorcoach and retail tour industries.
In his new position, Elliott will focus on selling and marketing the company’s Coach Manager Charter and Contract Booking System; its Tour Booking System for tour and day trip reservations; and its Vehicle Maintenance System for maintenance planning and workshop management.
“The timing of this promotion is due in part to the extraordinary interest in our offerings of late, as well as the desire for us to take full advantage of all of the opportunities available within our market,” said Distinctive President Don Greenglass.
Elliott, 35, joined the company at the beginning of 2016 as an implementation, training and support specialist, which allowed him to gain knowledge of all Distinctive Systems applications, as well as to better understand what is entailed with implementing and supporting the software in North America.
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario —Michael Harazin has joined the sales team at Eberspaecher North America, responsible for the Midwest U.S. territory.
Harazin has spent 20-plus years in industrial distribution and the manufacturing sectors and has extensive experience in territory management, business development, key account management, sales training, and budgeting and cost control.
He replaced Gary Engle, who retired at the end of 2016. Eberspaecher specializes in exhaust technology, climate control systems and automotive controls.
