WILLIAM W. GALLAGHER, III
FOUNDING CHAIRMAN
Mr. Gallagher is the founding Chairman of William Gallagher Associates (WGA) with over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. He began his career with two of the world leading brokerages, Marsh & McLennan and Corroon & Black (now Willis). He formed WGA along with Phil Edmundson in 1983 with the vision of offering a unique style of specialized insurance brokerage services to targeted dynamic industries. His foundation has lead WGA to become a leading independent firm and one of the top brokers in the country.
Mr. Gallagher holds a Risk Management degree from the Insurance Institute of America and the professional designations of Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) and Associate in Risk Management (ARM). He is a 1961 graduate of Harvard College and served as a U.S. Naval Officer aboard the destroyer USS Paul Jones (DD-932) until 1965.
PHILIP J. EDMUNDSON, ARM, CPCU
CHAIRMAN & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Mr. Edmundson co-founded WGA in 1983 with Mr. Gallagher. He became CEO in 1997 and has since grown the firm to be the largest independent brokerage in New England.
Mr. Edmundson is a Trustee of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a Trustee of the Trustees of Reservations and Overseer of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is also a Director of the Progressive Business Leaders Network. He is the former chairman of the Hingham Board of Selectmen. He is a Director of the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers in Washington, DC.
He serves as the Chairman of Affordable Care Today, a coalition of business, consumer, provider, and labor organizations working to increase health care access in Massachusetts.
He is an honors graduate of Amherst College, with a B.S. in Psychology, received his Master of Business Administration degree with honors from Babson College. He also received a Master of Public Policy degree from the Kennedy School at Harvard University.
Direct (617) 646-0229
PATRICK VEALE, CPCU
PRESIDENT
Mr. Veale, with over 25 years of insurance experience and knowledge, today manages
WGA's team of dedicated risk management Account Executives as well as consults
on various risk management programs for WGA's larger high technology and biotechnology
clients.
He is a member of the Massachusetts Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMs),
holds his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, and is a frequent
presenter on Directors’ & Officers’ Liability, Intellectual Property Liability
and Internet and Technology risk issues. Mr. Veale is a graduate of the University
of Massachusetts Amherst.
Mr. Veale brings a valuable perspective to his work at WGA from his many years serving
in key roles at insurance carriers. As a Commercial Business Unit Manager for The
Hartford Insurance Group, he oversaw business for the carrier’s Boston office and
was responsible for production from a variety of insurance brokers. While at The
Hartford, he was instrumental in the development of specific product enhancements
for high technology and biotechnology companies within Hartford’s target industries.
Direct (617) 646-0267
MICHAEL ANDERSEN
PRINCIPAL
Mr. Andersen has a 27 year career in the insurance industry, working both as a risk
manager for several Fortune 500 corporations, as well as a broker and advisor in
the insurance brokerage industry. In 1996 he joined WGA to assist the firm’s largest
biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients. In 1999, he founded WGA’s Princeton, NJ
office, and today manages all of WGA’s Regional Offices and expansion.
In addition to his risk management expertise in property and casualty lines of insurance,
he specializes in professional liability for private equity firms, as well as professional
liability programs for organizations such as the Biotechnology Industry Organizations
(BIO) and National Association of Small Business Investment Companies (NASBIC).
In 1985, Mr. Andersen joined Alexander & Alexander’s New York City casualty
group, and a year later joined the NY-based risk management group of Akzo Nobel
NV, the Dutch pharmaceutical conglomerate. In 1989, he joined Harris Corporation,
a Florida-based international semiconductor manufacture, as the Corporate Risk Manager.
At Harris, he designed and managed the worldwide property and casualty insurance
programs. In 1993, Mr. Andersen became the Risk Manager for Schering-Plough Corporation,
an international pharmaceutical and healthcare products company. His responsibilities
included all facets of both domestic and foreign Risk Management for operations
in over 50 countries.
In 2008, Mr. Andersen was named a Power Broker by Risk &
Insurance magazine for his industry expertise and client service. He is a graduate
of Fairfield University.
Direct (609) 228-1601
JAMIE BALBONI, CIC
PRINCIPAL
Ms. Balboni brings over 25 years in experience in insurance and risk management to WGA. She specializes in guiding clients through the complexities associated with creating the broad global insurance programs necessary to compete in today’s economy.
Ms. Balboni joined the firm in 1991. In 2007 she was appointed WGA’s Property and Casualty Practice Leader, overseeing the Life Science and Technology Practices. She has represented WGA while serving in a number of outside capacities, including the Board of Directors for MassMEDIC during its early formative years. Additionally, she has served on the Broker Advisory Councils for Hartford and ACE, as well as participating in a number of women’s leadership programs for Chubb.
Ms. Balboni serves in both a brokerage and advisory role to many of WGA’s complex, dynamic clients. She began her career in the industry as a broker with MacIntyre, Fay and Thayer. She has earned the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation and is an honors graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Direct (617) 646-0247
RICHARD A. LEAVITT
PRINCIPAL
Mr. Leavitt has over 25 years of experience in insurance and risk management and
currently serves as the Leader of WGA's ExecutiveRisk Practice, recognized
as one of the foremost practices of its kind in the U.S. His expertise is in the
structuring and negotiating of complicated insurance placements with a particular focus
on Directors’ & Officers’ Liability.
He joined the firm in 1992, and founded WGA’s mid-Atlantic office in 1993. In 1996,
he led WGA’s efforts in securing its appointment by the Biotechnology Industry Organizations
(BIO) as the broker for developing insurance products for BIO’s member companies. Today, he meets regularly with Boards, Audit Committees,
and Senior Management teams to discuss the evolving landscape of executive liability
and the capabilities of the insurance marketplace to address new challenges. Mr.
Leavitt is often asked to speak on managing the risks associated with business opportunities
ranging from Initial Public Offerings (IPO’s) to Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A).
Mr. Leavitt writes extensively on topics related to executive risk with many published
articles in journals such as D&O Advisor and Corporate Secretary.
Mr. Leavitt began his career as an underwriter with the Chubb Group of Insurance
Companies. He then worked with two large regional agencies in service, sales and
management capacities before joining WGA. Mr. Leavitt is a member of the Professional
Underwriters Society (PLUS). He is an honors graduate of Williams College.
Direct (617) 646-0283
CHRISTOPHER NADEAU
PRINCIPAL
Mr. Nadeau is the head of WGA’s Employee Benefits Practice. He works closely with
clients in all areas of health and welfare benefits and counsels his group regularly
on the development and design of employee benefits programs to match WGA's clients'
corporate philosophy, long-term needs and objectives.
In 2007, Mr. Nadeau was named Chairman of the Council of Employee Benefits Executives,
a standing committee of the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (CIAB). He is a member of the New England Employee Benefits Council (NEEBC) and the Northeast
Human Resources Association (NEHRA) and holds his NASD Series 6 & 63 Investment
Securities Licenses. He previously served as a Corporate Board Member of Delta Dental
of Massachusetts and currently serves on both the Large Case Advisory Board for
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and the National Advisory Board for UNUM.
Mr. Nadeau is a frequent speaker regarding trends in corporate benefit delivery,
high deductible health plans and trends in voluntary benefits.
Before joining WGA, Mr. Nadeau specialized in regulatory compliance issues for the
consulting firm George Beram & Company, Inc. and was the Health and Welfare
Practice Leader. He has extensive experience on the carrier side, working as Vice
President of New England Operations for FIRST HEALTH for four years in addition
to spending five years working for Prudential Insurance Company. Mr. Nadeau has
a degree in Business Administration from Bucknell University.
Securities offered through NRP Financial, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC
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Direct (617) 646-0351
JIM SMITH, ARM
PRINCIPAL
Mr. Smith has been with WGA since 1986 and brings almost 30 years of insurance experience
to the firm. He is a valuable player, having the opportunity to work in many different
roles throughout his career with WGA. Most recently, he has taken charge of company
operations, manages contract relationships with insurance carriers, manages office
expansion and WGA's real estate growth.
He began his career working in claims and casualty underwriting for O’Brion, Russell,
a large regional broker which was later absorbed into Alexander & Alexander.
He moved to the service and production side of the industry at the Roanoke Companies,
where he developed a focus on Property & Casualty in a firm specializing in
Marine insurance and bonding. Mr. Smith spent several years on the local PACER Advisory
Counsel for CNA Insurance Companies concentrating on specialty lines and is a member
of the Northeast Region Producer Council for Zurich Financial Services. He has earned
his Associate in Risk Management (ARM) Designation and is a graduate of Trinity
College.
Direct (617) 646-0233
ALEXANDER “HAP” ELLIS III
DIRECTOR
Mr. Ellis is a General Partner for Rockport Capital, specializing in the energy, electric power development and environmental sectors. He formed a boutique insurance brokerage group to work with independent power companies, but was recruited by Knoll International to help re-invigorate this now well known furniture name. After the sale of Knoll to Westinghouse, he served on the management team at Kenetech Corporation from 1991-1995 and later was a partner in several power development companies, including Casco Bay Energy Company, LLC, which developed and sold a 520MW gas-fired electric generating station to Duke Energy, and Acadia Bay Energy Company, LLC, which developed and sold a 638MW gas-fired electric generating station to Allegheny Energy.
He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Catalytic Solutions, Deerpath Energy, Eka Systems, Inc, ISE Corporation, Powerspan Corporation, PPT Research, and Southwest Windpower. Mr. Ellis is a graduate of Colorado College with a BA in Political Science and earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management.
ROBERT CRAWFORD
DIRECTOR
Mr. Crawford has served on the WGA board since 1998. Before his retirement in 1997, he was the President of Chubb & Son Inc, a leading global Property & Casualty specialty insurance underwriter. He served in various roles within the Chubb organization for over 30 years during his career. He is a graduate of Colgate University, and also served in the U.S. Army National Guard.
ROBERT HUNTER, D.M.D.
DIRECTOR
Mr. Hunter is the former President of Delta Dental Plan of Massachusetts. Before his retirement in 2007, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of DentaQuest Ventures, Inc., a privately-held for-profit subsidiary of dental benefits management company, from which he retired in 2007.
Prior to his tenure at Delta Dental, Dr. Hunter practiced clinical dentistry for 21 years and was a clinical instructor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He is a graduate of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and Boston College. Dr. Hunter is also a board member for American Dental Partners.