Executive Committee Members
Maureen Myre, AXA XL
Maureen is currently a Claims Manager for North America Energy, Property, & Construction Claims at AXA XL and Chairperson of the Builders Risk & Construction Symposium. She is responsible for managing all Construction and Builder’s Risk claims for risks written out of the US.
Maureen began her career in 1986 as a Multi-line Claim Representative with Great American Insurance. She has held positions with several major carriers in both technical and supervisory roles, handling both property and liability claims. Maureen has handled claims for virtually all property lines of business, including equipment breakdown, marine and inland marine, general property for all sizes of risks, energy and renewable energy, and construction and engineering. Most recently, she worked for Royal and SunAlliance handling incoming reserve flow claims, and with Swiss Re handling Energy and Construction and Engineering claims. She has also served as a Claims Trainer, teaching both technical and soft skills including customer service skills for Claims Adjusters and Presentation Skills.
Maureen has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Property Casualty Insurance from The College of Insurance in N.Y., now part of St. John’s University.
Steve Gregoire, J.S. Held
Steve Gregoire has specialized over the last decade in providing investigative and forensic accounting services to the insurance industry related to the review of claims involving financial damages including business interruption losses, extra expense claims and property damage claims. In addition, he has assisted in various litigation support assignments including consultant to attorneys in damage claim analysis, preparation for depositions and information requests for discovery.
His experience includes work performed throughout the world involving petro-chemical and refining, conventional and renewable power generation, heavy industrial manufacturing, agricultural industries, steel manufacturers, private universities, food and product manufacturers, hospitality, small and large retail businesses and various service industries.
Marc Giovannetti, Engle Martin & Associates
Marc Giovannetti recently joined Engle Martin as a Senior Executive General Adjuster primarily focused on Energy, and Complex Construction independent adjusting practice. Prior to joining Engle Martin, Marc spent 20 years in various carrier claim management roles, handling a variety of complex insurance products, with a special emphasis on large commercial insurance property claims. Marc’s resume includes leading various teams in the areas of Energy and Construction both domestically and internationally. He has handled a wide array of construction losses including the construction of power facilities, refineries, LNG production facilities, petro-chemical plants, tunnels, and roadway projects. Marc currently is on the executive board of PowerConference Inc. and the Builders Risk Construction Symposium. He holds a JD from Pace University School of Law, and a BA from Manhattanville College in Purchase New York.
Jonathon Held, J.S. Held
Jonathon C. Held has been with J.S. Held since 1977 and has been President and CEO since 1985. During that period, he has overseen the growth of the firm from a small regional two-man consulting company into an internationally respected organization with global reach.
Jon has consulted on many of the largest and most complex catastrophic insurance claims in history, including the 1993 and 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in NY, the litigation between Firestone Bridgestone and its insurers for damages sustained to the Harbel Rubber plantation during the Liberian Civil War, the AOL Time Warner Center fire in NY, The Amtrak Superstorm Sandy litigation, and many of the world’s most visible claims. He is widely considered the expert of choice in large complex “bet the farm” cases.
With an unparalleled reputation in the dispute resolution arena, Jon has been a panelist in hundreds of claims and was the party appointed appraiser in the four largest claims ever to be resolved in the appraisal process. Throughout his career, he has testified in numerous courts across the United States and has considerable experience as an arbitrator and umpire.
Anthony Scariano, Sedgwick
Anthony is a Senior Executive General Adjuster in Sedgwick’s New York Office Property Department. Anthony’s area of expertise includes Builders Risk/Construction claims in various sectors. Other areas of expertise include manufacturing losses in industries such as Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Telecommunications, Heavy Metal Working, Hospitality, Semiconductor, Food Processing, Real Estate, Aerospace, Data Processing, and Steel.
Having a degree in Aerospace/Mechanical Engineering, Anthony started his insurance career as a Loss Prevention Engineer for Industrial Risk Insurers in 1989 and moved into Property Claims in 1991. Anthony moved to VeriClaim in October 2000 as an Executive General Adjuster.
Philip Silverberg, Mound Cotton
Phil Silverberg has more than thirty years of experience in counseling insurers and reinsurers in a wide range of first-party coverage matters, including builder’s risk claims. Phil’s litigation practice has included arbitrations, trials, and appeals. He has litigated in state and federal courts throughout the United States and has served as national coordinating counsel for insurers on matters arising out of 9/11 and other catastrophes, including Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. He also has lectured nationally and authored articles on reinsurance and various coverage issues including issues arising out of builder’s risk insurance. Phil is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and is admitted to the New York and New Jersey bars. He has been recognized for his achievements as an attorney in the field of insurance coverage by, among other organizations, Chambers USA and New York Super Lawyers.
Patrick Kelleher, Meaden & Moore
Patrick has nearly two decades of experience working in the area of forensic and investigative accounting field. He has extensive experience in the commercial insurance claims area, evaluating claims of financial damages, including builder’s risk, business income, property and fidelity matters ranging from $50,000 to $150 million in damages.
Patrick’s engagements included a variety of different industries including agriculture, manufacturing, hospitality and construction. As a result of his experience, Patrick has also been involved in a number of litigation support and arbitration engagements where he has provided support and expert testimony.
Education: Providence College, Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Cum Laude; Boston College, Wallace E. Carroll School of Management, Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance.
Event Chair
Monica Christopher, J.S. Held
Monica Christopher serves at the Builder’s Risk & Construction Symposium’s Event Chair. In her role, she oversees all aspects of the organization and event from start to finish. Monica is a highly organized and forward thinking marketing and business development professional with 20 years of experience in developing integrated marketing strategies that support and align with sales and revenue goals.
She also currently holds the position of Chief Marketing Officer at J.S. Held LLC, Monica manages all marketing, digital, branding, and business development efforts for the organization. She also helps lead corporate development initiatives including communications, employee engagement, and training and development.
Monica is active in her community and serves on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Dream Fund, a not for profit agency dedicated to making dreams come true for children with life threatening illness. She was also a founding partner of the Tampa Bay Chapter of Social Venture Partners.
She holds a MBA degree from the University at Buffalo where she studied Marketing and Management.
Advisory Committee Members
Jason Behrer, Starr Insurance Companies
Jason Behrer joined Starr Companies in May 2019 as the North America Construction Manager for Builder’s Risk. Prior to that, he had spent nearly 12 years with Liberty Mutual in offices around the world. He joined Liberty International Underwriters in May 2007 in the role of Construction Underwriter in San Francisco. After 4 years of managing the construction portfolio for Liberty in the Western U.S., he was invited to work with the London team to continue to develop his insurance and construction knowledge with a more global perspective. Whilst in London he worked on many +$1bn projects, including tunnels, bridges, refineries, and power generation facilities and was actively involved with the London Engineering Group (LEG). After 4 years in London as the lead Senior Underwriter for Liberty Specialty Markets, he returned to the US in 2015 to manage the Construction product line for LIU and reestablish LIU’s presence in the market.
Prior to entering the insurance industry, Jason worked for 5 years as an engineer and sales representative for PERI Formwork Systems, a German-based global concrete construction subcontractor. He started as a project engineer in the Boston office after university and then transferred to the Northern California office 3 years later. Jason holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
John Byrnes, Ironshore
Bio Coming Soon…
Mark Gadaire, Chubb
Mark has more than 30 years of experience as a loss control representative, underwriter and underwriting manager concentrating on construction exposures.
Mark currently manages the New York Major Accounts Inland Marine Region and serves as Major Accounts Builders Risk Product Practice Leader for the United States.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Lowell, MA and has completed the advanced training courses offered by Swiss and Munich Re.
Ryan Hucker, Willis Towers Watson
Ryan Hucker serves as the Builder’s Risk Broking Leader Willis Towers Watson. In this role, Ryan is responsible for providing strategic direction and technical assistance to local client service and broking teams on construction property placements including: master builders’ risk, project builders’ risk and contractor’s block. Ryan also works with local Willis Towers Watson client teams to engage with current and prospective clients in the pursuit of new and expanded business opportunities. In addition, he manages key carrier partner relationships in the construction property space.
Prior to joining WTW in April of 2018, Ryan was the Americas Construction Practice Leader for Aspen Insurance, responsible for expanding Aspen’s Construction Property product offerings, including EAR, CAR, Civil and Master Builders Risk Programs.
Ryan began his insurance career within the Global Risk Management property group of Marsh in Hartford, CT. Here he primarily focused on Power & Utility clients as well as multinational programs. After Marsh, Ryan was an energy underwriter at AIG, and eventually took on a regional management role for their construction property offerings, where he was successful in coordinating and managing programs for large developers and contractors throughout the U.S.
Ryan holds a B.S. in Programming and Leadership with a concentration in Business from the University of Delaware, graduating in 2000. He also maintains the professional designation of Associate in Risk Management (ARM).
Mark Katz, Ryan Specialty Group
Mark Katz is General Counsel of Ryan Specialty Group, a leading specialty insurance services organization providing wholesale brokerage, binding authority and managed underwriting services to retail brokers and insurers. Mark has the responsibility for leading the company’s Legal, Compliance and Regulatory functions.
Prior to joining Ryan Specialty, Mark was with Manhattan law firm Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass for 25 years, 18 as a partner, where he analyzed and litigated complex insurance coverage disputes with a special emphasis on commercial first-party property coverage litigation.
Andrea Matott, Beazley
Andrea has worked in the insurance claims industry for 30 years for various types of carriers including stock, mutual companies, and E & S carriers. She is currently a claims manager with a managing general agent at Lloyd’s. Andrea has experience handling all types of claims; including, inland marine related claims (MTC, heavy equipment, warehouseman’s, crime, and builder’s risk); treaty claims; as well as claims involving Fortune 500 companies, large commercial insured’s and homeowners all over the world.
Andrea works for Beazley Group which is a member of Lloyd’s.
William Rivera, Swiss Re
Will Rivera is responsible for managing Swiss Re’s United States Facultative and Treaty Engineering portfolio that includes Builder’s Risks, Civil Engineering Completed Risks, Machinery Breakdown, Contractors Plant and Equipment and Inherent Defect Insurance. Within this role, Will works directly with ceding companies as well as reinsurance brokers to deliver solutions to meet Swiss Re’s client’s needs. Will Rivera joined Swiss in 2011 with an initial focus of Treaty underwriting. Prior to Swiss Re, he worked as a Business Analyst for Hiscox Insurance and UBS Investment Bank. Before joining the Service industry, Will Rivera served as a Research and Development Scientist for Johnson & Johnson and a Project Engineer at Cargill.
Will received his B.S. in Industrial and Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. He is fluent in English and Spanish.
Robert Tricamo, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
Rob Tricamo is Senior Vice President and Head of Construction Property for North America at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI), where he started-up the Builders Risk operation in January 2014.
Rob has been in the insurance industry for 29 years, starting his career as a risk control consultant for IRI and since then, he has been underwriting energy, technical property, large commercial property and engineered risk lines of business.
Rob has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering.
At BHSI, Rob targets a wide range of builders risk business ranging from energy and process industry projects to heavy civil works and four-wall building construction.
Joe Vierling, AXA XL
Joe Vierling manages the Construction Property Group from New York for the North America Region. Prior to joining AXA XL, Joe was the Product Line Manager at Arch Insurance Company and his responsibilities included the development and monitoring of underwriting standards and guidelines, underwriting administration, and assignment of underwriting authority to the field.
Joe’s prior experience includes the role of Product Line Manager in the Engineered Risk Department of Swiss Re America. He was responsible for the underwriting, product development and marketing within the Eastern Region for all traditional engineering business including civil works. Joe began his career as a Fire Protection Engineer with Industrial Risk Insurers. He also held positions as an Underwriter and the Global Property Underwriting Manager for the New York City Region for Kemper Insurance Companies.
Vincent Zegers, Marsh
Vincent specializes in designing policies for construction projects and is our National Property Placement Expert. He will work closely with brokers and clients to provide creative solutions to global construction projects, including power stations, infrastructure projects as well as office and residential developments and sports stadia.
Vincent’s comprehensive background in the construction industry makes a great addition to our Construction team and will contribute to our team’s ongoing commitment to exceed our clients’ expectations.
He brings unique and innovative solutions to complex risk issues confronting contractors and owners of construction projects
Vincent is considered to be the industry’s most respected Builders Risk expert. His passion in responding to client needs is matched by the enthusiastic help he offers to his teammates.
With over 30 years of professional insurance experience, Vincent comes to JLT following his most recent role as Managing Director at Marsh, where he was responsible for all property-related matters within the construction sector. Prior to this, he was a Managing Director for Aon’s Construction Services Group for Builders Risk.
Prior to that, he has worked for 17 years as a senior underwriter for the Swiss Re both in Europe and the United States. Zegers holds a degree in Civil Engineering.