Commercial Underwriter

MARY ELLEN O’CONNELL, CIC, AU-M, AU, AINS

Columbus, Oh \ 614-***-**** \ ***************@*****.***

COMMERCIAL UNDERWRITING, SALES & MARKETING, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Additional areas of expertise and strengths include — SMALL COMMERCIAL MARKET

REVENUE & PROFIT GROWTH

RELATIONSHIP CULTIVATION

PRODUCT MANAGEMENT

CLIENT RETENTION/LOYALTY

UNDERWRITING AUDITS

SUMMARY OF P ROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

SELECTIVE INSURANCE COMPANY Columbus, OH 2024- now Senior Underwriter

Manage a $15 million book of business of renewal policies. All in the state of Ohio. Met quarterly with agents. Also handled ;endorsements that were outside of the Underwriting Assistance authority. OHIO MUTUAL INSURANCE GROUP Columbus, OH 2019-2023 Production Underwriter

Manage $8 million book of business and performed weekly agency visits to produce New Business for the states of Ohio and Indiana.

GUIDE ONE INSURANCE Columbus, OH 2017-2019

Product Initiatives Small Business Manager

Manage daily business operations with accountability for product management and initiatives. Currently underwriting three new products including Business Owners Policy, Workers’ Comp Policy, and Commercial Automobile Policy. Supervise the daily activity of four underwriting teams for small business products. Train and mentor team members on all new products. Provide underwriting team with authority approvals. Audit underwriting files. Monitor profit and risk appetite in collaboration with portfolio manager. Cooperate with project team to develop product enhancements.

■ Trained new underwriting team for successful product launch of the Business Owners Policy—across 50 states— achieving exceptional results.

■ Drive business growth through the design and implementation of technology and data-driven products for the small business division.

STATE AUTO INSURANCE COMPANIES Columbus, Ohio & Hunt Valley, MD 2009-2017 Strategic Initiatives Manager (2016-2017)

“Congratulations on being a recipient of State Auto’s Individual Performance Bonus. We are committed to rewarding those who exceed their individual objectives and encourage you to continue your outstanding efforts.”

Directed strategic projects authorizing all scope, requirements, training, and communications. Supported business sponsor in the initiation and execution of major endeavors, and in coordinating various activities. Assisted with long- and short-term resolutions for the design and support of business applications. Maintained outstanding support to customers while monitoring a queue of enhancement requests from business users. Interacted daily with internal and external clients.

■ Positioned projects in meeting and exceeding all strategic goals while leading all phases of major ventures, establishing objectives including project scope, requirements, and deadlines. Field UW Director: Small Commercial (2015-2016)

Managed a team of 24 employees including underwriters, underwriting assistants, and underwriting managers in the daily operations of a $93M small commercial book of business. Worked with the agency force and sales team daily. Oversaw out-of-authority referrals from the underwriting team.

■ Launched and oversaw the Business Owners Policy product in collaboration with the product management team.

Small Business Solutions Underwriting Manager (2013-2015) Led major aspects of the business insurance small business solutions segment including establishing and ensuring achievement of all profit, growth, and strategy goals. Managed portfolio of small business book for commercial lines division. Launched automated instructions of small business book renewals and oversaw and maintained automated guidelines of renewal book. Delivered intensive biannual regional training. Acted as decision-maker for the premium audit exception/ allowance of payment plan.

■ Earned recognition for consistently aligning business results with all established goals and expectations, driving profitability, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction. Business Insurance Underwriting Supervisor (2013)

Supervised a team of business insurance underwriters coordinating and implementing all hiring, training, development, and performance oversight. Led the daily activities of an underwriting team across PA, CT, and MA. Developed and launched all profit and sales goals for the territory—in collaboration with the business insurance manager—efficiently monitoring all action plans to achieve company objectives. Delivered proposals on agency and book management issues while participating in the review and evaluation of various agencies.

■ Earned promotion to supervisor role as a result of demonstrating the ability to lead significant business growth and retention and customer service excellence while overseeing teams of staff.

■ Identified training and development needs for teams by successfully monitoring the performance of staff and overall unit; collaborated with business insurance manager in delivering necessary training and development.

■ Met all profit and sales goals by conducting periodic underwriting audits and leading various underwriting projects as required; reported results to business insurance manager and provided recommendations.

Business Insurance Underwriter (2009-2012)

Worked within the regional office in the small commercial division serving as one of two master underwriters with accountability for underwriting a $6M book of business to profitability within the Western Pennsylvania territory. Mentored several underwriters and supported peers and underwriting assistants as a major underwriting resource within the office. Conducted and led monthly risk roundtable meetings centered on training and risk examination. Audited underwriting files.

■ Reduced loss ratio in the Western Pennsylvania territory—from 70% to 45%—while leading a $6M book of business to profitability; central figure in largest agent achieving platinum status due to the extensive growth and profitability of their book.

■ Consistently exceeded expectations and strategic goals for production, service, and profitability, leading to State Auto’s “Individual Performance Bonus Award” for both 2010 and 2011.

■ Drove the determination and success of several underwriters and underwriting assistants while serving as a mentor and underwriting resource to all peers.

■ Achieved and sustained business retention rates of 82% to 85% and upheld underwriting audit scores at roughly 95%.

■ Performance Recognition — Awarded State Auto’s “Individual Performance Bonus” for two consecutive years—through an acknowledged track record of consistently exceeding strategic business goals and expectations across production, service, and profitability.

■ Team Leadership & Training — Serve as an underwriting resource for all colleagues, providing quality training and mentorship—throughout career—with proven results propelling the growth of several teams of underwriters. Establish and lead a team-centered working environment focused on collaboration and trust. SOUTHERN CROSS UNDERWRITERS Timonium, MD 2007-2009 Production Underwriter

Performed extensive underwriting of new and renewal business within the Excess and Surplus Lines marketplace; marketed to agencies across the MD, VA, and DC territory. Connected authorities with multiple carriers. Serviced industries including professional services, construction, real estate, retail, and wholesale.

■ Established and maintained an outstanding level of customer service as a result of binding authorities with several carriers; collaborated with colleagues daily to meet all business objectives. THE HARTFORD Hunt Valley, MD 2006-2007

Senior Middle Market Sales Underwriter

Procured new business deals through excellence in sales. Carried out the underwriting of general insurance risks with a territory including the Baltimore Metro and the Western part of Maryland. Met all new business production and profitability goals through a minimum of four agency visits per week. Addressed all quality standards.

■ Successfully generated $15M+ in new business sales for the regional office agency force by reaching exceptional results in sales, marketing, business development, and customer service. THE ST. PAUL/TRAVELERS Hunt Valley, MD 1999-2006 Account Executive (2004-2006)

“No one on the team receives the consistently glowing compliments as Mary Ellen. Our agents simply love working with her. They especially appreciate her timeliness in responding and her can-do attitude. Mary Ellen serves as a role model for all. Her contribution will be an essential factor to the team’s continued success.”

Managed accounts with a $25K+ premium. Oversaw a general commercial risk book of $5M across territory of Baltimore, Carroll, Howard, and Western Maryland counties. Performed routine agency visits. Ensured agency production was in alignment with planned goals. Audited underwriting files; maintained underwriting audit scores at roughly 95%.

■ Earned recognition for upholding retention rates—of 82% to 85%— by expanding new business production and retaining renewals through successful agency visits. Small Commercial Underwriter (1999-2004)

Served as the Mainstreet underwriter for a five-state territory comprised of PA, OH, IN, MI, and KY. Oversaw a $19M book of business. Maintained consistent contact with an agency plant of 300 staff carrying out quarterly agent visits across the MAC territory. Mentored underwriting assistants and underwriter trainees. Supported agency force with online rating and class determination. Expanded the production of lower-tier agents through telephone marketing.

■ Achieved a nomination for a “Noah Award” by maintaining a consistent track record of performance excellence, and by fostering a team-centered environment, leading to the attainment of all goals across production, service, and profitability.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

STRAYER UNIVERSITY

BS, Internetworking Technology, Minor: Small Business Management INSURANCE INSTITUTE OF AMERICA

Associate, Commercial Underwriting – Management (AU-M) Associate, Commercial Underwriting (AU)

Associate, General Insurance (AINS)

CIC Designation

Technical Expertise: Advanced Knowledge of Policy Center/Intermediate Knowledge of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint

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