Rick Gilman Appointed Executive Director of Personal Lines Growth Alliance

Rick Gilman has been named the new executive director of the Personal Lines Growth Alliance (PLGA, Springfield, Va.), a virtual association dedicated to improving the competitiveness of the independent agency distribution channel. Gilman will oversee a communications, education and advocacy campaign to promote knowledge and understanding of how agencies can benefit from targeting the personal lines market.

The mission of the Alliance is to work with the players in the independent agency system and help them grow their share of the personal lines market. The $230 billion of personal lines premiums represents a significant potential for independent agents, according to Gilman. "It will be the Alliance's role to provide a platform of information and education to agents and brokers on how to capture a greater share of that market," he said in a press release.

Gilman previously served as VP of communications at ACORD. He also was director of Subscriber Services at the Insurance Information Institute (III).

Launched in February 2010, the PLGA is backed by nearly 300 independent agents and brokers, trade associations and user groups, national and regional carriers, and several technology providers.

Katherine Burger is Editorial Director of Bank Systems & Technology and Insurance & Technology, members of UBM TechWeb's InformationWeek Financial Services. She assumed leadership of Bank Systems & Technology in 2003 and of Insurance & Technology in 1991. In addition to ... View Full Bio