Applied Specialty Underwriters is led by its President, Christopher Day, CPCU.
Chris has held a succession of top positions in the Property and Casualty field during his more than 30-year career in which he has been responsible for more than $2.5 Billion in premiums. Most recently, he served as President of the Casualty Group at Tokio Marine HCC and, before that, as President, Primary Casualty, for Navigators Group, Inc. Mr. Day has also served as National Product Director - Specialty Primary Casualty for Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company.
Joshua Betz is President of Applied Surety. He brings 25 years of experience in underwriting and managing surety programs. Prior to founding Applied Surety Underwriters, Josh spent 14 years as president of Argo Surety, where he created one of the top 10 surety operations in the world from its startup phase. Before joining Argo, Josh held leadership roles in the surety space managing large commercial and contract surety clients at Travelers, CNA, and Reliance Surety. Josh has garnered the respect of agents, clients, reinsurers and underwriting associates because of his relentless drive and focus on excellence and innovation.
Stephen McGill leads and is President of the Financial Lines US practice group. He has over 30 years of financial lines experience.
Prior to founding Applied Financial Lines US, he served as Chief Underwriting Officer of AIG’s Validus Specialty Group. Prior to that, he was the group head of professional lines at ARGO. His long career in the industry also includes positions at XL, Catlin, Executive Risk, Alexander & Alexander, and Sedgwick. He holds an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University and graduated from Allegheny College with a bachelor of science degree.
Steve drew upon his expansive professional network to cultivate a team that is considered the best in the industry in their respective areas. The individual product leaders all bring 20+ years of experience in professional liability and all have developed programs from the ground up at multiple stops.
Patrick has 28 years of underwriting experience, including Excess Casualty leadership positions at Zurich North America, as Vice President at AIG’s Starr Excess, Senior Vice President at Allied World, and as Head of Excess Casualty at the Ascot Group; having successfully built and managed platforms in Bermuda, New York, and London, becoming market leaders across dozens of segments in the arena of Fortune 1000 casualty.
The practice group focuses on quality risks on a primary basis:
The practice group also considers disrupted classes of business including non-emergency medical transport, buses, taxi, limousines, black car services, for-hire trucking, and underserved markets.
Rivington Commercial Auto is led by Sal Orso. Sal has over 25 years in the insurance industry, and began his career in the auto insurance residual market working for the Robert Plan Corp. He joined AIG in 2002 as a business analyst and project manager for AIG’s Private Client Group focusing on Personal Auto throughout 49 states. In 2008, Sal managed the US Excess Liability and Automobile lines of business representing almost $300M in gross written premium. He later served as the Vice President/Underwriting Manager for AIG’s Premier Client Solutions.
Concept Special Risks is led by Tony Usher. Tony has held a succession of positions in the insurance industry during his more than 50-year career. Most recently, he served as the Director of T.L. Dallas (Group) Ltd.
Steve Allen leads and is President of the Aviation practice. He has over 30 years’ experience in aviation, including duty as an operational Air Force Pilot. His education includes a BBA, MA, MBA and JD. Mr. Allen’s previous leadership experience includes service in the USAF, as an Aviation Attorney, as Head of Complex Claims at AIG, and as Head of Aviation at QBE.
The business is split up between two different types of pollution liability coverages:
Rivington Environmental is led by Cynthia Worthington. Cynthia brings 29 years of experience in Environmental Underwriting. Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Environmental Underwriting at Colony Specialty Insurance Company.
Matthew manages Rivington Environmental’s EIL Team, leveraging his 17-year background in environmental underwriting and 8 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry. Before joining Rivington, he helped develop Colony Specialty Insurance's EIL Program and contributed as an Underwriter at Freberg Environmental Insurance.
Jerid brings over 30 years’ experience in the industry. Prior to founding the practice group, he was president of Real Media Insurance Services, Managing Director & Founder of Alive Risk, and Senior Director at Allianz/Fireman’s Fund’s Global Entertainment & International Division. He has crafted custom insurance programs for some of the world’s largest promoters, sports operations, and event organizers. He has exhaustive experience in negotiating reinsurance for both facultative and treaties.
Tim has 20+ years of Entertainment experience, co-founded Alive Risk with Jerid, and was instrumental in creating their Delegated Authority Program including the development of the platform and underwriting guidelines. He most recently served as Executive Vice President of Reel Media Insurance Services where he oversaw various underwriting programs including the Motorsports Program, Surplus Lines Program, and handled large Event Cancellation & Non-Appearance placements.
Shane had several years of experience as a Transportation Underwriter with Canal Insurance Company prior to founding Blue Ridge. He also previously served as a Commercial Sales Representative for Progressive Insurance and as Marketing Director for a national wholesale agency and program manager, leading their efforts for the distribution and underwriting of program business.
Mike worked at Canal Insurance Company for over seven years before founding Blue Ridge. His tenure at Canal provided him opportunities to manage portions of their Marketing and Underwriting operations along with the opportunity to work directly with three Program Managers to monitor their programs and help facilitate their success. Prior to Canal, Mr. Gordon had a 15-year career as a Claims executive with Nationwide/Scottsdale Insurance.
Rivington Middle Market Property is led by John Dowling. John has held a succession of top positions in the Property field during his more than 30-year career in which he has been responsible for more than $1 Billion in premiums. Most recently, he served as Property Manager for W.R. Berkley, before that, as Senior Vice President for Travelers Insurance Company.
The practice group currently offers the following products:
Jose Luis Menéndez is the President and CEO of Applied Warranty & Insurance Services. Jose previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Insurance Officer as part of his 17-year career at Generali’s US and UK insurance operations. In total, his 42 years in the property and casualty insurance industry lays the foundation for the team’s wide-ranging knowledge and real-world experience in product and business development. Jose has served as a senior C-Level executive for major domestic and international insurers for the majority of his career.
Jeroen started his career at XL Insurance in International Financial Lines based in Paris and focusing on the French, German, and Benelux markets. He joined Catlin to build a successful Financial Lines book in Europe from 2008 to 2015. In 2015, a new challenge awaited him at StarStone International, where he had the opportunity to restructure the existing Financial Lines portfolio and set a foundation for profitable growth.
As Jeroen built the StarStone program, he created a team of highly skilled professionals that he has brought with him to Applied Financial Lines Europe. This team has expansive experience in professional indemnity in countries in and around the European Union, helped set the foundation of success at StarStone and continues to do the same at AFL.
Michael Chang has over 25 years of experience leading underwriting and broking operations across global insurance markets. His background includes senior leadership roles at Sompo International, where he built Global Risk Solutions into a $1.4 billion enterprise, and at WTW, where he served as Chief Executive Officer of Corporate Risk and Broking for North America. He founded Verist in 2025, a Managing General Underwriter majority-owned by United Risk Group, comprising 29 specialized programs operating across more than 30 offices worldwide.
Ron is President and Founder of Applied Fine Art & Collections. Previously, Ron spent 13 years overseeing the private collections portfolio at AIG Private Client Group, one of the largest high net worth divisions in the personal lines industry. Additionally, Ron worked as a professional liability underwriting manager for hedge funds and security broker/dealers at AIG’s financial institutions division.
Ron’s executive team has been with him in prior stops and was a part of building one of the largest and most desirable collections insurance portfolios in the personal lines industry.
Jon Lewis leads the Applied Underwriters Aerospace team as President with the combined experience of both insurance and space. Starting with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, he spent seven years as a propulsion engineer at NASA. Sixteen years ago, he made the move to space underwriting and is a member of the Space Risks Study Group for the International Union of Aerospace Insurers.
Brian leads Applied Home National’s operations, driving growth, profitability, and portfolio management. Previously, he launched non-admitted personal lines programs at Rivington Partners and managed a $750M portfolio as VP of Business Development at NatGen Premier. With extensive experience at National General, ACE Private Risk, and Chubb, he’s known for his leadership in business development, product management, and underwriting.
The Highlights:
Shippers Interest
Carriers Legal Liability
Freight Forwarders Legal Liability (Contingent Cargo Liability)
Freight Forwarders Errors & Omissions
Warehouse Legal Liability
Alex’s 20+ years underwriting in the marine and logistics insurance industry equip him with the expertise to help brokers offer best-in-class solutions to their clients. His focus on leveraging data and technology ensures that your clients benefit from strategies designed to predict and mitigate risks in the most efficient way possible.
Henry has been in the war and political violence market over 20 years and started the Political Violence & Aviation War division at an Argo Syndicate at Lloyds. He served at Westfield Specialty Insurance, London (2020-2024) as Head of Political Violence and War, and at Talbot Underwriting, London (2004-2020) as a Hull & War Underwriter, Terrorism & War Underwriter, and Senior Class Underwriter.
Joe has 17 years of experience, including at Validus Specialty, NYC (2017-2024) as Senior VP - Head of War and Terrorism USA; Talbot Underwriting, London (2015-2017), Class Underwriter; Liberty Specialty Markets, London (2012-2015), Deputy Class Underwriter; and Lancashire Insurance Group, London (2007-2012), Assistant Underwriter.
The Practice offers the following products:
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Bernie de Haldevang leads the Applied Credit Underwriters team, which has more than 100 years of combined experience in this nuanced segment of risk management. His career includes CEO, Board and senior leadership, broking and underwriting roles at Lloyd’s syndicates, corporate carriers and multilateral institutions including at BPL-Global, African Trade & Investment Development Insurance, Canopius, Aspen, Wellington Underwriting and Atrium, where he specialised in structured trade and investment protection across international markets and led a broad range of Specialty lines.
Anna Clarving is a senior insurance executive with more than 18 years of experience across the European and Nordic markets. She has built a strong track record in digital transformation, strategic partnerships, and program growth initiatives. Prior to Applied Affinity, she held senior roles with Chubb, Zurich, and Aon.
Fredrik Müntzing is an experienced underwriting leader specializing in Accident & Health, technical product design, and distribution innovation. Before joining Applied Affinity, he served as Head of Product & Underwriting at Europeiska ERV, ERGO, and previously held senior underwriting positions at Chubb and Allianz, including Head of Underwriting, Accident & Health for Northern Europe.
The practice group currently offers the following products and services:
Chris Howard has spent his career shaping specialty insurance programs across credit, direct response, extended warranty, mobile device protection, and Accident & Health. He focuses on helping insurers and distribution partners accelerate product development while maintaining disciplined underwriting and scalable operations.
At First Accident & Health, Chris manages full lifecycle A&H programs, aligning carriers with the right channels and building solutions that not only address market needs but create long-term value and sustainable growth.
Ron Lefkoski brings deep expertise in program-based insurance, having led product design, distribution strategy, and operational execution across carriers and agencies. He is known for connecting innovative solutions with the right channels to deliver measurable results.
At First Accident & Health, Ron focuses on designing and scaling alternative A&H programs that combine strategic oversight, disciplined execution, and long-term performance, ensuring each initiative drives enduring value for clients and partners.
As Founder and CEO of Thriver, Matt Mayberry brings more than 20 years of experience in financial services, with over a decade in the specialty MGA sector. He leads the development of distinctive risk solutions, including Thriver’s proprietary Security Deposit Waiver for multifamily housing. His background spans medical reinsurance, parametric weather products, and deposit alternative insurance.
Matt holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.B.A. from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
