FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nicole Vasile
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Nicole.Vasile@ciab.com
THE COUNCIL OF INSURANCE AGENTS & BROKERS ELECTS ANDY BARRENGOS OF WOODRUFF SAWYER AS 2024/2025 CHAIR
WASHINGTON, DC – Andy Barrengos, Chairman & CEO of Woodruff Sawyer, was elected the 2024/2025 Board Chair for The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (The Council) during The Council’s 111th annual Insurance Leadership Forum in Colorado Springs, Colo. Barrengos succeeds Keith Schuler, President/CEO of InterWest Insurance Services – A BroadStreet Company.
As Chair of The Council, Barrengos leads a team of officers including Vice Chair John M. Howard, TIH (Charlotte, N.C.); Treasurer Eric Leavitt, Leavitt Group Enterprises (Cedar City, Utah); and Secretary J. Powell Brown, Brown & Brown, Inc. (Daytona Beach, Fla.).
“The Council’s support is critical in an environment where clients’ risks and opportunities are evolving rapidly,” said Barrengos. “Leveraging the collective power and knowledge of its members, The Council prioritizes the most pressing issues for our firms, amplifying our voice on Capitol Hill and delivering brokerage-specific trainings, development programs and forums. I’m honored to work with a Board who are deeply committed to the value of our community, and who reflect the best of the talent, commitment and grit across our industry.”
Since joining Woodruff Sawyer in 1996, Barrengos has served in a variety of leadership positions, both on the firm’s senior management team and in multiple business units. He has led Woodruff Sawyer’s Technology and Life Science Practices and has served on the firm’s Board of Directors since 2008. He was named CEO in 2016, and Chairman & CEO in 2020.
Barrengos joined The Council’s Board of Directors in 2017 and served on the Planning & Strategic Resources Committee until 2022, when he became a Board Officer after being elected Secretary.
“Andy brings with him an in-depth knowledge of the insurance marketplace and decades of experience building a culture of respect and integrity at Woodruff Sawyer,” said Joel Wood, President/CEO of The Council. “The Board has benefitted greatly from Andy’s leadership and commitment to our community. We’re thrilled to have him at the helm of our association, representing the most successful insurance brokerages around the globe.”
In addition to Barrengos’s appointment, The Council welcomed six new Board members whose terms begin Jan 1, 2025:
- Sarah Friend, The Partners Group (Portland, Ore.)
- Matt Gardner, Patriot Growth Insurance Services (Fort Washington, Pa.)
- Cooper Jones, Hub International Midsouth (Nashville, Tenn.)
- Marya Propis, Ryan Specialty (Chicago)
- Brad Rucker, Mahoney Group (Mesa, Ariz.)
- Tom Stewart, Holmes Murphy (Waukee, Iowa)
The following Board members have been re-elected to new terms which begin Jan 1, 2025:
- Kurt de Grosz, Newfront (San Mateo, Calif.)
- Walt Fawcett, The Plexus Groupe (Deer Park, Ill.)
- Jochen Koerner, Ecclesia Group (Detmold, Germany)
- John Plummer, Ardonagh Group (London)
- Bob Harrison, Daniel & Henry (St. Louis, Mo.)
- Mike Victorson, M3 Insurance (Madison, Wis.)