August 06, 2008 10:40 AM Eastern Time 

Knudson Joins Collins as Senior Vice President; Company Expands Florida Broker Force

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kevin Knudson, a Florida resident whose 33-year career as a reinsurance broker has included extensive experience in the southeastern United States, has joined reinsurance intermediary Collins as senior vice president.

“In addition, we have been effective in helping new, startup insurance companies raise capital and enter the Florida insurance marketplace”

Knudson’s appointment coincides with Collins’ decision to expand its staff in Florida, as it transfers two other senior brokers from its Minneapolis headquarters to its Tampa office.

“Collins has a strong presence in Florida and the Southeast,” explained Collins President and Chief Executive Officer Pat Denzer. “We have clients that write property insurance in the region, and we assist them in managing their exposures to catastrophes.

“In addition, we have been effective in helping new, startup insurance companies raise capital and enter the Florida insurance marketplace,” Denzer added. “With his strong track record, Kevin will support our leadership in Florida and elsewhere in the region.”

Knudson joins Collins from reinsurance intermediary Aon Re Global, where he was senior vice president responsible for the Southeast region since 2001. In that position, he provided reinsurance services, assisted clients with capital raising and provided additional consulting to property insurers.

From 1975 until 2001 Knudson worked for reinsurance intermediary E.W. Blanch in a variety of positions, including executive vice president with responsibility for the company’s South region.

Knudson holds a bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Minnesota and the Chartered Property-Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation.

In addition to Knudson, two other Collins brokers are moving to the Tampa office. Scott Fest, senior vice president, who has been working with Florida clients since joining Collins in 2007, is relocating from Minneapolis to Tampa. He will be joined by Vice President Bryan Friendshuh, who has been with Collins since 2000 and will also work from Tampa with clients in the Southeast.

Collins, established in 1987, serves clients in the property-casualty, life, and accident & health insurance markets. Headquartered in Minneapolis, it has offices across the United States as well as in London and in Bermuda. It has recorded a compound annual growth rate of 23 percent since 1995.

The privately-held company provides reinsurance brokerage services, risk transfer advice and analytical services to insurers, reinsurers, managing general agents and others in the insurance marketplace. Those services include catastrophe modeling, actuarial analysis, dynamic reinsurance modeling and financial consulting. Additional information is available at the company’s website, www.collins.com.