Keystone Insurers Group Names Bicknell and Williams as Regional Presidents

NORTHUMBERLAND, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Keystone Insurers Group (Keystone), the third largest insurance agency network, named Michele Bicknell its Mid-South Regional President, and Neal Williams its Great Lakes Regional President, effective immediately. As announced previously, the Western Regional will be handled by Dawnyel Smink.

The creation of regional presidents was designed to enhance Keystone’s leadership and presence in the field, as well as provide key insights to executive leadership and board of directors on geographic opportunities and challenges across the company’s national footprint. In this role, they will strategize how Keystone’s agent and carrier needs are handled in an ever-changing marketplace, shifting the organization to align future decisions based on their impact on Keystone’s independent agencies and core carrier relationships in the network.

Williams and Bicknell had both been serving as regional vice presidents. Bicknell joined Keystone in 2011 as the state vice president to Tennessee, while Williams joined in 2009 as the state vice president to Indiana. In their new roles, both will also serve on Keystone’s executive leadership team.

“Keystone’s platform caters to the highest performing agencies in the country, and Neal, Michele, and Dawnyel’s new roles are a reflection of that,” stated president and CEO David E. Boedker, Sr. “With the inclusion of CLI, we have a home – and solutions – for agencies regardless of where they are in their life cycle, including agencies just starting, those who have achieved success, wish to internally merge or perpetuate, or those wishing to achieve greater financial autonomy. After 40 years in the business, we believe that success of the IA channel happens better together. Congratulations to Neal and Michele on this tremendous opportunity!”

“As Keystone continues to expand its national footprint, it was important that we created dedicated senior management roles focused on managing the unique characteristics of each region in the country. Neal and Michele were the perfect candidates to assume these new roles, based on their proven track record as past Regional Vice Presidents. This move enables us to deepen our agency and carrier relationships and further differentiate our value proposition as leaders in the agency network space,” noted Bob Mazey, executive vice president of field operations.

“After 12 rewarding years spent helping our agents maximize their partnership with Keystone by utilizing all our resources, it is such an honor to be promoted to Regional President and to join Keystone's executive leadership team. This best-in-class organization has accomplished more than any other network in our space over the last 40 years, and this opportunity to help further shape our future is certainly a milestone in my career. We are on a strong trajectory for continued success, and it's truly exciting to help lead the charge forward,” noted Bicknell.

“For the past 15 years, I have worked alongside our agencies as State VP of Indiana/Illinois and most recently as RVP of the Great Lakes Region. My top priority over these years was to see that our agencies were served well by Keystone. In this new position, I will continue to be a voice for our partners to ensure Keystone lives up to our prime objectives of helping our partners grow the value of their agencies and to perpetuate and ensure their agencies remain independent,” Williams stated.

About Keystone Insurers Group (Keystone) – Keystone started in 1983 when four independent insurance agencies teamed up to pool their experience and expertise. This small group believed that agencies could be stronger and more successful if they linked arms. As Keystone celebrates its 40th Ruby Anniversary in business, this passion and spirit continues. Keystone now has a network community of nearly 400 like-minded, independent agency partners spread across 760+ nationwide locations. Additionally, Keystone’s support team has grown to 210 dedicated industry and business professionals offering agents industry expertise and access to specialized products and services for their clients. This provides Keystone partner agencies with capabilities rivaling those of the largest international brokers. Keystone is ranked number three on Insurance Journal's 2023 list of Top 20 Property/Casualty Agency Partnerships.