RT Specialty Announces Planned Leadership Succession

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ryan Turner Specialty ("RT Specialty"), a leading wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products and services and the wholesale broking specialty of Ryan Specialty (NYSE: RYAN), is pleased to announce a planned leadership succession, which highlights the deep roster of talent at the firm. These appointments are effective August 1, 2026.

The plan includes:

• Ed McCormack, CEO of RT Specialty, will transition to the role of Vice Chairman and remain in that role through 2027. Since the firm's inception, Ed has been one of the driving forces behind RT Specialty's rise as a leader in the specialty insurance market, and has been integral to the strategic direction, talent building and relationship development that have made RT Specialty synonymous with expertise, speed and execution.
• Brendan Mulshine, Co-President of Ryan Specialty, will assume the additional role of CEO of RT Specialty, working closely with leadership to drive accelerated growth and deepen relationships with retail broker clients and carrier trading partners. Brendan joined the firm in 2012 and has worked across all of its business units, including RT Specialty, as part of a 30-year career in law, insurance and reinsurance.
• Brenda (Ballard) Austenfeld, Co-President of RT Specialty and CEO of its National Property Practice, who has built this business into a recognized leader in specialized and catastrophic risk, will become Deputy Vice Chairman of RT Specialty. Hugh Mooney, President of the National Property Practice with over two decades of expertise in wholesale insurance, will become CEO of the Property Practice.
• Chris Houska, CEO of RT Specialty’s National Casualty Practice, who has been part of the firm’s leadership since 2010, will become Vice Chairman of the National Casualty Practice through 2027. Ryan Grimes, President of the National Casualty Practice with twenty years of experience in wholesale insurance, will become CEO of the casualty practice.

"Ed McCormack is one of the main architects of RT Specialty, and his fingerprints are on virtually everything that has made this firm great,” said Tim Turner, CEO of Ryan Specialty and Chairman of RT Specialty. “Ed's strategic thinking and relentless work ethic have helped us build the most expert and hardest-working wholesale team in the business, and I am grateful that he will continue as Vice Chairman providing his judgement and vision for the firm and our people.”

Tim Turner continued, “Brendan is the ideal leader to take the reins as RT’s CEO, as he shares our conviction that success in this market is earned through superior insight, disciplined execution and an unwavering commitment to our clients and trading partners. Under Brendan's leadership, and with the support of a deep and seasoned team, RT Specialty will continue to build on its exceptional foundation."

"Helping build RT Specialty alongside Pat, Tim and this world-class team has been a privilege," said Ed McCormack. "I will always be proud of the culture, talent and relationships we have created over the past 16 years. Brendan is a phenomenal leader and the right person to drive RT Specialty forward, and I look forward to continuing to support him, our teammates and our clients in my new role."

"It is a tremendous honor to step into this role, and I want to thank Ed for everything he has built, the example he has set, and his continued partnership," said Brendan Mulshine. " We have the best brokers and underwriters in the business, and we intend to keep winning the way RT always has—by outworking and out-executing for the benefit of our clients and trading partners. I could not be more excited about what's ahead."

Brendan Mulshine added, “Brenda, Hugh, Chris and Ryan each bring extensive experience in the insurance industry and at RT Specialty. These leadership transitions highlight the deep roster of talent we’ve built, and I look forward to working even more closely with them in our respective new roles.”

About RT Specialty

RT Specialty is a leading wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products and services and the wholesale broking specialty of Ryan Specialty. The firm's specialist brokers handle an expansive mix of property, casualty, professional lines, transportation, personal lines and workers' compensation insurance products, on both an open market and delegated authority basis. RT Specialty's entrepreneurial spirit is combined with advanced risk modeling, market access, and claims advocacy to provide excellent solutions to its clients. Regardless of account size—big or small—RT Specialty is dedicated to providing lightning fast, expert advice, advocacy and execution on behalf of our retail broker clients. Learn more at rtspecialty.com.