Oakland, CA – Sharon Thaler, National Director of Workers’ Compensation Field Underwriting Operations at AF Group / CompWest was reelected as Chair of the California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) Board of Directors (CWCI) for 2023 at CWCI’s 59^th annual meeting this week.  Ms. Thaler was first elected to CWCI’s Board in 2017 and has been a member of the Institute’s Executive Committee since 2020, serving as Chair for the past year.

Joining Ms. Thaler on CWCI’s 2023 Executive Committee will be Eric Hansen, Preferred Employers, who will serve as Vice-Chair; Matthew Zender, AmTrust North America; Kris Mathis, CopperPoint Insurance Companies; Vernon Steiner, State Compensation Insurance Fund; Eric Belk, Travelers; and Martin Brady of Schools Insurance Authority, an associate member.  

Also elected to serve on CWCI’s 2023 Board of Directors were Ira Feurlicht, AIG; Paul Ziegler, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty; Andrew Linkhart, Berkshire Hathaway; Jeff Rush, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority, an associate member; Mary Beth Pittinger, CHUBB; Christopher M. Thurman, CNA Insurance; Dwight Robertson, Employers;  Tim Roberts, Everest Insurance; Carmen Sharp, The Hanover Insurance Group; Nicholas Nardini, The Hartford; Amanda Granger, ICW Group; Mary Capelli-Schellpfeffer, Liberty Mutual Insurance; Justin Smith, North American Casualty Company; Jim Hurley, Republic Indemnity; Scott Lange, Sentry Insurance; Michele Halstenrud, WCF Insurance; Michael Cunningham, Zenith Insurance Company; and Neil DeBlock, Zürich North America.

The Institute, established in 1964, is a private, nonprofit association working to improve California workers’ compensation through research, information, education and representation.  CWCI members include 25 insurer groups (comprised of nearly 200 underwriting companies that write and service 78 percent of California statewide workers’ compensation premium), as well as 29 of the largest public and private self-insured employers in the state.