We focus on niche markets, local distribution and superior underwriting knowledge, offering traditional as well as innovative insurance solutions to meet the needs of our targeted customers and brokers.
Mr. Consolino is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Core Specialty. From February 2013 to June 2020, he was with American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), where he served as a Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. From February 2013 until its acquisition in November 2016, he served as Chairman of the Board of AFG’s majority-owned subsidiary, National Interstate Corporation. From December 2015 to June 2020, Mr. Consolino was Chairman of the Board of Neon Capital Limited, an AFG subsidiary which operated Syndicate 2468 at Lloyd’s of London. Mr. Consolino was a founding Director of Beat Capital Ltd. from its May 2017 formation to its sale in August 2024 to Ambac Financial Group, Inc. From March 2006 to February 2013, he was a founding member of management with Validus Holdings, Ltd., a global (re)insurer based in Bermuda, as President and CFO. Mr. Consolino also served as Chief Executive Officer, President and founding Director of PαCRe Ltd., a Bermuda-based underwriter of top-layer property catastrophe (re)insurance during his time as an executive officer of Validus through December 2015, when PαCRe Ltd. ceased operations and returned all capital to its shareholders. Until joining Validus Holdings, he served as a managing director in the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch specializing in insurance company advisory and financing transactions.
In addition to serving on the Core Specialty Board, Mr. Consolino is currently a director of Amwins Group, Inc. and has served on the board of directors for AFG, Beat Capital Ltd., National Interstate, Neon Capital, Validus and PαCRe Ltd. He graduated from Duke University with a BS in electrical engineering in 1988 and received an MBA from Cornell University in 1992.
Evan has nearly 20 years of financial leadership experience. Most recently, he served as Chief Accounting Officer at SiriusPoint Ltd., where he also held the position of Group Controller. His leadership was instrumental in strengthening internal controls. Prior to SiriusPoint, Evan spent 15 years at Ernst & Young LLP, rising to Senior Manager and leading global audits and advisory engagements in the property & casualty (re)insurance sector. He holds an MS in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and a BS in Business Administration from Indiana University.
Quinn Easterbrook is the Chief Information Officer at Core Specialty, responsible for enterprise technology, cybersecurity, and technology operations. Previously, he served as Chief Technology Officer, leading technology, engineering, and architecture through a period of transformation and growth. Quinn focuses on enterprise risk management, cyber resilience, and financially sustainable technology operations that support long-term business continuity.
Prior to Core Specialty, Quinn held senior leadership roles at Duck Creek Technologies, Capital One, and Lockheed Martin, with experience spanning enterprise architecture, cloud and cyber transformation, large-scale customer-facing platforms, and classified systems. His background reflects deep expertise in operating resilient, well-governed technology environments.
Robert F. Kuzloski joined the Company in December of 2020 and serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Kuzloski served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Validus Holdings, Ltd. from January 2009 until August of 2018. Prior to that, Mr. Kuzloski served as Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel of XL Capital Ltd. Prior to that, Mr. Kuzloski worked as an attorney at the law firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP where he specialized in general corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance.
Jeff Wanamaker serves as Chief Underwriting Officer of Core Specialty, the recapitalized StarStone U.S. He joined StarStone as Head of Workers’ Compensation in 2013 as part of the acquisition of SeaBright by Enstar Group. Jeff was instrumental in building StarStone’s Workers’ Compensation unit across the U.S., and in 2018, he was promoted to Chief Underwriting Officer.
Jeff was one of several executives who founded SeaBright Insurance Company in 2003 where he served as SVP of Underwriting overseeing the national underwriting strategy. SeaBright had a successful IPO in 2005 and was publicly traded until Enstar Group acquired it in 2013.
Prior to SeaBright, he was VP, Underwriting at Eagle Insurance Group, where he managed a $100m+ book of business and was responsible for the corporate underwriting strategy across 22 states and four offices.
Mr. Wanamaker is currently a director of StarStone National and StarStone Specialty; which are two subsidiaries of Core Specialty. He is also a board director of Precision Risk Management, a crop insurance managing general agent.
Jeff has undergraduate degrees in finance and economics and earned both the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter and Associate in Reinsurance professional designations.
Cathryn Warner serves as Chief Operating Officer and is responsible for Operations, Human Resources, Real Estate, Communications and Information Technology. Working with the CEO, she sets and implements strategic objectives, policies and operating procedures, performs due diligence for acquisitions and integrates new businesses. She oversees the implementation of the company’s underwriting and HR operating platforms and maintains and reports on the company’s compensation plans.
Previously, she led post-M&A integration and organizational change at companies including Swiss Re, The Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Montreal, working in New York, London, Luxembourg and Zurich. Ms. Warner has executed public and private equity and debt financing transactions and was Finance Director of an insurance-focused private equity fund.
Ms. Warner started in the financial services practice at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where she earned her CPA license. She received a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and an MAcc from the University of Southern California.
Brian Blessing joined Torus/StarStone in November 2010. Mr. Blessing started as a Business Development Manager for Torus’ Central Region from 2010-2013, before joining the ESCAPE/eCommerce division to build and lead the eCommerce Distribution team. In March 2018, Mr. Blessing took on the role of SVP, US Distribution for StarStone, and continues in that role today. Mr. Blessing started his insurance career in 1997, working for two global insurance companies and a global insurance broker before joining Torus. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserves where he served from 1990-1998, and graduated from Purdue University with a BA in Organizational Communication and Organizational Leadership & Supervision in 1996.
Cliff Bogh has served as Head of Workers’ Compensation at StarStone since November of 2018. He began his insurance career with Eagle Insurance Companies in 1997. In 1999, he left Eagle to join Montlake Holdings where he managed the underwriting operations of two self-insurance funds serving the oil & gas industry. While at Montlake, he held positions of increasing responsibility including Senior Underwriter, AVP-Underwriting and ultimately Vice President-Underwriting. In 2007 he joined PointSure Insurance Services (a wholesale affiliate to SeaBright Insurance) and eventually became AVP of Underwriting Operations. He later transitioned to StarStone National Insurance with the title of VP-Underwriter for StarStone’s Workers’ Compensation product and held that position until his promotion to SVP. Cliff holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Washington State University.
Kardiner Cadet serves as Senior Vice President of the eCommerce division and has been with the company since May 2009. In this capacity Mr. Cadet is responsible for ongoing operations and evolving the division’s digital strategy primarily through the ESCAPE platform. He brings a multidisciplinary approach to the position well-suited for an industry where underwriting, technology, artificial intelligence, analytics, and customer experience continue to intersect. He has over 25 years of experience in Property & Casualty Commercial Lines with a focus on digitizing products. His product digitization experience spans Excess Casualty, Healthcare Professional Liability, E&O, Lawyers Professional Liability, Underground Storage Tank Liability, and Medical Stop Loss Insurance.
Tim joined the Lancer Group in 2012. He has over 20 years of experience in insurance underwriting and marketing. He began his career in 1999 as an Assistant Broker with Besso Limited in London. In 2000, Tim joined AIG’s National Union (Executive Liability) in New York as an underwriter in the National Accounts Division. Over the next eight years he held several positions, including three years as National Accounts Regional Manager in San Francisco and, later, Assistant Vice President in the home office. In 2008, Tim joined Ironshore Insurance, eventually becoming Senior Vice President of Management Liability Products. Tim is a graduate of Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.
Todd Dixon has been part of the Excess Casualty team at StarStone since May 2009 serving as Regional Vice President for the South Region from May 2009 to September 2018. Since September 2018, Mr. Dixonhas served as Head of US Excess Casualty. Prior to joining StarStone, Mr. Dixon was Vice-President at Risk Placement Services from March 1998 to May 2009 and was part of the start-up of the Atlanta brokerage operation for RPS. Mr. Dixon served as a Casualty Underwriter for Great American Insurance from April 1995 to March 1998 after starting his insurance career as a binding authority Casualty Underwriter for Atlanta based MGA, Southern Insurance Underwriters and serving there from June 1992 to March 1995. Mr. Dixon graduated from The University of Georgia receiving a BBA in Risk Management & Insurance in May 1992.
Bill Fischer is the President of Agriculture for Core Specialty, a role he has held for two years. Bill is a 25-year veteran of the crop insurance sector, with previous experience at Validus, James River, and Endurance Re. Bill holds a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from North Dakota State University.
With over 23 years of experience in underwriting, management, and strategic execution, John is a seasoned insurance industry leader, specializing in professional liability lines including A&E, APL, LPL, MPL, and ML/EPL. John currently serves as President of the E&O Professional Liability Division at Core Specialty, leading the integration of the Argo Professional Lines book following a renewal rights acquisition in January, 2025. His career spans senior leadership roles at Argo Group, Markel Specialty, AXIS Capital, and Chubb Specialty, where he has consistently driven profitability through data-driven underwriting strategies, turning around unprofitable product lines and launching innovative product offerings like ML/EPL for professional firms. A recognized thought leader, John has moderated panels at industry conferences, such as the 2024 ABA Conference, and contributed to various publications including Independent Agent Magazine.
As an inspiring and collaborative leader, John excels in building high-performing teams and fostering strong broker relationships. At Markel, he led a regional underwriting team of 12, managing $110M in GWP while enhancing service excellence through the transition to a hybrid work environment. His leadership foundation was honed through the prestigious Capital One Leadership Development Program, ranked second in the U.S. by Fortune in 2007. A former trial attorney admitted in Connecticut and Federal District Court, John combines superior analytical and presentation skills with a proven ability to mentor talent and drive strategic initiatives, making him a respected figure in the insurance industry.
Tim Martin joined Core Specialty in January of 2024 and serves as President of the Surety Division. Prior to joining Core Specialty, he served 10 years as Vice President in the Bond Division of Great American Insurance Company, providing management, claims handling, and underwriting assistance services before retiring. Prior to that employment, Tim spent 24 years in the practice of law concentrating in the areas of surety and fidelity claims investigation and litigation. Prior to that he served 6 years as a senior bond underwriter with Reliance Insurance Company. He also served 22 years in the United States Army Reserves, Judge Advocate General Corps.
Tim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Louisville, and a Juris Doctor degree from the same university. He is an active member of the surety industry and has written and presented on many topics of surety and fidelity law.
Marlin brings nearly four decades of insurance and underwriting experience to Core Specialty, where he has been a member of the team since 2015. He began his career in 1987 at Mutual Marine Office (MMO) in New York City as an underwriting trainee after graduating from Vassar College and completing Boston University’s SEA program.
During his tenure at MMO, Marlin advanced to Senior Vice President prior to the company’s sale in 2010. He developed broad, multi‑line expertise through MMO’s cross‑disciplinary underwriting model, gaining experience across Marine, Energy, Aviation, and Casualty lines. Today, he applies this depth of knowledge in support of Core Specialty’s specialized underwriting solutions.
Stephen joined Core Specialty in January of 2021 and serves as Head of the D&O Management Liability Division. Prior to joining Core Specialty, Stephen was Vice President at Hallmark Financial Services which he joined in 2017. For the three years at Hallmark, Stephen held a senior level management position concentrating in areas from underwriting, product management, operations to successfully leading the establishment and expansion, nationwide. In his most recent role, Stephen was Vice President of the Professional Lines Division responsible for leading the strategic direction of the Directors and Officers Liability Product along with Employment Practices Liability and Fiduciary Liability. Over Stephen’s near 30-year career, he held various underwriting management and leadership roles for both brokers and insurance Carriers. His underwriting experience has encompassed a multitude of Professional and Executive Liability products along with many years’ experience managing a commercial surety book. Stephen holds a B.A. degree in Business Administration and Management from Taylor University.
Adam Newman joined StarStone in January 2010 serving in various capacities for the Company until 2014 when he was named VP and Head of U.S. Program business. Prior to joining StarStone, Mr. Newman was Senior Vice President and Co-Founder of HSBC U.S. Intermediaries (2006 to 2009), a U.S. based MGA writing Oil & Gas business. Prior to HSBC, Mr. Newman was Senior Underwriting Manager at AIG’s Global Energy Middle Market (GEMM) Excess Casualty division (2002 to 2006). Between 1997 and 2001 Mr. Newman was an independent Agent and a Securities broker at Northwestern Mutual / Robert W. Baird Securities, and began his career in 1996 as a Broker Trainee at Smith Barney.
Bill joined the company in October 2022, when Core Specialty acquired Hallmark Financial Services, Inc.’s excess and surplus lines business. Prior to Hallmark, he worked with Markel in various underwriting and business development capacities, including Underwriting VP Western Region in Scottsdale and Managing Director of Delegated Authority with Markel International in London. Earlier positions included VP of Underwriting for Nationwide’s Western Heritage Insurance Company. He also held leadership positions in MGA operations earlier in his career. Virtually all of Bill’s career has been devoted to specialty lines and binding authority business. He holds a Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and the CPCU designation.
With over 27 years of litigation and claim management experience John Reitwiesner leads the Core Specialty Claims Department and is responsible for the management and oversight of all Claims.
Prior to joining Core Specialty, Mr. Reitwiesner has litigated for both the plaintiffs’ bar as well as the defense bar specializing in general liability, trucking, labor law, environmental, liquor liability, premises liability, program business, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation and various other Excess and Surplus lines of business. He has developed coverage analyses for domestic and international excess and reinsurance providers in diverse industries. He has conducted auditing services, analyzed risk exposure, insurance reserves, claims administration, underwriting and efficacy of defense counsel on both a domestic and international basis. Mr. Reitwiesner has experience in multi-jurisdictional litigation and in negotiating favorable settlements for high exposure claims and effectuating constructive resolution of cases with institutional and individuals clients. John has a full working knowledge of insurance industry standards and practices, as it relates to his ability to successfully manage claims. He graduated from St. John’ University with a BA in Criminal Justice in 1993, and received his JD from Quinnipiac University in 1998.
Scott joined Core Specialty in March 2022 as the President of the Fronted Programs Division. Prior to joining Core Specialty he worked in corporate development and finance roles at Ambac Financial Group, Inc., Acrisure, LLC and Core Specialty’s predecessor company, StarStone. His career has spanned multiple facets of the insurance industry, beginning in insurance investment banking. He graduated from Washington and Lee University with a BSc. in Accounting and Business Administration with a second major in Politics.
Van Spanos is the President of Primary Casualty division at Core Specialty and joined the company in 2021 starting the Product Liability unit. He began his career in 1986 with The Cincinnati Insurance Company and spent 23 years immersed in the complexities of Excess and Surplus (E&S) lines with a formidable 18 years refining his expertise at Great American building a profitable E&S book of business. Van was most recently SVP, Product Liability at Core Specialty which laid the foundation for a new Specialty Business Unit, Primary Casualty. The division is a foray into targeted risk areas such as Product Liability, Primary General Liability, and Security Services. Throughout his career, Van has shown a consistent talent for assembling high-performing teams and cultivating books of profitable E&S business and is ready to steer the Primary Casualty division towards new heights of success.
Jim Stelling joined Core Specialty in November of 2023 and serves as President of the Medical Stop Loss Division. Prior to joining Core Specialty, Jim served as the Head of Health Insurance at Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company since November of 2016. An Attorney by training, he began his insurance career in an Executive Training Program with Metropolitan Life in 1994, before moving to Conseco as a Lawyer in their Compliance Department in 1997. In 1999 he joined American National/Standard Life in the Compliance Department. Since then, he has held positions of increasing responsibility including Attorney/Manager, AVP, and VP of Compliance, before heading up the Health Division as SVP Health Insurance. In 2019 he was promoted to EVP Health Insurance. He has held that position overseeing all of Standard Life’s Health Business until the recent transition to Core Specialty as President of Medical Stop Loss. Jim has over 25 years of experience managing Medical Stop Loss programs. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin -Green Bay and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.
Jeff graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a B.S. in Aeronautical Science in 1988. He also has his J.D. from Seattle University School of Law and is a Commercial pilot with his MEI ratings. Upon graduation from ERAU, Jeff started out on the direct writer side with Avemco. He has also held positions at Fidelity & Deposit Company and Falcon Insurance Agency, Inc. Jeff joined London Aviation Underwriters (LAU) in 2005 and quickly proceeded through the ranks to become a Vice President and Claims Manager in 2006 and then finally the President of LAU in 2008. Jeff’s favorite part about his job is working as a team to come up with the vision for LAU’s future and imparting it to the employees. He enjoys spending his spare time with his friends and family, reading, exercising, and playing sports.
Ryan Young was appointed the Head of US Healthcare in January 2017. He joined StarStone as one of the original Healthcare team members in May 2010. Having been with Torus/StarStone for over ten years, Mr. Young has been engaged in all facets of the underwriting and re-underwriting of the Healthcare portfolio. His skills include but are not limited to marketing, actuarial pricing, reserving, policy form drafting, reinsurance, and the development and deployment of an Escape Portal product. Mr. Young has extensive experience in small and large account pricing across a wide variety of healthcare trade sectors. Prior to joining the Torus/StarStone, Mr. Young held underwriting positions at AIG and Zurich located in NYC.
Mr. Consolino is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Core Specialty. From February 2013 to June 2020, he was with American Financial Group, Inc. (AFG), where he served as a Director, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. From February 2013 until its acquisition in November 2016, he served as Chairman of the Board of AFG’s majority-owned subsidiary, National Interstate Corporation. From December 2015 to June 2020, Mr. Consolino was Chairman of the Board of Neon Capital Limited, an AFG subsidiary which operated Syndicate 2468 at Lloyd’s of London. Mr. Consolino was a founding Director of Beat Capital Ltd. from its May 2017 formation to its sale in August 2024 to Ambac Financial Group, Inc. From March 2006 to February 2013, he was a founding member of management with Validus Holdings, Ltd., a global (re)insurer based in Bermuda, as President and CFO. Mr. Consolino also served as Chief Executive Officer, President and founding Director of PαCRe Ltd., a Bermuda-based underwriter of top-layer property catastrophe (re)insurance during his time as an executive officer of Validus through December 2015, when PαCRe Ltd. ceased operations and returned all capital to its shareholders. Until joining Validus Holdings, he served as a managing director in the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch specializing in insurance company advisory and financing transactions.
In addition to serving on the Core Specialty Board, Mr. Consolino is currently a director of Amwins Group, Inc. and has served on the board of directors for AFG, Beat Capital Ltd., National Interstate, Neon Capital, Validus and PαCRe Ltd. He graduated from Duke University with a BS in electrical engineering in 1988 and received an MBA from Cornell University in 1992.
Ed was previously Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO of Validus Holdings and has over 40 years of experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry. He served as Chairman and CEO of Validus from its formation in 2005 until its acquisition by AIG in 2018, guiding the company through multiple phases of expansion and diversification while managing capital and retaining a core focus on shareholder value. Mr. Noonan has served as Chairman of StarStone in 2019. Prior to Validus, Mr. Noonan was acting CEO of United American Indemnity from February 2005 through October 2005, and a member of the Board from December 2003 through May 2007. He previously served as President and CEO of American Re-Insurance Company from 1997 to 2002, having joined American Re in 1983, and was Chairman of Inter-Ocean Reinsurance Holdings from 1997 to 2002. Prior to joining American Re, Mr. Noonan worked at Swiss Reinsurance from 1979 to 1983. Mr. Noonan received a B.S. in Finance from St. John’s University in 1979. He is also a Director of Central Mutual Insurance Company and All American Insurance Company, both of which are property and casualty companies based in Ohio.
Don Larson is a non-Executive Director of Core Specialty and serves as Vice Chairman. Mr. Larson is the retired President and Chief Operating Officer of Great American Insurance Company, where he worked for more than 43 years. He has considerable experience in property & casualty insurance business, most specifically in specialty lines.
Mr. Larson graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ohio University in 1973 with a BBA in Finance. He attained his CPA and CPCU designations in 1977 and 1995, respectively.
Mr. Larson serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson, Wyoming and is on the FC Cincinnati Foundation Board in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Dom Addesso is a non-Executive Director of Core Specialty. He brings more than 41 years of experience in the (re)insurance market. His most recent role was as President and CEO of Everest Re Group since January 2014 before retiring at the end of 2019. Starting in June of 2011 he assumed the duties as President of Everest Re Group, leading group operations, after serving as CFO since 2009. Prior to Everest he held various roles at Munich Re America beginning in 1997 including President of US Treaty. Addesso first began his insurance career in 1978 at Selective Insurance after attaining his CPA designation while at KPMG.
Sally retired from Goldman Sachs in April 2024 after a 34-year career at the firm. A Managing Director, she was the co-lead portfolio manager for the Small Cap Value and SMID-Cap Value equity strategies at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, with specific responsibilities for investments across the financial sector, including insurance, banking, capital markets and specialty finance companies. She joined Goldman Sachs in 1989 and spent her first ten years at the firm as a sell-side research analyst covering U.S. regional banking companies. Previously, she was a sell-side bank analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman. Sally began her career at Chase Manhattan Bank in 1981, where she was a Vice President in capital planning for the Corporation and held positions in corporate finance, specializing in financial institutions.
Ms. Davis serves as a member of the Board of Directors of First Financial Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIN), First Financial Bank, and United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB). She earned an MBA from The University of Chicago and graduated summa cum laude with a BS in Finance from the University of Connecticut.
M. Steven DeCarlo is a non-Executive Director of Core Specialty. He serves as executive chairman of Amwins Group, Inc. Previously, he served as chief executive officer of Amwins for 17 years, leading the business through the merger of several specialty wholesalers. He has served on the Amwins Board of Directors since he joined Amwins in December 2000. Mr. DeCarlo began his career with Crum & Forster and later joined The London Agency (today part of Chubb) as its chief financial officer.He was a founding partner of Royal Specialty Underwriting (RSUI), serving as executive vice president and chief financial officer, later becoming senior vice president of what was then RSUI’s parent company, Royal & SunAlliance USA. In 2009, Mr. DeCarlo was the winner of Ernst & Young LLC’s prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year® award in the Carolinas for the financial services category. He is active in the insurance community and was named the National Insurance Industry Council’s Spirit of Life honoree, raising more than $2.7 million for the City of Hope to support research for life-threatening diseases. A graduate of East Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, he serves as a member of the ETSU Board of Trustees, is a member of the ETSU Foundation, and is also affiliated with the Distinguished President’s Trust.
Mr. Delaney is a Director of Core Specialty. He has been the CEO of Lancer Financial Group since he co-founded the company in 1985. Mr. Delaney’s background includes 44 years of insurance and reinsurance experience with American International Group, American Re-Insurance Company, American Risk Management (Reiss Group), Delaney Intermediaries, Inc. and Lancer Financial Group. He is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and has received that institution’s Outstanding Professional Achievement Award.
Matt Ebbel is a non-Executive Director of Core Specialty. He established SkyKnight Capital in 2015. He is a current member of the Board of Directors of Amwins, MedVet, Watco, WhiteWater Express, and AeroCare. Prior to founding SkyKnight, he was a Managing Director at New Mountain Capital (2003-2015), where he helped the firm grow from a first time, $770 million private equity fund to a $15 billion alternative asset manager. Mr. Ebbel began his career at McKinsey & Company (2001-2003) as a business analyst in corporate finance and strategy. He graduated from Harvard College (class of 2001), Magna Cum Laude, with a B.A. in Economics and is a CFA charterholder.
Mr. Gordon currently serves as Partner at Dragoneer, a position he has held since 2018 where he is focused on private investing. Prior to joining Dragoneer, Mr. Gordon’s previous roles were with Google, Stripe, and Parthenon Capital serving in operations and investment management roles. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Science from Harvard College and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School, where he was a George F. Baker Scholar.
David Ni is a non-Executive Director of Core Specialty. Mr. Ni currently serves as the Chief Strategy Officer of Enstar Group since May 2022 and was previously the Executive Vice President, Mergers & Acquisitions since joining Enstar in 2019. Prior to joining Enstar, Mr. Ni spent his career as an investment banker working in the U.S. and in Asia, and was a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank with responsibility for leading M&A in financial services. Prior to that, he was with Goldman Sachs for more than 10 years covering the financial services sector. Mr. Ni graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard.
Paul J. O’Shea is a non-Executive Director of Core Specialty. He has been a director of Enstar since the Company’s formation in 2001 and is a company co-founder. Mr. O’Shea was named President of Enstar Group in December 2016. Prior to this, he served as Executive Vice President and Joint Chief Operating Officer of Enstar Group Limited from 2001, and as a director and Executive Vice President of Castlewood Limited, which is now a subsidiary of Enstar Group Limited, from 1995 until 2001. From 1985 until 1994, he served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and a director of Belvedere.
Chris Watson is a non-Executive Director of Core Specialty. In 2024, Mr. Watson joined Starr Indemnity & Liability Company as a Senior Advisor. The company provides property, casualty, accident, and health insurance services to businesses and industries worldwide. He is a Partner Emeritus and former co-head of the insurance team of Aquiline Capital Partners, a private investment firm that invests across financial services, healthcare, and technology. Prior to joining Aquiline in 2005, Mr. Watson served in a variety of executive roles within the property and casualty insurance businesses of Citigroup and its predecessor entities. He was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf Insurance Group and served on the Risk Committee and Planning Group for Travelers’ insurance operations. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President and then President of Commercial Insurance Resources, Inc., a specialty lines insurance company subsidiary of Commercial Credit/Citigroup. Earlier in his career, he held various management positions at American International Group (NYSE:AIG).
Mr. Watson is a member of the Boards of Directors of IQUW Holdings Limited and IQUW Syndicate Management Ltd., a Lloyd’s syndicate; Relation Insurance Services; Distinguished Programs; and Core Specialty. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the City University of New York.
We operate under a business unit philosophy that allows our divisions local decision-making for underwriting and claims with a high degree of autonomy and full accountability.
We focus on niche markets, local distribution and superior underwriting knowledge, offering traditional as well as innovative insurance solutions to meet the needs of our targeted customers and brokers.
StarStone Specialty Insurance Company
Property and casualty, excess and surplus lines insurer.
American Surety Company
Lancer Insurance Company
Lancer Insurance Company of New Jersey
StarStone National Insurance Company
Property and casualty, admitted markets insurers.
Standard Life and Accident Insurance Company
Life, Accident, and Health insurer.
