Insurance Center of New England welcomes Burkavage, Depelteau

Date: 11/26/2013

AGAWAM – Insurance Center of New England Inc., one of the largest locally owned, independent insurance agencies in New England, is pleased to announce two new hires and the promotion of three employees.

The personnel changes reflect Insurance Center of New England’s commitment to providing world-class service to clients and rewarding hard-working employees.

Lori Burkavage has been hired as a claims specialist, handling personal and commercial claims. In this role, Burkavage acts as the intermediary between insurance companies and clients. She manages the claims process from the initial phone call from the insured to the closing of the claim, following up to ensure the insured is satisfied with the resolution. Burkavage is based in the Agawam office.

Michelle Depelteau has been hired as assistant vice president, Employee Benefits. In this role, Depelteau guides companies of all sizes through the maze of health insurance and other employee benefit plans from a variety of options offered by multiple carriers that best fit their needs. Previously, Depelteau was assistant vice president at United Personnel Services in Springfield. Depelteau is based in the Agawam office.

Shemeka Browne-Pohlman has been promoted to Affordable Care Act compliance specialist from sales assistant, Employee Benefits Division as part of the Group Benefits Department. In her new role, Browne-Pohlman, an expert on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), works with clients to ensure they remain on target to comply with new ACA regulations. Browne-Pohlman works out of the Agawam office.

MaryLynn Murray has been promoted to project manager and sales director. Previously, Murray was the assistant manager for Commercial Lines and had been overseeing projects as they arose. In her new role, Murray oversees the producers in the benefits and commercial lines departments, ensuring new initiatives roll out on time and helping the producers identify new opportunities. Murray is based in the Agawam office.

Kristina LaPlante has been promoted to vice president, Personal Lines. A loyal employee since 2002, LaPlante has managed the Personal Lines department for the past five years. In her new role, she will oversee all sales operations, customer service and Credit Union Affinity relationships. LaPlante works out of the Agawam office.

“Each of these individuals brings skills and abilities to our team that enables us to serve our customers, particularly in these turbulent economic times,” William Trudeau, CPCU, president and CEO, said. “These changes will allow us to better serve clients, particularly as employee benefits become more complex under the Affordable Care Act.”