The Institutes have appointed John Howard, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Truist Insurance Holdings, Inc., and W. Robert Berkley Jr., president and CEO of W. R. Berkley Corporation, as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the organization’s Board of Trustees. Each assumed his new role on June 15.

“The Institutes will benefit greatly from the guidance of these knowledgeable and experienced professionals, and from their support of the vision and mission of The Institutes,” said Peter Miller, CPCU, president and CEO of The Institutes. “With John and Rob generously contributing their time and experience, we will be even better positioned to expand our global presence, build our capabilities and make a powerful difference in society by providing knowledge, education, resources, and thought leadership on risk management and insurance.”

At Truist, Howard leads the world’s seventh largest insurance broker. He joined the company in 2004 and previously held leadership roles with GE Capital, Conseco, and Prudential Select Brokerage. Howard serves as chairman of the board of The American College of Financial Services; chairman of the advocacy committee for The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers; and an overseer of the Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance, and Actuarial Science at St. John's University. Additionally, he is a prior chairman of the board of trustees of Gill St. Bernard’s School and a recipient of the Hall of Fame Award from the Tri-County Scholarship Fund. Howard earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Columbia University and an MBA from Duke University. He is a U.S. Navy veteran.

Berkley has served in a range of leadership roles at W. R. Berkley Corporation since 1997 and is also a director of the W. R. Berkley Corporation Charitable Foundation. A graduate of Georgetown University, he serves on the Georgetown University Board of Trustees and the Board of Advisors of the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown. In addition, Berkley chairs the boards of Brunswick School and Greenwich Hospital; is a board member of St. John’s University School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science; American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA); is a trustee of Yale New Haven Health Systems and a member of the Yale New Haven Health Systems Investment Committee.

“I would like to thank our outgoing chair, Marita Zuraitis, for her service and dedication to The Institutes and for her guidance during the past two years, which were unprecedented by any standard,” said Miller. “The Institutes have found ways to thrive in these unpredictable times under her leadership, and I am most grateful for her support.”