Eastern Shore Associates Announces New COO, Vice President, and ACSR Designation

Regina Lunkenheimer has been promoted from vice president, commercial lines to chief operating officer (COO) for Eastern Shore Associates Insurance (ESA), a Trusted Choice® agency, Fulton, it was announced Robert K. Wallace, agency president and CEO.

In addition Wallace also announced that Martha Murray has joined ESA and succeeds Lunkenheimer as vice president, commercial lines, and that Jody Blazey, personal lines manager, has earned her Accredited Customer Service Representative (ACSR) designation.

“I am extremely proud to announce Regina’s promotion to COO,” Wallace said. “She has been with ESA for more than 28 years and has always been a key member of our management team.

“Her broad technical knowledge, high ethical standards and demonstrated industry experience are a tremendous asset to ESA.”

Lunkenheimer joined ESA in 1986 as a commercial lines customer service representative. She served as commercial lines manager from 1995 to 2005 when she was promoted to vice president, commercial lines. She has also headed the agency’s IT department since 2002. She holds an associate’s degree in accounting and computer programming. She also holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU®). She resides in Sterling with husband, Peter.

“Having Martha Murray join our team as vice president, commercial lines has been more like a homecoming,” Wallace said. “Prior to her appointment, she worked for nine years for Main Street America Group insurance, most recently as business development executive. Main Street America is one of the companies we represent and Martha worked closely with every ESA office during her tenure there.”

Murray, who resides in Liverpool and is a Baldwinsville native, has worked for more than 35 years in the insurance industry with both company and agency experience. “I am delighted to be here with this wonderful group of professionals,” Murray said. “It’s exciting to be part of the ESA team and I look forward to serving our commercial lines customers.”

Jody Blazey, personal lines manager at ESA’s Walworth office, has earned the Accredited Customer Service Representative (ACSR) designation. “Jody has been serving our customers from our Walworth office for the past 8 years and we are all proud of her accomplishment. The people who work here are dedicated to the continued success of the agency and demonstrate it by taking advantage of our Educational Incentive Program to add to their professional standing.” Blazey lives in Palmyra with her husband, Jeff, and children Nicole, 17, Jack, 11 and Jack, 10.

To earn the ACSR designation, each participant must attend a series of five classes through the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York, Inc. (IIABNY), Wallace said. The IIABNY has represented the common business interests of independent insurance professionals since 1882. More than 1,800 agencies and their 18,000 employees currently rely on the DeWitt, New York-based not-for-profit trade association for legislative advocacy, continuing education and other means of industry support. In addition, many IIABNY members represent Trusted Choice®, a national consumer brand uniting more than 7,000 independent agencies across the United States. For more information, go to www.trustedchoice.com or www.iiabny.org.

Headquartered in Fulton, Eastern Shore Associates is an ESOP (employee stock owned) company. ESA offers a full range of business and personal insurance, including property, liability, automobile, boats, farms, recreational vehicles, workers compensation, and bonds. In addition, they offer financial planning and risk management services.

“Our agency roots date back to 1846,” said Wallace. “And we have more than 100 years of continuous representation with some of our insurancecompanies. 2010 is our 24th year as Eastern Shore Associates Insurance.

“Other services include commercial risk analysis, loss control, and employee benefits. We also meet the insurance needs of many New York municipalities, schools, and emergency services.”

Eastern Shore Associates Insurance is an independent agency with offices in Fulton, Camillus, Oswego, Pulaski, Hannibal, Phoenix, Camden, Waterloo, Rochester, Walworth and Felt Mills. ESA’s main office is in Fulton at 598-6000 and on-line at   www.esainsurance.com.

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