By David Bull

Feb 5 - US wholesaler Burns & Wilcox has hired Joe Ross from US Risk and Obie Scott from USI as associate managing directors to strengthen its leadership in California, as it looks to capture a growing share of the increasing flow of business into the surplus lines market, E&S Insurer can reveal.

Ross will oversee the HW Kaufman Group-owned wholesale broker’s San Diego office, with Scott overseeing its Sacramento office.

Ross was most recently property growth leader at USI-owned US Risk, leading a team of property underwriters and brokers as he also oversaw a large national book of property business at the firm.

He was previously at Atlas General Insurance Services, the MGA acquired by Arthur J Gallagher’s wholesale arm Risk Placement Services in early 2021.

Scott was previously regional select practice leader at USI, with responsibility for building the firm’s northern California sales team and maintaining relationships with key carrier partners.

He began his career at US insurance giant Allstate.

In a statement confirming the hires, Rich Gobler, Burns & Wilcox executive vice president for the West Coast, said: “We are seeing risks throughout California increasingly flow into the excess and surplus market with Burns & Wilcox poised to capture incremental market share.

“Joe and Obie are proven and outstanding leaders. We look forward to them further elevating the already strong San Diego and Sacramento offices, while delivering the industry-leading service and expertise that have become synonymous with Burns & Wilcox.”