Specialty insurance distributor Risk Placement Services (RPS) today announced that Russell Duffey has been named president of its program administration division, RPS Signature Programs.

A 25-year insurance industry veteran, Duffey most recently served as vice president of Market Relations for RPS, where he was primary liaison to the firm's vast network of national and international market partners.

He joined RPS in 2000 as a casualty lines broker. After holding positions of increasing responsibility and scope, he was named area president of RPS' Roswell, Georgia, branch, where he developed and managed an underwriting team. Since 2017, he had served as vice president, Market Relations, building on his relationships with carriers and the London market, to drive strategic partnerships that provided specialty insurance product access to independent agent clients. Duffey began his insurance career with Southern Insurance Underwriters.

As president of RPS Signature Programs, Duffey is responsible for leading the division to deliver admitted and non-admitted proprietary programs for a wide variety of niche markets that require specific underwriting, marketing and distribution expertise. He will report directly to Joel Cavaness, RPS president.

"We are proud to name Russell as leader of RPS Signature Programs," Cavaness said. "To his new role, he brings substantial experience building, strengthening and retaining carrier partnerships to benefit our clients, and a deep knowledge of and access to all markets and reinsurance providers."

Cavaness added: "Under Russell's leadership, RPS is well-positioned to continue our success as a key marketplace for competitive programs for our retail agents to access coverage for niche risks, and as a powerful distribution and marketing partner for our carriers."

Duffey holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Risk Management & Insurance from Georgia State University. He has also earned the Certified Insurance Counselor designation from the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research.

About RPS Signature Programs

RPS Signature Programs manages a variety of specialized programs on behalf of highly rated carriers, offering proprietary insurance solutions in niche markets. Headquartered in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, RPS Signature Programs is a division of Risk Placement Services, one of the nation's largest specialty insurance product distributors.

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