SFAA Members Elect Board and Highlight Strategic Priorities at 118th Annual Meeting

Washington, D.C., United States, June 18th, 2026, FinanceWire

The Surety & Fidelity Association of America (SFAA), a nonprofit, nonpartisan trade association representing all segments of the surety and fidelity industry, held its 118th Annual Meeting on June 16 in Washington, D.C., bringing together more than 170 leaders and professionals to discuss priorities, opportunities, and the future direction of the association and the profession.

During the meeting, Michael Keimig, President & CEO, Markel Surety Corporation and SFAA Chair, and Ryan Work, President & CEO, SFAA, emphasized the importance of member engagement, collaboration, advocacy, and data-driven insights in strengthening the value of surety and fidelity and positioning the market for continued growth and impact.

Members received updates on SFAA’s strategic plan, government affairs initiatives, and research efforts, including updated economic analysis being developed with EY to support advocacy efforts and reinforce the economic value and importance of surety bonding.

The meeting also highlighted the work of the SFAA Foundation, which awarded $90,000 in scholarships in 2025 to help strengthen workforce development and expand the pipeline of qualified applicants entering the profession. Members recognized Larry Taylor, President, Merchants Bonding Company, for his leadership and service as Foundation President and welcomed Bryce Grissom, Senior Vice President, Travelers Bond & Specialty Insurance, as incoming Foundation President.

“This year’s Annual Meeting demonstrated the strength of this membership and the value of coming together to exchange ideas, strengthen relationships, and align around the priorities that will shape our future,” said Michael Keimig, SFAA Chair and President & CEO, Markel Surety Corporation. “The conversations throughout the meeting reinforced that our greatest opportunity comes from continued engagement, strong advocacy, actionable insights, and working collectively to advance the value of surety and fidelity.”

During the business session, SFAA members unanimously elected the following 2026–2027 leadership:

Executive Committee

Michael Keimig

President & CEO, Markel Surety Corporation

SFAA Chair

Antonio C. Albanese

Head of Surety, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

SFAA Vice Chair

Bryce Grissom

Senior Vice President

Travelers Bond & Specialty Insurance

Gary Stumper

National Surety Leader, Westfield Group

Larry Taylor

President, Merchants Bonding Company Group

John Welch

President & CEO, CNA Surety Group

Nate Zangerle

President, Global Surety, Liberty Mutual

Board of Directors

Michael Keimig

President & CEO, Markel Surety Corporation

Antonio C. Albanese

Head of Surety, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company

Ken Bearley

President, Bond Division, Great American Insurance Companies

Matt Curran

EVP, Head of Surety, North America

Sompo International

Carolina DiGiacomo

Head, Credit & Surety Americas

Swiss Re

Bryce Grissom

Senior Vice President, Travelers Bond & Specialty Insurance

John Guglielmo

Head of Surety, North America

Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions

Stephen M. Haney

Division President, North America Surety & CUO, Global Surety

Chubb Surety

Michael Heidrick

Vice President, Head of Bond

The Hartford

James Kawiecki

President, Surety

Hanover Insurance Group

Matt Lubin

President, Surety Division

Crum & Forster

Stephen Ruschak

EVP, Surety

Arch Insurance Group

Gary Stumper

National Surety Leader

Westfield Group

Larry Taylor

President

Merchants Bonding Company

John Welch

President & CEO

CNA Surety Group

Ryan Work

President & CEO

The Surety & Fidelity Association of America

Nate Zangerle

President, Global Surety

Liberty Mutual

Mike Zurcher

Executive Vice President, Surety

IAT Insurance Group

The Annual Meeting also featured keynote speaker Steve Welch, entrepreneur, investor, author, and co-founder of DreamIt Ventures. His presentation, Built on Purpose: The Difference Between Motion and Real Change, explored leadership, execution, and innovation, and offered practical insights into how organizations can adapt and succeed in rapidly evolving environments.

Members also recognized leadership and contributions across the profession, including presentation of SFAA’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Tim Mikolajewski of Liberty Mutual and recognition of the following Surety Awards recipients:

• Florida Surety Association – Gold Award
• Surety Association of Ohio – Gold Award
• Surety Association of San Diego – Silver Award
• Florida Surety Association – Advocacy Award
• Tammy Wheeler – Tiger Trust Award

Additional Resources

• 118th Annual Meeting Year in Review Video
• 2025 Surety Awards Recognition Video

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