W. R. Berkley Corporation Names Keith Mitchell President of Union Standard Insurance Group

GREENWICH, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

W. R. Berkley Corporation WRB today announced that Keith Mitchell has been named president of Union Standard Insurance Group, based in Irving, TX. The appointment is effective immediately. Mr. Mitchell succeeds Craig W. Sparks, who will remain non-executive chairman and oversee the transition.

Mr. Mitchell, who has 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, most recently served as Union Standard's vice president and chief underwriting officer, having joined W. R. Berkley Corporation in 1998. He graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Delta State University and also earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Memphis.

William R. Berkley, chairman and chief executive officer of W. R. Berkley Corporation, commented, "We are fortunate to have not only someone with Keith's industry experience and longevity with the Company take over the helm at Union Standard, but also to have the benefit of Craig's continued service to our organization. Craig's leadership has positioned Union Standard as a premier provider of commercial lines in the central southern U.S., and Keith has the skills, knowledge and expertise to further that position."

Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company that is among the largest commercial lines writers in the United States and operates in three segments of the property casualty insurance business: Insurance-Domestic, Insurance-International and Reinsurance-Global.