Eight Insurance Industry Executives Shave Their Heads as Part of AmWINS Record-Setting St. Baldrick's Foundation Fundraiser

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight insurance industry executives had their heads shaved bald on Monday night in front of a cheering crowd in Las Vegas, Nev. It was not some bizarre industry hazing ritual or ancient form of punishment. Instead it was all for a good cause as part of an effort organized by AmWINS Group Inc., setting a record for fundraising for the St. Baldrick's Foundation to fight childhood cancers.  

The AmWINS "Expired Coverage" team raised more than $700,000 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, the single highest fundraising event in the history of St. Baldrick's. The not-for-profit charity funds promising research to find cures for childhood cancers.

"Expired Coverage" consisted of eight chief executives from various firms in the excess and surplus lines insurance industry who agreed to shave their heads to acknowledge the fight that children with cancer face every day and show their commitment to the St. Baldrick's mission. The team's original fundraising goal for the event was $250,000. The team included David Bresnahan, President, Lexington Insurance Company; Dave Leonard, President, RSUI Group; Eduardo Lucena, CEO, Colemont Brazil; Frank Murphy, Group CEO, THB Group plc; James Drinkwater, President, AmWINS Brokerage; John Charman, CEO, AXIS Capital; Scott Carmilani, CEO, Allied World Assurance Company; and Skip Cooper, President, AmWINS Group Inc.

AmWINS Group is a leading wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products and services based in Charlotte, N.C. The event was held at AmWINS' annual Producer Conference.

"We had great success with the St. Baldrick's fundraising event at our Producer Conference last year.  I'm thrilled that we were able to top it this year with the help of our partner insurers who donated their valuable time and resources to make this event such a success. The St. Baldrick's Foundation was founded by insurance executives, and our industry has remained involved in the cause. I'm glad we could be part of that legacy," said James Drinkwater, President of AmWINS Brokerage and member of the Expired Coverage team.

"For 12 years, the insurance industry and its leaders have been champions in the fight to conquer kids' cancer," says Kathleen Ruddy, executive director for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. "The overwhelming success of this event is testament to the enduring nature of that commitment, and the muscle that corporations continue to bring to the aid of our children and the researchers working to save them. We are proud of AmWINS' patronage and that of every company involved in Expired Coverage... they continue to lead the way to a cure and are credited with helping to make possible many of the advances in childhood cancers over the past decade."

For more information about Expired Coverage, and to see videos and pictures of last night's event, please visit http://www.expiredcoverage.com. The team will continue to accept donations to the St. Baldrick's Foundation on the website until Jan. 31.

About AmWINS Group Inc.
AmWINS Group Inc. is a leading wholesale distributor of specialty insurance products and services with expertise across a diversified mix of property, casualty and group benefits products. With over 2,000 employees located in 16 countries, AmWINS handles over $5.7 billion in premium annually through our four divisions: Brokerage, Underwriting, Group Benefits and International.

About the St. Baldrick's Foundation
The St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity committed to funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives. The Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. St. Baldrick's funds are granted to some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts in the world and to younger professionals who will be the experts of tomorrow. Funds awarded also enable hundreds of local institutions to participate in national pediatric cancer clinical trials, a child's best hope for a cure. Since the Foundation's first grants as an independent charity in 2005, St. Baldrick's has funded more than $76 million in childhood cancer research. For more information about the St. Baldrick's Foundation please call 1.888.899.BALD or visit www.StBaldricks.org.

SOURCE AmWINS Group Inc.