PLM names Courtney Flanagan vice president of claims

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company has appointed Courtney Flanagan as vice president of claims, effective June 16, 2026. The move comes as longtime claims leader John Kennealy prepares to retire in August after 43 years in insurance. Why it matters: - PLM is putting a new leader in charge of claims at a time when the company is focused on service quality, team development and claims performance. - The transition also marks the end of a long tenure from John Kennealy, whose retirement could reshape one of PLM’s core operating functions. What happened: - Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company named Courtney Flanagan vice president of claims on June 16, 2026. - Flanagan will oversee PLM’s claims operations and claims strategy. - She will focus on improving claims performance, supporting team development and maintaining responsive claims service for customers nationwide. - John Kennealy, who led PLM’s claims functions for more than seven years, will retire in August 2026. - Kennealy is ending a 43-year career in the insurance industry. The details: - Flanagan most recently served as vice president of claims at Encova Insurance Company. - At Encova, she led litigation operations across more than 20 jurisdictions and oversaw commercial casualty claims strategy. - Her background includes senior leadership roles in litigation, medical claims and casualty operations. - Flanagan also has experience practicing as a litigator. - She earned a Juris Doctor from Vermont Law School and completed undergraduate studies at Indiana University. - PLM serves the lumber, woodworking and building material industries. - The company says it protects more than 5,000 businesses nationwide with property, general liability, inland marine, business automobile, commercial excess liability and equipment breakdown coverages. - PLM says it has 130 years of experience. - More information is available on PLM’s website . Between the lines: - PLM is pairing continuity with change by promoting claims leadership while honoring a veteran executive’s exit. - The company is signaling that claims service remains central to its value proposition for wood-related businesses. - Steve Firko, PLM president, said Flanagan’s technical expertise and collaborative approach will help strengthen claims operations for the future. - Firko also said Kennealy’s leadership and dedication were assets to the company and the broader insurance industry. What’s next: - Flanagan is expected to guide PLM’s claims organization through the transition period ahead of Kennealy’s August retirement. - PLM will continue emphasizing claims responsiveness as it moves forward with new leadership in place. - The company is likely to lean on Flanagan’s litigation and multi-jurisdiction experience as it manages future claims operations.