I’m thrilled to share some good news to kick off the new year. Effective this week, Caroline Thompson, SVP, Underwriting, has been promoted to Chief Underwriting Officer, and Sonja Kozel, RVP, Sales and Distribution, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Sales and Distribution. These promotions are a testament to their hard work and outstanding contributions to our organization and underscore our commitment to recognizing and nurturing exceptional talent. Continuing to develop and champion our people is top of mind for me personally as we celebrate our five year anniversary and look ahead to the next half decade.
Caroline joined Cowbell in 2019 and is part of the founding leadership team. She is responsible for creating our Prime 250 offering and was directly responsible for the filing and acceptance of Prime 250 forms in all 50 states. Her leadership has been integral to helping Cowbell grow and scale. Caroline’s ability to navigate complex challenges, collaborate with colleagues and partners, and forecast underwriting trends effectively sets her apart.
Prior to joining Cowbell, Caroline was most recently a Senior Underwriting Specialist at Zurich on the Middle Market Specialty and E&O team, underwriting E&O and cyber for fast-growth businesses. While there, she built out the West Coast team, targeting businesses under $750M in revenue, honing her understanding of the SME market. Previously, she held various positions at Beazley and Argo, and while working for a Lloyd’s syndicate, she completed her Award in London Market Insurance.
Sonja joined Cowbell in 2020 and is a proven sales leader with a strong track record of meeting or exceeding quotas. Sonja is a respected and knowledgeable cyber specialist and manages some of our largest broker relationships, expanding key strategic partnerships as we continue to make cyber insurance more accessible to SMEs. In her new role, Sonja will be responsible for leading all sales and distribution efforts for Cowbell east of the Mississippi.
Previously, Sonja worked at Markel Specialty, specializing in small businesses, and was focused on driving revenue in one of the company’s largest territories as Senior Sales Manager.
These promotions reflect our goal to promote talent from within our organization. Caroline and Sonja have not only gone above and beyond in their respective roles but have also embraced our company’s values, always acting with integrity and transparency, empowering individuals on their teams to succeed, and driving forward with the urgency that our agents and policyholders need.
As we celebrate these promotions and kick off 2024, I also want to acknowledge the collective efforts of our entire team. Each one of you plays a critical part in our success, and it is through this collaboration and dedication that we continue to thrive. I look forward to another banner year at Cowbell.
