Commissioner Lara announces appointments to the CAARP Advisory Board, the CIGA Board of Governors, COIN Advisory Board, and the WCIRB Governing Committee

News: 2024 Press Release

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today announced several appointments to help drive forward the Department of Insurance’s mission to protect California consumers. These appointments include naming Timothy Hyamn as the newest member of the California Insurance Guarantee Advisory (CIGA) Board of Directors, Bryan Little as the newest member of the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) Governing Committee, Michael Golden and Nona Tirre Mirande as reappointed members to the California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan (CAARP) Advisory Board, and Ophir Bruck, Stephanie Chan, and Thomas Connell Wilson as reappointed members to the California Organized Investment Network (COIN) Advisory Board.

“I am pleased to announce these new appointments to the CIGA Board of Directors and WCIRB Governing Committee, and these reappointments to the CAARP Advisory Board and COIN Advisory Board,” said Commissioner Lara. “I have every confidence that these new, and returning, members will act in the best interest of all Californians. The advice and diverse perspectives of these appointees are critical to continuing our efforts to protect consumers across our state and ensure a robust insurance marketplace in California.”

The Governor and California State Legislature created CAARP to provide auto insurance for motorists unable to obtain coverage in the private market due to their driving records or other extraordinary circumstances. One program within the plan -- the California Low Cost Auto Program -- aims to provide affordable liability insurance to income-eligible good drivers by assigning them to private insurers based upon the companies’ share of the auto insurance market. The CAARP Advisory Committee provides policy advice to Commissioner Lara on matters affecting the operation of its programs.

The CIGA Board of Governors oversees the guarantee association’s general operations and management in order to protect policyholders in the event of an insurance company insolvency. Established in 1969 by the Governor and California State Legislature, CIGA comprises all insurance companies admitted to sell homeowners, workers’ compensation, automobile, and other specified property and casualty lines of insurance in California.

The California Organized Investment Network (COIN) was established in 1996 within the Department of Insurance to guide insurers on making financially sound investments that yield environmental benefits throughout California and social benefits within the State’s underserved communities. Commissioner Lara has prioritized COIN investments which drive affordable housing, support small businesses, combat climate change, and encourage investors to utilize diverse investment managers more. The COIN Advisory Board provides guidance to the Commissioner and the COIN program to meet its mission and chief priorities.

The WCIRB Governing Committee sets policy, oversees WCIRB management, and reviews all issues involving pure premium rates, classifications, rating plans, rating systems, manual rules and policy, and endorsement forms. The WCIRB is a private organization licensed by the Department for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and compiling rating data, with funding coming from assessments of its insurance company members. All workers’ compensation insurance companies in California are required by law to be members of the WCIRB.  

The next CAARP Advisory Committee meeting is August 20 and August 21, 2024, the next CIGA Board of Governors meeting is August 13 and August 14, 2024, the next COIN Advisory Board meeting is November 7, 2024, and the next WCIRB Governing Committee meeting is September 25, 2024.

More details are available at: www.insurance.ca.gov/boards. Public members of the CAARP Advisory Committee receive $250 per meeting. All other positions are uncompensated.

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Media Notes:

Newly appointed members include:

CAARP Advisory Board

Michael Golden is Account Executive of Cal-Valley Insurance Services, Inc. Golden has been a licensed insurance broker for 37 years, concentrating on personal lines insurance and eventually incorporating commercial lines as well. Golden has been a member of the Western Insurance Agents Association (WIAA) for 30 years, serving in many office roles including Chairman of the Board for the state association and president of his local chapter. He also sits on the Board of Directors for the North Central Fire Protection District. Golden has been reappointed to the CAARP Advisory Committee in the producer representative seat with a term ending on September 1, 2025.

Nona Tirre Miranda is owner and operator of a State Farm Insurance agency for the last 13 years in Claremont. Tirre Miranda is the recipient of the State Farm Top 100 New Agents within the United States, the Woman of the Year award by then-State Assemblywoman Norma Torres in 2012, and the Small Business of the Year award by then-State Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod in 2011. She serves as President of the Claremont Rotary Board of Directors and is Vice-Chair for the City of Claremont Police Commission. Tirre Miranda has been reappointed to the CAARP Advisory Committee in the producer representative seat with a term ending on July 12, 2025.

CIGA Board of Governors:

Timothy Hyman is Vice President – Product Analytics at American Family Insurance. Hyman joined American Family in 2015 and eventually became Assistant Vice President of Personal Lines Product Development. More recently, he served as the enterprise leader of the preferred auto line of business. Before joining American Family, Hyman served as Vice President of Enterprise Business Operations at North Carolina based National General Insurance Company where he focused on new product integration, digital experience development, and other duties tied to operational excellence. He has a broad set of financial service experiences including independent agent, licensed/registered investment consultant, variable insurance wholesaler and property and casualty product manager. Hyman joins the CIGA Board in a member insurer representative seat for the remainder of the term ending on December 31, 2025.

COIN Advisory Board:

Ophir Bruck is Head of Investment Management and Insurance Sustainability Solutions at S&P Global Sustainable1, S&P Global’s central source for sustainability intelligence. Prior to his current role, Bruck led signatory relations and strategic initiatives in western North America for the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment. Bruck has been reappointed to the COIN Advisory Board as a representative with experience seeking investments that provide environmental benefits with a term ending on July 12, 2026.

Stephanie Chan is Chief Investment Officer at the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) where she is responsible for managing SCIF’s $20 billion investment portfolio as well as the Treasury and Investment operations. In 2019, she received her credential as a Chartered Financial Analyst, the highest distinction in the investment management profession. Prior to working at SCIF, Chan had several years of public accounting and auditing experience working at the California Bureau of State Audits as Senior Auditor. Chan has been reappointed to the COIN Advisory Board in the insurance investment executive representative seat with a term ending on July 12, 2026.

Thomas Connell (T.C.) Wilson III is Chief Investment Officer of Napa-based The Doctors Company (TDC) Group, the nation’s largest physician-owned provider of medical malpractice insurance, claims and risk management services, and innovative healthcare practice solutions. Wilson directly oversees the company’s $6.5 billion investment portfolio, is chair of its 401k Committee, and Treasurer of the TDC Foundation. As a mission-based company, TDC Group has been a longtime advocate for COIN. Under Wilson’s leadership, TDC has formally adopted a policy that requires the company to allocate at least 1% of its total invested assets in COIN-qualified strategies. Wilson has been reappointed to the COIN Advisory Board in the insurance investment executive representative seat with a term ending on July 12, 2026.

WCIRB Governing Committee:

C. Bryan Little is Director of Employment Policy at the California Farm Bureau Federation where he implements legislative and regulatory initiatives for all matters related to agricultural employment, including occupational safety and health as well as workers’ compensation insurance, for the largest general interest agriculture organization in California. Little also serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Farm Employers Labor Service, a subscriber organization affiliated with the California Farm Bureau which provides compliance assistance services for California agricultural employers. In a previous role, he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health at the U.S. Department of Labor. Additionally, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Agricultural Personnel Management Association. Little joins the WCIRB Governing Committee in the insured employer representative seat for the remainder of the term ending on April 14, 2025.