Insights

Andy Barrengos

Chief Executive Officer

CEO Andy Barrengos has been a part of the Woodruff Sawyer team since 1996, and has served as CEO since 2016. Andy leads our firm with a focus on developing our people, delivering outstanding services, tools, and solutions for our clients, and growing the firm in new and existing sectors across our national platform.

415.399.6312

LinkedIn

Chad Follmer

Senior Vice President, Healthcare Practice Leader

Contributor, Property & Casualty

Chad leads the Healthcare Practice at Woodruff Sawyer. His expertise in the healthcare and medical industry includes regulatory risk, data privacy and cyber risks, alternative risk finance structures (captives, RRGs, SIRs and trusts) and risk solutions for ACOs and all forms of coordinate care structures. Chad is a Risk and Insurance Magazine “Power Broker” award recipient, and authors blog features on timely healthcare topics. 

415.399.6384

LinkedIn

Dan Hodges

Senior Vice President, Benefits

Dan brings a uniquely analytical and sophisticated approach to employee benefits and risk management. With over 16 years of consulting experience, Dan has worked with a large cross-section of employers including those in healthcare, not-for-profits, hi-tech, service, and hospitality. In 2010, Dan was honored with the Excellence in Partnership with HR award from the Silicon Valley HR Symposium. His areas of specialization include managing large, multi-state clients as well as outsourced benefit administration.

415.878.2463

LinkedIn

Darren Cartwright

Senior Vice President, Claims Audit and Consulting Group

Editor, Claims

Darren leads our Claims Audit and Consulting Group, offering expertise in the areas of occupational and non-occupational disabilities, leaves of absence, and workers’ compensation. In addition to his work in saving clients time and money on complex litigated claims and by auditing claim programs, he helps clients implement Integrated Disability Management (IDM) programs and come to understand the true cost of absence.

415.402.6542

LinkedIn

Diane Borden

Private Client Executive

Contributor, Private Client

Diane is co-leader of Woodruff Sawyer’s Private Client Practice, responsible for the strategic development and management of our personal insurance operations. With more than 25 years’ experience serving in underwriting and brokerage roles, Diane’s expertise as a trusted insurance advisor has helped generations of high net-worth individuals and their families design comprehensive personal insurance portfolios geared to their unique lifestyle and risk to loss.

855.738.1115

LinkedIn

Emily Maier

Vice President

Editor, Mergers & Acquisitions

Leading Woodruff Sawyer’s M&A practice, Emily provides consultation to clients seeking to minimize their risks associated with merger & acquisition activity. This includes Representations and Warranties, Tax Opinion Liability and Litigation Buy-Out coverages. She has worked with both strategic and private equity buyers and sellers over a wide range of transaction sizes and industries.

949.435.7378

Kevin Panzera

Vice President, Private Client Growth Leader

Contributor, Private Client

Kevin co-leads our Private Client Practice to develop growth strategies and solutions to meet the needs of clients. With over 15 years of experience insuring the complex lifestyles, liability, and personal property assets of successful executives, business owners, and families of wealth, Kevin has a proven track record of innovation, production, and strategic leadership in the private client area.

Lauri Floresca

Senior Vice President, Cyber Liability

Editor, Cyber Liability

Lauri is a widely respected expert and frequent speaker on the issues of directors & officers liability and cyber liability. She has developed her expertise surrounding complex privacy breach claims and innovative Cyber Liability solutions, and has extensive experience placing D&O programs for public companies of all sizes, including NASDAQ 100 and Fortune 500 companies.

415.402.6523

LinkedIn

Priya Cherian Huskins, Esq.

Senior Vice President, D&O

Editor, Management Liability/D&O

Priya is a recognized expert and frequent speaker on D&O liability risk and its mitigation. In addition to consulting on D&O insurance, she counsels clients on corporate governance matters, including ways to reduce their exposure to shareholder lawsuits and regulatory investigations. Priya serves on the board of an S&P 500 public company and a large private company and has an impressive list of publications, speaking engagements, and awards for her influence and expertise in the industry. 

415.402.6527

LinkedIn

Vysali Soundararajan, Esq.

Assistant Vice President, Corporate Counsel

Vysali serves as Woodruff Sawyer’s Corporate Counsel. She is also a claims consultant on management liability policies, including Directors & Officers, Employment Practices, Cyber, and Errors & Omissions. Previously a class action litigator, Vysali is a frequent author and presenter, and is adjunct faculty on negotiation at RISE Austin and on intellectual property at University of Texas at Austin.  

415.399.6472

LinkedIn

Wade Pederson

Senior Vice President & Partner, Property & Casualty and Management Liability

Wade specializes in property & casualty and management liability exposures for companies in all stages of growth and risk complexities. Wade’s expertise across the spectrum of business risks enables him to take a holistic approach with clients. He manages client relationships and works directly with insurance markets to negotiate and place programs.

415.399.6354

LinkedIn

Andy Barrengos

Chief Executive Officer

CEO Andy Barrengos has been a part of the Woodruff Sawyer team since 1996, and has served as CEO since 2016. Andy leads our firm with a focus on developing our people, delivering outstanding services, tools, and solutions for our clients, and growing the firm in new and existing sectors across our national platform.

415.399.6312

LinkedIn

Chad Follmer

Senior Vice President, Healthcare Practice Leader

Contributor, Property & Casualty

Chad leads the Healthcare Practice at Woodruff Sawyer. His expertise in the healthcare and medical industry includes regulatory risk, data privacy and cyber risks, alternative risk finance structures (captives, RRGs, SIRs and trusts) and risk solutions for ACOs and all forms of coordinate care structures. Chad is a Risk and Insurance Magazine “Power Broker” award recipient, and authors blog features on timely healthcare topics. 

415.399.6384

LinkedIn

Dan Hodges

Senior Vice President, Benefits

Dan brings a uniquely analytical and sophisticated approach to employee benefits and risk management. With over 16 years of consulting experience, Dan has worked with a large cross-section of employers including those in healthcare, not-for-profits, hi-tech, service, and hospitality. In 2010, Dan was honored with the Excellence in Partnership with HR award from the Silicon Valley HR Symposium. His areas of specialization include managing large, multi-state clients as well as outsourced benefit administration.

415.878.2463

LinkedIn

Darren Cartwright

Senior Vice President, Claims Audit and Consulting Group

Editor, Claims

Darren leads our Claims Audit and Consulting Group, offering expertise in the areas of occupational and non-occupational disabilities, leaves of absence, and workers’ compensation. In addition to his work in saving clients time and money on complex litigated claims and by auditing claim programs, he helps clients implement Integrated Disability Management (IDM) programs and come to understand the true cost of absence.

415.402.6542

LinkedIn

Diane Borden

Private Client Executive

Contributor, Private Client

Diane is co-leader of Woodruff Sawyer’s Private Client Practice, responsible for the strategic development and management of our personal insurance operations. With more than 25 years’ experience serving in underwriting and brokerage roles, Diane’s expertise as a trusted insurance advisor has helped generations of high net-worth individuals and their families design comprehensive personal insurance portfolios geared to their unique lifestyle and risk to loss.

855.738.1115

LinkedIn

Emily Maier

Vice President

Editor, Mergers & Acquisitions

Leading Woodruff Sawyer’s M&A practice, Emily provides consultation to clients seeking to minimize their risks associated with merger & acquisition activity. This includes Representations and Warranties, Tax Opinion Liability and Litigation Buy-Out coverages. She has worked with both strategic and private equity buyers and sellers over a wide range of transaction sizes and industries.

949.435.7378

Kevin Panzera

Vice President, Private Client Growth Leader

Contributor, Private Client

Kevin co-leads our Private Client Practice to develop growth strategies and solutions to meet the needs of clients. With over 15 years of experience insuring the complex lifestyles, liability, and personal property assets of successful executives, business owners, and families of wealth, Kevin has a proven track record of innovation, production, and strategic leadership in the private client area.

Lauri Floresca

Senior Vice President, Cyber Liability

Editor, Cyber Liability

Lauri is a widely respected expert and frequent speaker on the issues of directors & officers liability and cyber liability. She has developed her expertise surrounding complex privacy breach claims and innovative Cyber Liability solutions, and has extensive experience placing D&O programs for public companies of all sizes, including NASDAQ 100 and Fortune 500 companies.

415.402.6523

LinkedIn

Priya Cherian Huskins, Esq.

Senior Vice President, D&O

Editor, Management Liability/D&O

Priya is a recognized expert and frequent speaker on D&O liability risk and its mitigation. In addition to consulting on D&O insurance, she counsels clients on corporate governance matters, including ways to reduce their exposure to shareholder lawsuits and regulatory investigations. Priya serves on the board of an S&P 500 public company and a large private company and has an impressive list of publications, speaking engagements, and awards for her influence and expertise in the industry. 

415.402.6527

LinkedIn

Vysali Soundararajan, Esq.

Assistant Vice President, Corporate Counsel

Vysali serves as Woodruff Sawyer’s Corporate Counsel. She is also a claims consultant on management liability policies, including Directors & Officers, Employment Practices, Cyber, and Errors & Omissions. Previously a class action litigator, Vysali is a frequent author and presenter, and is adjunct faculty on negotiation at RISE Austin and on intellectual property at University of Texas at Austin.  

415.399.6472

LinkedIn

Wade Pederson

Senior Vice President & Partner, Property & Casualty and Management Liability

Wade specializes in property & casualty and management liability exposures for companies in all stages of growth and risk complexities. Wade’s expertise across the spectrum of business risks enables him to take a holistic approach with clients. He manages client relationships and works directly with insurance markets to negotiate and place programs.

415.399.6354

LinkedIn

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INSIGHTS

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INSIGHTS

Award-Winning Women at Woodruff Sawyer

We’d like you to meet three exemplary women who represent the excellence and caliber of Woodruff Sawyer.… More

INSIGHTS

Editor, Management Liability/D&O

INSIGHTS

D&O Databox: 2018 Mid-Year Securities Class Action Report

The number of securities class action suits filed in the first half of 2018 was down from the year prior by 20 percent; this is according to Woodruff Sawyer’s mid-year “Flash Report,” written by my colleague Donna Moser.… More

Editor, Management Liability/D&O

INSIGHTS

Editor, Management Liability/D&O

INSIGHTS

#MeToo and the Boardroom

One of the most difficult conversations taking place in Corporate America right now is the “#MeToo” conversation.… More

Editor, Management Liability/D&O

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

Walking And Working Surfaces Standard Adoption In California

In May, the California Department of Industrial Relations, Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, drafted a notice of the intent to adopt the Federal Walking-Working Surfaces standard.… More

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

Compliance Alert: IRS Releases 2019 HSA Contribution Limits and HDHP Deductible and Out-of-Pocket Limits

In Rev. Proc. 2018-30, the IRS released the inflation adjusted amounts for 2019 relevant to HSAs and high deductible health plans (HDHPs). The ACA’s out-of-pocket limits for in-network essential health benefits have also been announced and have increased for 2019.

INSIGHTS

Editor, Mergers & Acquisitions

INSIGHTS

Reps and Warranties Insurance—The Basics

Representation and Warranties insurance is a complex solution for a complex situation. There is nothing standard about the sale or merger of a company and so very little is standard about the insurance that supports it.… More

Editor, Mergers & Acquisitions

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

Compliance Alert: Agencies Issue Guidance on Mental Health Parity Issues, Signal Enhanced Enforcement

On April 23, 2018, the Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services released several pieces of guidance on issues arising under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA), including 2017 enforcement actions, guidance on mental health parity implementation, and an action plan for enhanced enforcement in 2018.

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

Active Assailant And Workplace Violence: Proactive Risk Management And Insurance Planning

It has long been standard risk management practice in corporate America to plan for emergencies resulting from traditional occurrences such as severe weather, fire or a medical emergency.… More

INSIGHTS

Editor, Cyber Liability

INSIGHTS

The Intel Chip Flaw: What Does The Biggest Cyber Security Flaw Ever Discovered Mean For Cyber Insurance?

Reports this week of a staggering security flaw in processor chips from Intel, ARM and potentially other major manufacturers have prompted a new round of the (by now) age-old question: Would this be covered by cyber insurance?

Editor, Cyber Liability

INSIGHTS

Contributor, Private Client

INSIGHTS

Kids at College…Are They Covered?

While most families can think of at least one thing to worry about while their kids or grandkids are away from home, it’s rarely: Will my insurance cover their belongings or electronic devices if they get stolen? Or: What if they are in a car accident?

Contributor, Private Client

INSIGHTS

Contributor, Private Client

INSIGHTS

It’s Wildfire Season: Time to Ramp Up Your Risk Management

You can take steps to increase your home’s chances of surviving a wildfire. This includes not only the house itself, but the landscaping around it and seasonal cleaning tasks. If you build a new home or remodel an existing one, know that anything attached to the house (decks, porches, fences, etc.) is considered part of the house when it comes to the way fire behaves.

Contributor, Private Client

INSIGHTS

Contributor, Property & Casualty

INSIGHTS

Health Plan Risk Environment – Managed Care D&O, E&O and Cyber Market Update

Even with the new Federal administration’s stated pro-business mission, it remains clear that regulatory risks have not subsided and indeed appear as severe as ever.  Within the broader healthcare landscape no segment is more exposed to these risks than health plans and managed care providers.

Contributor, Property & Casualty

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

M&A Disclosure-Only Settlements: Still Happening

Whether plaintiffs can successfully litigate in another forum is often dependent on whether a Delaware forum-selection clause is in effect. But where plaintiffs don’t face that hurdle—either because the company in question doesn’t have a Delaware forum-selection clause or the company decides not to assert it—plaintiffs are motivated to litigate in plaintiff-friendly venues outside Delaware.

INSIGHTS

Editor, Claims

INSIGHTS

What’s Next? Workers’ Comp Regulatory Changes to Expect in 2017

Another year and another set of changes in the ever-changing world of workers' compensation. The Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California (WCIRB) has recently released new regulatory guidelines to be aware of. The changes you can expect are summarized in this post.

Editor, Claims

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

Workers’ Comp for Life Science and Tech Companies: What You Should Know

As costly as workers' compensation insurance is for California employers, you may wonder if it’s really necessary. Legislated in the U.S. in the early 1900s, workers’ compensation insurance is an integral part of state and federal law.

INSIGHTS

INSIGHTS

Why Your Employees Aren’t Getting the Most from Their HSA

According to survey findings, 70 percent of people with health savings accounts (HSAs) don’t understand the full capacity of what it does. Part of this is due to lack of employer communication around the matter. But it seems most employers don’t necessarily know what they’re doing wrong. In this post, I’ll go over two ways to create an effective communication and implementation plan for your HSA, so everyone can get the most from it.

The Dynamex Decision: Will California’s New Ruling On Independent Contractors Apply to Workers’ Compensation?

On April 30, 2018, the California Supreme Court announced an important change in how employers will be required to distinguish between independent consultants and employees, making it harder for workers to fit the criteria to be called an “independent contractor.”1 The court adopted a test similar to the “ABC” test used in Massachusetts, which has been considered the strictest in the country, pulling more and more workers out of the “contractor” bucket and into the “employee” bucket—a change that may affect companies’ bottom lines.