Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Summary - Overview
Timeline
Generic

Holly Swain Mendez

McKinney,TX

Summary

Dynamic insurance professional with a proven track record at Zurich North America, generating over $6.5MM in new business (1st quarter 2025). Skilled in negotiation and customer relationship management, I excel in problem-solving and team collaboration, consistently delivering innovative solutions that enhance client satisfaction and drive business growth.

Overview

23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

AVP E&S PROPERTY

Zurich North America
Dallas, TX
02.2024 - Current
  • Generated over $6.5MM in new business production during first quarter of 2025.
  • Resolved issues efficiently through strong problem-solving skills.
  • Exceeded customer/broker satisfaction by delivering innovative solutions to challenges.
  • Collaborated with diverse teams to achieve objectives and improve policy form tracking.
  • Established and maintained relationships with wholesale brokers to enhance business outreach.
  • Contributed to development of FLEX, manuscript forms, and endorsements to improve product offerings.
  • Provided leadership and mentorship to underwriting assistant(s) and junior underwriters.
  • Partnered with senior management to design a modeling template for account metrics.

UNDERWRITING SPECIALIST – U.S. Property-Wholesale

Ironshore a division of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
Dallas, TX
09.2021 - 02.2024
  • Drove growth and profitability for assigned territory within E&S/shared and layered business.
  • Reviewed complex exposures, loss history, financials, and engineering data to determine capacity deployment.
  • Provided critical information to amend or clarify underwriting guidelines and intent.
  • Negotiated policy terms, conditions, and verbiage by reviewing broker manuscripts.
  • Conducted independent outreach to brokers for marketing E&S products.
  • Assisted junior underwriters with exposure reviews and approved account referrals.
  • Collaborated with account analysts to enhance customer service delivery processes.
  • Granted equivalent authority as Underwriting Managers and Officers on recent authority letter.

SENIOR UNDERWRITER, Promoted to UNDERWRITING SPECIALIST (Inland Marine)

Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
Dallas, TX.
12.2017 - 09.2021
  • Marketed and presented Liberty Mutual inland marine products to partnered agents within assigned territory.
  • Reviewed account exposures and financials to determine risk-based capital deployment.
  • Negotiated terms with agents to achieve equitable solutions while safeguarding company assets.
  • Communicated sensitive outcomes to agents regarding accounts as needed.
  • Significantly expanded motor truck cargo line of business.
  • Served as subject matter expert for motor truck cargo and complex coverages.
  • Targeted Builders Risk, Contractors Equipment, Warehouse Legal, Misc. Scheduled Property, and Motor Truck Cargo classes.

SENIOR PRODUCTION SPECIALIST (Large Property)

American International Group (AIG)
Dallas, TX.
04.2010 - 02.2017
  • Managed retention and development of commercial insurance business for large accounts, including public entities and energy exposures.
  • Conducted marketing and presentations of insurance products to brokers and risk managers.
  • Assisted risk managers in designing programs to ensure business continuity.
  • Executed capital deployment strategies to cover client exposures during underwriting.
  • Collaborated with engineers during inspections to assess risks and ensure compliance with recommendations.
  • Negotiated pricing and coverage terms with assigned agency personnel.
  • Secured reinsurance for high-hazard accounts to protect net exposure.
  • Coordinated with claims teams to verify coverages and finalize claim handling processes.

Senior Broker

Towerstone
Dallas, TX
09.2007 - 03.2010
  • Generated over $6,000,000 growth in book of business across multiple insurance placements.
  • Managed underwriting and profitability for in-house contracts with Lloyd’s of London and various insurers.
  • Prepared cover notes, invoices, and confirmations for insurance coverages and endorsements.
  • Served as intermediary between retail agents and assigned insurance companies.
  • Negotiated with carrier underwriters to secure optimal insurance solutions at competitive prices.
  • Arranged specialized insurance coverage for complex accounts to meet unique client needs.
  • Developed and maintained strong relationships with retail agents to facilitate business opportunities.

Broker

Westen Security Surplus Insurance Brokers
Plano, TX
09.2005 - 09.2007
  • Oversaw client portfolio through relationship building and account development.
  • Handled service requests while identifying potential risk issues and tracking renewals.
  • Acted as intermediary between retail agents and assigned insurance companies.
  • Quoted additional coverages (Liquor Liability, Professional Liability, Work Comp, Umbrella), ensuring competitive pricing for clients.
  • Followed agency credit and collection procedures for invoicing and prompt payment.
  • Negotiated with underwriters to secure optimal insurance solutions at best prices.
  • Reviewed submissions for completeness prior to submission to carriers.
  • Collaborated closely with retail producers and account managers to gather necessary information.

Broker/Manager

CEIS, Ltd., a division of Curley Insurance Group
Dallas, TX
03.2004 - 09.2005
  • Collaborated with senior management to develop long-term growth strategies aligned with market trends.
  • Conducted comprehensive performance appraisals to evaluate employee effectiveness.
  • Reviewed resumes and interviewed candidates to make informed hiring decisions.
  • Created marketing materials and quote templates to enhance client engagement.
  • Assessed junior brokers and client service representatives through targeted performance reviews.
  • Organized weekly team meetings to discuss business applications and development strategies.

CSR Supervisor / Assistant Broker

MacLean Oddy & Associates
Dallas, TX
03.2002 - 03.2004
  • Collected necessary information by collaborating with retail producers and account managers.
  • Reviewed submissions for completeness before forwarding them to carriers.
  • Processed quotes, binders, endorsements, and audits while maintaining policy accuracy.
  • Verified coverage details for compliance with established standards.
  • Identified areas for improvement in the customer service process flow.
  • Trained new employees on protocols, systems and procedures for effective onboarding.
  • Reviewed reports on employee attendance, productivity and effectiveness to evaluate performance.
  • Managed team of customer service representatives to ensure high-quality support.
  • Participated in subordinates' tasks to facilitate productivity or help overcome difficulties.
  • Monitored customer service team's daily activities and provided feedback.

Education

MBA -

University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX.

BBA - Management

University of Texas Permian Basin
Odessa, TX

Skills

  • Customer relationship management
  • Data analysis
  • Team collaboration
  • Negotiation
  • Problem solving
  • Business development
  • Risk assessment
  • Leadership
  • Sound judgment
  • Organizational skills
  • Active listening
  • Market analysis

Certification

  • General Lines License
  • Surplus Lines License
  • Associate Risk Management – in progress
  • CPCU – in progress

Summary - Overview

Over 10 years of successful experience with a reputation for meeting the most challenging organizational goals and objectives. A pragmatic and focused individual recognized for strong analytical, negotiation and problem-solving abilities. Exceptionally responsible, self-motivated, diligent, production oriented and thorough. A proven and VERIFIABLE record for: Developing, managing, and maintaining both specialty and complex insurance placements for domestic and global/multinational property risks (portfolio up to $21MM). Act decisively by researching & identifying exposures; utilize engineering/inspection reports, modeling analysis, financial data/balance sheets and other underwriting resources to make sound decisions to underwrite an account. Generate new business, market pricing, deductibles, and rate strategy to ensure account profitability and growth for underwriting profit. Maintain direct contact with agents/brokers, insureds/risk managers to ensure placement of new and renewal business. Historically, the loss ratio on my book has been less than 1% over my entire underwriting career. 

Timeline

AVP E&S PROPERTY

Zurich North America
02.2024 - Current

UNDERWRITING SPECIALIST – U.S. Property-Wholesale

Ironshore a division of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
09.2021 - 02.2024

SENIOR UNDERWRITER, Promoted to UNDERWRITING SPECIALIST (Inland Marine)

Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
12.2017 - 09.2021

SENIOR PRODUCTION SPECIALIST (Large Property)

American International Group (AIG)
04.2010 - 02.2017

Senior Broker

Towerstone
09.2007 - 03.2010

Broker

Westen Security Surplus Insurance Brokers
09.2005 - 09.2007

Broker/Manager

CEIS, Ltd., a division of Curley Insurance Group
03.2004 - 09.2005

CSR Supervisor / Assistant Broker

MacLean Oddy & Associates
03.2002 - 03.2004

MBA -

University of Texas Permian Basin

BBA - Management

University of Texas Permian Basin

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Holly Swain Mendez