Kemper Expanding Surety Bond Business

Kemper Insurance Companies will expand its domestic and international surety bond business under the direction of Mark A. Mallonee, a former executive of Fireman's Fund's surety operation.

Mallonee joins Kemper as a senior vice president and will be based in San Francisco. He will work closely with the management of Lou Jones & Assocs., a Los Angeles-based managing general agency that specializes in contract surety that Kemper recently purchased. He will also work with Universal Bonding Insurance Co., a major underwriter of small contract surety bonds, which Kemper has purchased. Kemper's existing surety bond underwriting department will also be part of Mallonee's operation.

"Mark's 20 years of surety bond underwriting experience and his wealth of connections in the industry will be invaluable as we create a world-class bond operation," said William D. Smith, Kemper president and chief operating officer. "Mark will build a team that will work with Kemper's existing partners overseas to build a strong international surety bond presence."

"Relationships with producers and contractors are key to a successful surety bond operation, and I will continue those relationships I have built during my career," Mallonee said. "Kemper has a strong existing portfolio, and I'm excited to help them grow it."

Mallonee joined Fireman's Fund surety operation in 1979. He rose through the ranks and was most recently the vice president responsible for underwriting, marketing and administration for that company's domestic and international contract and corporate surety.