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About Us

Committed to Meeting the Needs of Our Distribution Partners

Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, CM Vantage is an excess and surplus lines insurance company specializing in underwriting unique exposures and providing innovative product solutions. We distribute products through select wholesale brokers and general agents.

Our team of experienced excess and surplus lines professionals work with our wholesale partners to provide a wide array of insurance products including: primary casualty, excess casualty, primary property and excess property. We know that every day we need to earn the trust and support of our business partners and we are committed to exceeding their expectations in every way.

Founding Principles

  • Integrity
  • Commitment to wholesale distribution
  • Underwriting expertise
  • Service excellence

AM BestWSIA

CM VANTAGE GIVES YOU 7 STRATEGIC ADVANTAGES:

1. Strong balance sheet: A member of the CM Group which has a policyholder surplus exceeding $842 million and assets of $2.4 billion.*

2. Limited distribution: Value partners looking for a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship.

3. Unwavering commitment to the wholesale channel: Support strong relationships with wholesale brokers and general agents who have expertise in risks outside the appetite of admitted carriers.

4. National presence: Serving wholesale producers across the United States.

5. Unique and innovative products: Attuned to trends in a constantly evolving market.

6. Underwriting expertise: Experience and flexibility in coverage and pricing of unique risks.

7. Service excellence: A commitment to the highest level of support and service.

CM Vantage is a wholly owned excess and surplus lines subsidiary of Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. (a stock insurer)1

*As of 12/31/2021.

Meet Our Team

Officers and Directors

PAM RUSHING

President

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” -Winston Churchill

Pam Rushing joined CM Vantage in 2023.

Rushing has a wealth of insurance experience having spent more than 25 years in the industry, working for several well-respected national carriers. Throughout her career, she has held high-impact roles in management, underwriting and marketing.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and risk management from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and has earned her CPCU designation.

Mike York

MIKE YORK

Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer

Mike brings more than 24 years of property and casualty experience focused on both surplus lines and admitted operations.  Prior to joining CM Vantage, Mike was vice president – Underwriting for Colony Specialty. He also worked for AIG in leading the excess casualty division for the West Region and started his insurance underwriting career with the Cincinnati Insurance Companies. His background in strategic thinking, coaching and motivating underwriting teams positions Mike well as CM Vantage’s Chief Underwriting Officer. 

Mark Morrison

MARK MORRISON

Property Managing Director

Mark brings more than 23 years of property and casualty experience in surplus and specialty lines. Mark started his career as an agent and has honed his skills in risk underwriting, product development, distribution management, operations, corporate underwriting and regulatory compliance. Prior to joining CM Vantage, Mark held various management positions with Capitol Insurance Companies, a member of the Alleghany Group.

Property Underwriting Team

Jameey Gragg

JAMEEY GRAGG

Property Sr. Underwriter

Jameey began his career in loss control and premium audit before transitioning to commercial underwriting in 2005. Prior to joining CM Vantage in 2018, Jameey was a regional underwriting manager for CapSpecialty, a member of the Alleghany Group. He has two daughters and is a die-hard Packers fan.

Crystal Kultgen

CRYSTAL KULTGEN

Property Sr. Underwriter

Crystal brings more than 15 years industry experience in personal, commercial, and excess and surplus lines insurance. Prior to joining CM Vantage in 2022, she worked at Acuity Insurance in a variety of roles including underwriting consulting, project development and implementation, innovation, as well as commercial line property and casualty underwriting. Crystal enjoys the variety of risks and exposures in excess and surplus lines insurance and looks forward to discussing opportunities and finding solutions with our partners.

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JESSICA GRANZEAU

Property Sr. Underwriter

Jessica brings more than 20 years of commercial underwriting experience in the property and casualty industry. She began her career with Wausau Insurance Companies as a customer service representative for direct sales and transitioned to underwriter in 2003, where she developed and grew her property and casualty knowledge and skills. Prior to joining CM Vantage, Jessica was a senior underwriter with Starr Companies and held similar positions at CAN and Liberty Mutual.

Sue Huhr

SUE DUHR

Property Sr. Underwriter

Sue brings more than 28 years of commercial property and casualty insurance underwriting experience in non-admitted surplus lines and admitted standard lines, working with both managing general agents and independent agents. Prior to joining CM Vantage, Sue held many underwriting roles with CapSpecialty Insurance in Madison, Wisconsin.

Jonathan Wood

JONATHAN WOOD

Property Underwriter

Jonathan brings more than 14 years of commercial insurance underwriting experience in non-admitted surplus lines, general agency underwriting systems, and admitted standard lines market insurance. Before joining CM Vantage 2019, he developed his underwriting skill set as a senior underwriter with QBE and Arrowhead Core Commercial.

Laura Koetting

LAURA KOETTING

Property Underwriter

Laura brings more than 13 years of commercial insurance experience in surplus and specialty lines. After starting her career at a retail agency, Laura enjoyed roles with wholesale brokerages and managing general agents. Prior to joining CM Vantage, Laura was a production underwriter with Amwins Access.

Edina Jusic

EDINA JUSIC

Binding Underwriter

Edina brings more than 12 years of combined underwriting and operations management experience. Prior to joining CM Vantage in 2022, Edina was a specialty lines underwriter in the E&S market at Hartford Steam Boiler and retail operations manager. With her diverse background, Edina brings a unique perspective to the team and looks forward to developing and expanding the Binding Division.

Casualty Team

Stefan Ruderstaller

STEFAN RUDERSTALLER

Casualty Sr. Underwriter

Stefan brings more than 14 years of commercial underwriting experience in the property and casualty industry. Stefan developed his underwriting skills in both the admitted and non-admitted markets. Prior to joining CM Vantage, Stefan was a senior commercial underwriter with Argo Construction, a member of Argo Group.

Ryan Johnson

RYAN JOHNSON

Casualty Sr. Underwriter

Ryan brings more than 16 years of commercial underwriting experience in the surplus lines property and casualty industry. Prior to joining CM Vantage, Ryan was a senior commercial underwriter with Capitol Insurance Companies, a member of the Alleghany Group.

Dan Cranney

DAN CRANNEY

Casualty Sr. Underwriter

Dan started his career with Aviva in the UK. Upon moving “across the pond” in 2010, he continued to develop his skills as a commercial underwriter in both the non-admitted and admitted specialty lines. Dan enjoys learning something new every day and building strong business relationships with CM Vantage’s distribution partners.

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BRIAN HANSEN

Casualty Sr. Underwriter

Bio coming soon.

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RANDY GAGAS

Casualty Sr. Underwriter

Randy brings more than 25 years of commercial underwriting experience, including more than 17 years in excess and surplus lines. Prior to joining CM Vantage in 2022, he was a senior underwriter on the Special Risks team at CapSpecialty.

Stephen Hylden

STEPHEN HYLDEN

Casualty Underwriter

Stephen brings more than seven years of commercial specialty underwriting experience to CM Vantage. Prior to beginning his insurance career, Stephen worked in manufacturing and the construction industries. This experience provides Stephen with a unique perspective when underwriting risks in these fields.

Jenna Johnson

JENNA JOHNSON

Casualty Underwriter

Jenna began her career in the banking industry, rising through the ranks into management before switching to the insurance industry. She comes from West Bend where she worked in specialty underwriting for three years before joining CM Vantage. When not at work, Jenna enjoys spending time outdoors and tries to visit at least one national park per year with her husband.

Excess Casualty Underwriting Team

Lisa Smith

LISA SMITH

Excess Casualty Sr. Underwriter

Lisa started her commercial lines underwriting career 16 years ago at Liberty Mutual. She joined CM Vantage in 2021. Prior to that she worked at Ironshore as a senior underwriter in the excess and surplus lines department. Lisa resides in Connecticut with her husband, her son, daughter and two stepsons.

Marc Eversmeyer

MARC EVERSMEYER

Excess Casualty Sr. Underwriter

Marc has more than six years of excess and surplus lines experience underwriting commercial excess accounts of various size, risk characteristics and complexity. Prior to joining CM Vantage, Marc worked for the brokerage underwriting team at Nationwide E&S/Specialty.

Diversity and Inclusion: Woven into the Fabric of our Culture

We recognize that our customers are our company and at the center of everything we do. Building the strongest team to serve policyholders requires a focus on creating and cultivating a diverse workforce, using diverse vendors and connecting with a diverse group of customers and their communities. For more information, click to read our organization’s corporate commitment to Diversity & Inclusion.

STATEMENT OF UNITY

At CM Vantage, we are committed to serving organizations that elevate the human condition and strengthen our communities. The principles of diversity, equity and inclusion are woven into the fabric of our organization, providing support for this commitment.

We believe all people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Inspired by this foundational belief, we condemn all expressions and forms of hate, racism, bigotry, misogyny, violence and intolerance. And we pledge to do more than just talk about inequality. We are striving to end inequality through our words and actions, everywhere we go. In that spirit, we will celebrate our differences, lift up those who are hurting and pray that those who hate find love.

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