Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> May 30, 2005

David Eslick – U.s.i. Holdings Corporation (usih)

DAVID L. ESLICK is the Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of U.S.I. Holdings Corporation. Prior to being appointed Chairman, President and CEO in January 2002, Mr. Eslick served as President and Chief Operating Officer. In this role, he was responsible for supervising all company operations including sales and marketing. Joining USI in January 1997 with more than 18 years in insurance split among property and casualty, life, benefits and financial services, Mr. Eslick has a unique range of experience in driving operational performance and marketing capabilities proven to increase new business sales, to improve account retention, and to drive client cross-selling success. He received his Master's in Business Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati. In October 2002, Mr. Eslick was included as one of Business Insurance magazine's 35 Rising Stars. As an undergraduate student, Mr. Eslick participated in a co-op program, focused on life and disability insurance sales, with Ohio National Life. He then joined Prudential Insurance Company in Cincinnati as a producer for life, disability, employee benefits, and property and casualty insurance. In 1982, Mr. Eslick joined Frederick Rauh & Company as a property and casualty personal lines producer and progressed within the Rauh organization to become Franchise Sales Director and Division Manager for life and employee benefits. He was integral in the firm's shift from a strictly property and casualty focus to a position where revenues were equally derived from benefits and financial services. Following the Rauh firm's acquisition by ABI Insurance, Mr. Eslick was President of Rauh Financial Services and, ultimately, President of ABI/Frederick Rauh & Company. When ABI was sold to Acordia, Mr. Eslick remained as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Cincinnati operation. In 1997, he left this position to join USI. Profile
TWST: Would you begin with a quick overview of U.S.I. Holdings?

Mr. Eslick: USI is now the ninth largest brokerage firm in the United

States. We are predominantly focused on the middle market,