MICHELE GRAHAM was recently appointed senior VP, chief customer officer at Preferred Mutual Insurance Company. She is responsible for establishing an enterprise agent and customer-centric culture that delivers exceptional experiences through knowledgeable, supportive, and friendly people as well as processes and technology that simplify doing business with Preferred Mutual. Graham plays a strategic role in driving strategies that market the firm’s brand and continuously advance its impact to local communities. She has held various positions of increasing responsibility in various disciplines at Preferred Mutual, including personal lines rating, agency interface, business analysis, project management, product development, shared services, and customer experience. Graham has a bachelor’s degree in business management and economics from Empire State College and holds numerous industry certifications and designations. Preferred Mutual Insurance has appointed

MICHAEL DEHETRE as senior VP, chief underwriting officer. He is responsible for providing leadership and strategic vision to the underwriting team, to product-development initiatives, and to the company’s ongoing growth and profitability initiatives. Additionally, as a member of the senior executive team, DeHetre oversees the continued implementation of Preferred Mutual’s strategic plan, with the focus on the strategic objective to advance small commercial business and product. He brings 29 years of experience in the property and casualty insurance field, with a concentration in commercial-lines underwriting. DeHetre honed his underwriting and leadership expertise at The Travelers Companies, Acadia Insurance Company, Hartford Financial Services Group, RTW, Inc., USF & G Insurance, and most recently, W.R. Berkley, where he was the chief underwriting officer for the life sciences division. DeHetre earned an MBA at the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s degree in general business at the University of Maryland. He holds several industry certifications. Preferred Mutual Insurance has also appointed

MICHELLE RAUE to senior VP, chief claims officer. She joined Preferred Mutual in August 2020 as senior VP of claims. During her tenure, Raue has leveraged data and analytics to measure and drive performance efficiencies as well as implement innovative claim-handling strategies to improve both the customer experience and reduce indemnity costs. She has more than 30 years of experience in the property and casualty insurance industry. Her extensive claims background, contemporary vision of the future, and proven track record for driving continuous process and performance improvements, have enabled her to lead teams that exceed expectations and deliver an innovative and differentiated claims experience for the organization, its agents, and policyholders. Raue earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of South Alabama.

KARINA SHAHINE has joined Barclay Damon as an associate, in its corporate and trusts & estates practice areas. Her primary office is Syracuse. Shahine represents clients in a wide range of matters. Through previous positions, she has gained a variety of corporate and trusts and estates experience, including drafting and reviewing documents and memoranda; aiding attorneys during depositions, trials, and other phases of litigation, including alternative dispute resolution; assisting during mediation; and conducting legal research.

MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, recently named MATT GEITNER as its new director of government relations. In this role, Geitner will manage the advocacy efforts of MACNY and The Manufacturers Alliance of New York State in both Albany and Washington, D.C., manage communications regarding public-policy issues, coordinate MACNY’s state and federal political action committees, and keep all MACNY’s 300-plus member companies informed of important issues and legislation. His scope of work will also include a focus on growing the Alliance’s statewide visibility and influence. Geitner is a senior leader with experience in both the public and private sectors conducting government and public affairs initiatives, internal and external communications, and coalition building to achieve policy results. He has extensive experience working with local, state, and federal public officials along with economic, business, and community leaders. For 10 years, Geitner provided government affairs and business development expertise to C&S Companies, a long-time MACNY member and Syracuse–based architectural, engineering, and construction firm. He also has 10 years of experience working in health care for companies, providing emergency medical services, non-emergency medical transportation management services, and government-sponsored health insurance. Geitner has a political science degree from American University in Washington, D.C.