Bridge Specialty Group

In this installment of our Women’s History Month series, we shine the light on Mary MacDonnell, MBA, AAI, AU, AINS, ARM, Chief Financial Officer, Bridge Specialty Group. Mary is a professional with exemplary leadership and strategic acumen. She has a solid educational background and hands-on experience in finance and operations management, consistently delivering outstanding results. Mary graduated from Monmouth University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting and Management. She earned a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University, with a double major in Finance and International Management. As Chief Financial Officer for Bridge Specialty Group, Mary focuses on financial strategy, reporting, planning and risk management. She aligns financial objectives with company goals, driving profitability and sustainability. Previously, she served as Regional Finance & Operations Leader, overseeing accounting functions, acquisitions and new systems implementation. Mary's international experience as Finance Director at London’s Decus Insurance Brokers Limited highlights her adaptability and global mindset. She optimized financial processes and played a pivotal role in restructuring initiatives, resulting in significant cost savings and margin improvements. Mary is committed to community service, volunteering for causes such as the Queen Botanical Garden and the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure. She has received numerous awards, including a 2025 OnCon Icon Top 100 Finance & Accounting Professional, 2024 Business Insurance Women to Watch award, Finance Business Partner of the Year and Above and Beyond awards. When we asked Mary about her career to this point, she had this to say, "Through my journey, I have learned that the sky is not the limit—it's just the beginning. My career has taught me there are endless possibilities for women in a male dominated field, but it was my mother who taught me to break through every boundary that is put in front of you. She instilled in me the belief that a woman can be anything—strong, ambitious and unapologetically herself. With her guidance, I learned to embrace my potential and to never let anyone define my worth." Mary is definitely a trailblazer in finance and operations, with a passion for excellence, strategic vision and commitment to community service. Her track record of success and leadership serves as an inspiration to colleagues and aspiring professionals alike, embodying the values of integrity, innovation and impact. #BeTheBridge #WomensHistoryMonth #BSG #BridgeSpecialtyGroup

"Our Public Entity Practice Group is dedicated to providing specialized insurance solutions for public entities. We leverage our strong carrier relationships and extensive market knowledge to help clients navigate the complexities of the public entity insurance market. Our team's collaborative approach and innovative strategies help us meet the evolving needs of our clients, even in challenging market conditions." – Justin Galati, executive vice president and Public Entity practice group leader. We hope you enjoyed this month’s insights from our Public Entity practice group. Our offerings are diverse and extensive and help us provide solutions to address the varied needs of our clients. Here are some of the programs we offer: ·?????????K-12 Public, Private, Charter Schools, Colleges and Universities ·?????????Special Districts, Water, Sewer, Sanitary ·?????????Non-profit and Social Services ·?????????Municipalities ·?????????Law Enforcement Agencies ·?????????Housing/Transit/Airport/Water Authorities ·?????????Special Purpose Government Entities ·?????????Program/Pool/Trust Administrator ·?????????Educational Systems ·?????????Tribal / Sovereign Nations For more information, contact: Justin Galati at [email protected] or (856) 533-5968. #BSG #BeTheBridge #PublicEntityInsurance

As we continue to honor Women's History Month, our series highlights Liz Dunn, Regional Operations Leader for National Brokerage. After graduating from Clemson, Liz began her career at Brown & Brown in Daytona Beach with the Compliance department. A year later, she transitioned to Financial Internal Audit in Lake Mary, FL. In 2008, Liz moved into Public Entity as the Accounting/TR Leader for PRU Dallas and relocated to Chicago under the leadership of Karl Snearer and Mark Dillard. By 2010, while continuing her role with PRU Dallas, she also became the Accounting/Operations/TR Leader for Apex. In 2023, Liz took on the role of Regional Operations Leader for our national brokerage region, Bridge Specialty Insurance Brokerage. Over the past two decades, her journey has been transformative. We loved what Liz shared about her career thus far. “I am incredibly grateful for the guidance, support and growth opportunities I've received along the way. With this team, we've shared celebrations, losses, laughter, and tears, and I value the sense of belonging that comes with working alongside such dedicated teammates. I am excited to see Bridge Specialty Group grow, and it brings me joy to support my teammates, assisting them with resources and the freedom to excel in their roles.” When Liz isn’t working, she spends time with her family – husband Jared, her kids Reno (3) and Alina (1), and their Frenchton, Layla (7). #BeTheBridge #WomensHistoryMonth #BSG #BridgeSpecialtyGroup

Excited to share this insightful Insurance Business America article featuring John Vedder, Regional President, BSIB – Property and Casualty. According to John, “Our success is driven by a powerful combination of data and analytics added with the expertise of our team. By staying agile, anticipating challenges and fostering strong relationships, we can innovate and develop products that not only meet but lead market demand. We don’t just respond to the market – we are leaning into it." Check out the full article! #BSB #BridgeSpecialtyGroup #BeTheBridge #InnovativeSolutions #BeCustomerFocused

Our Women’s History Month series continues with a feature on Liz White, Director of Retail Distribution, National Director Property Group, Executive Vice President for Bridge Specialty Insurance Brokerage. ? Liz began her insurance career at Marsh & McLennan Atlanta in 1993 and transitioned to a wholesale property broker at Gresham & Associates in 1996. She then assisted in the formation of Peachtree Special Risk in 2000 and was promoted to President of Peachtree in 2011. Liz was also instrumental in the development and launch of Bridge Specialty Group, which unites 27 boutique wholesale brokerage brands, and was promoted to the Director of Retail Distribution for Bridge Specialty Group in 2021. ? Liz specializes in layering large public entity, real estate, technical and habitational schedules, placing reinsurance for captive programs and risk pools, negotiating manuscript forms, wrap around coverages and developing programs for large groups. Liz’s expertise is on catastrophic exposed risks and hard-to-place loss leaders. ? She graduated from Georgia State University in 1995 with a Masters of Business Administration and a concentration in Risk Management and Insurance. She is also a graduate of the University of Miami in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and English. She holds insurance licenses in 34 states including a Georgia Property and Casualty Agent’s License and Georgia Surplus Lines Broker’s License. She has professional designations of Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter. ? Liz was awarded Life Time Top Gun for her new business production in 2004, 2007 and 2008 for Wholesale. She was also awarded Mentor of the Year in 2009 and Life Time Producer in 2010. Liz is currently a member of the President’s Council for the University of Miami as well as an Advisory Board Member of the Georgia State University, Maurice R. Greenberg School of Risk Science.?? #BeTheBridge #WomensHistoryMonth #BSG #BridgeSpecialtyGroup

Our Women’s History Month series continues with a feature on Kari Dybdahl Kohal, MBA, AINS, AIS - President and National Director for American Risk Management Resources Network |ARMR.Network | ARMR Brokerage , a Bridge Specialty Group wholesale agency. Kari is a distinguished leader in the insurance industry with over 17 years of experience in the excess and surplus lines wholesale brokerage space. As the leader of the Bridge Specialty Environmental Practice Group, she brings a wealth of expertise in navigating complex environmental risks and developing innovative insurance solutions. Kari’s journey in the industry is a testament to her relentless drive and passion for business. She began her career in the mailroom of a wholesale insurance brokerage firm and steadily climbed the ranks to become a respected executive. Along the way, she earned her associate in general insurance (AINS) and associate in insurance services (AIS) designations, further solidifying her expertise in the field. Academically, Kari graduated summa cum laude with both a bachelor’s in business administration (BBA) and a master’s in business administration (MBA), specializing in leadership and organizational behavior. Her deep understanding of business operations and consumer behavior has fueled her success in both leadership and brand-building initiatives. An influential voice in the industry, Kari has authored numerous articles on leadership, environmental risks and insurance, contributing valuable insights to leading publications. Her achievements and impact were highlighted in Rough Notes Magazine in a feature titled "An Executive Balancing in Pink." Recognized for her contributions, she has received several industry awards, including Elite Women in Insurance, Hot 100, Young Guns in Insurance and Top Producer. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Kari is passionate about empowering women in business. In her free time, she founded a community (Balanced in Pink) dedicated to helping women grow their careers. She also hosts a podcast aimed at inspiring and supporting women. Kari balances her career and personal life with dedication and intention. She is married and the proud mother of a three-year-old son. She also shares her home with two beloved dogs—a Pudelpointer and a Cockapoo. With a proven track record of leadership, innovation and mentorship, Kari continues to shape the future of the insurance industry while uplifting others along the way. #BSG #BeTheBridge #BECustomerFocused #BEClear #WomensHistoryMonth

Each Friday we spotlight one of Bridge Specialty Group's wholesale agencies. This week we're highlighting?Decus Insurance Brokers Limited, a London-based wholesale broker that was established by Brown & Brown Insurance in 2008. Decus is an approved Lloyd’s Coverholder and Broker with open market, delegated authority and in-house underwriting capabilities through various contracts within the London market and its in-house MGA, ‘The Underwriting Company’ (TUWCO), formed in 2022. Spearheaded by Chief Executive Officer,?Glyn Harris, Decus currently focuses on seven core classes of business, with a wide reach into international and domestic markets: Financial Institutions, Property, Energy & Marine, Professional & Executive Lines, Cyber, Transportation and Healthcare. Decus Direct, their exclusive user-friendly online platform, has enabled them to streamline submission processes, document issuance and many more key features required to provide an outstanding service. For more information, please visit https://hubs.la/Q03cZyG90. #FridaySpotlight #BridgeSpecialtyGroup #BeTheBridge #DecusInsuranceBrokers

Our Women’s History Month series continues with a feature on Rachel Hauser, Senior Vice President – West Binding for Hull & Co. Rachel moved to Colorado in 2005 and started her career in insurance in 2009 on the retail side. After 10 years, she found Wholesale and joined Hull & Co., a Bridge Specialty Group wholesale agency. She came to Bridge Specialty Group with a strong sales background and program underwriting knowledge and has found that experience to be transferrable through all the lines of business Bridge offers and facilitates. Rachel’s journey with Bridge has been nothing short of outstanding. She swiftly advanced from an Associate Underwriter to an Underwriter/Broker, then to a Sales Leader, and now proudly leads the SW Territory in the West Region as the Senior Vice President of Binding. Rachel’s extremely passionate about her work. “I absolutely love receiving a challenging risk to place and finding a solution for our partners and insureds,” she said. Rachel also shared, “Being a woman in a traditional male industry, I am fortunate to see the business through a different lens. Leading with tenacity, compassion, grit and empathy is incredibly fulfilling in coaching my teams. I love supporting and pushing our team members to achieve levels of success they never thought possible!” Rachel is also a huge supporter of women and women’s empowerment. Alongside her business partner and leader, Jennifer Dumag, she has co-developed workshops for their women in the West region and host annual summits for all positions held for women in that region. They recently took their workshop on the road, collaborating and presenting the workshop for a valued carrier partner. Rachel says she loves hearing all the stories and sharing in all the “a-ha moments.”?“I truly believe that every woman has a voice, and I support their journey to sit at the table!” In her spare time, Rachel loves all things water, from snowboarding to wake surfing. Her favorite place to be is enjoying the golden hour, on the lake, with her husband and two dogs. #BeTheBridge #WomensHistoryMonth #BSG #BridgeSpecialtyGroup

Thanks so much for this recognition, USLI. We're eager to build on this momentum. Here's to an incredible year ahead! #BSG #BeTheBridge #TheColonialGroup #USLI #RelationshipDriven

Check this out and vote today! We’re so proud that Graham-Rogers Insurance, one of Bridge Specialty Group’s wholesale agencies, has been nominated for Big I Oklahoma 2025 Brokerage of the Year. Send your support! Voting ends tomorrow, March 21! Read the nomination here and vote by clicking on the 2025 Voting Form. Then scroll down to Brokerage of the Year: https://lnkd.in/gZJwWXfW