Phoenix, AZ – CopperPoint Mutual Insurance Co. recently announced that the first woman to chair its Board of Directors, Judith Patrick, completed her term on June 19, after five years at the helm. Vice Chair Ken Kirk was named the new Board Chair, and director Steve Tully was made the new vice chair.

Patrick, a long-time Tucson resident, will remain on the Board. She was appointed as chair in 2009 by Gov. Jan Brewer. Under Patrick’s leadership, she guided what was the state compensation fund through its privatization to a mutual insurance company. Patrick has served on the Board since 1992.

Kirk, who was appointed to the Board in 2011, was recently elected to a two-year term in 2013. He has an extensive background in finance and insurance, beginning his career as a CPA with Arthur Andersen & Co.

In 1989, Kirk acquired Insurance West in Scottsdale, Arizona. He merged that company with Brown & Brown Insurance in 1995, and subsequently served as regional president through 2010. Kirk is the founder and owner of Meridian Financial Holdings, a regional insurance brokerage, providing insurance products and services to business and individual clients. Additionally, he is the founding chair of the Arizona chapter of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.

During the annual meeting, CopperPoint announced results of its annual election. Two incumbent directors, Donald A. Smith Jr., CopperPoint President and CEO, and Tully, were elected to serve two-year terms. Members also voted to adopt an amendment to the bylaws.

The meeting also marked the retirement of former Chair Jim Weeks, who served on CopperPoint’s Board of Directors twice: from February 1990 to January 1993 and from January 2003 until June 2014. Weeks has been a long-time public servant who has served on the Phoenix City Council, the Arizona Corporation Commission and on the Board of Directors for the Central Arizona Project.

In addition, Weeks has served on the Arizona OSHA Review Board, the Arizona Farm Labor Board and he served nine years as Executive Director for the Arizona Steel Field Erectors Association.

Source: CopperPoint Mutual