Southern Specialty appoints Burns & Wilcox's Roberts as president amid rebrand

By Isha Marathe

April 29 - (The Insurer) - MGA Southern Specialty Underwriters has rebranded to Arbour Specialty after its parent company Arbour National, and appointed Rebecca Roberts, former regional vice president at Burns & Wilcox, as president to lead growth strategy.

Roberts has over 30 years of experience in the industry. Before her 16-year tenure at Burns & Wilcox, she was vice president of operations at Creative Underwriters.

The rebrand underscores the company’s commitment to enhancing its service to independent agents across the Southeast.

“We are excited to have Rebecca join as president and a significant co-owner in our relaunched brokerage operation. She brings the expertise, vision, and leadership to guide us in this exciting new phase,” said Connor Leonard, who leads the parent company Arbour National.

“We believe there is an opportunity for Arbour Specialty to thrive by offering a full product offering with the personalized service of a smaller, responsive team,” added Roberts.

The MGA has offices across Tampa, Florida, and Macon, Georgia, and is licensed in 13 states.

In September 2023, insurance-focused investment firm Arbour National took a majority stake in Southern Trust, contributing an additional $20mn to surplus to support the Georgia-based carrier’s continued growth in the Southeast.

As a part of the deal, Arbour became the majority owner of carrier Southern Trust Insurance Company and MGA Southern Specialty Underwriters, The Insurer reported.