The Hartford Plants its Flag in Riverside
By Robert Warne - August 2, 2002Good news for Inland Empire adjusters! Another claims office is slated to open in your backyard in October.
The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. (Hartford) recently inked a five-year lease with the Magnon Companies for nearly 20,000 square feet of office space to house its Specialty Risk Services (SRS) subsidiary.
Hartford Spokesperson Cynthia Michener told adjustercom.com that the SRS division in Brea had grown to the point where it needed to expand. The Brea office will remain open and continue to handle special risk accounts in conjunction with the Riverside office, she explained.
The city of Riverside is all fired up over the deal. “We are extremely pleased to be welcoming The Hartford to the city of Riverside. They are a significant player in the insurance industry and will be a tremendous asset to the community,” stated Kevin Palmer, economic development manager for the city.
Hartford Spokesperson Sue Honeyman told the Riverside Press-Enterprise that the majority of the claims handled in the new office would be workers' compensation claims.
She also said that 20 workers have already been hired and about 35 to 40 employees will transfer from the Brea office. More may be added before the end of the year.
Internal lobbying efforts by Brea workers who live in or near Riverside also factored into the picture, Honeyman said.
Troy Riccitelli, leasing manager at Hartford said that the Riverside location was chosen because of its proximity to customers and a large, educated labor pool.
It hasn’t been announced who will oversee the claims operations in the new office yet, but Michener said that the organizational details would be announced at a later date.
The current Director of claims in Brea is Michael Willard, and the Claims Manager is Sharon Bartholomew.
Going against the grain of contraction—Hartford’s expansion must be music to any adjuster’s ears these days—especially if it’s in their neighborhood. | 
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