Tom Van Berkel
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Tom Van Berkel is chairman, president and chief executive officer of The Main Street America Group, a super regional property/casualty insurance company that writes commercial lines and personal lines in 27 states, and surety and fidelity in 44 states. The company offers its products exclusively through a network of 2,000-plus independent insurance agents.

Tom joined Main Street America in 1990 as vice president, marketing, and was promoted to senior vice president, insurance operations, in 1993. He was elected president and chief operating officer of the company in 2001 and appointed chief executive officer in 2002. Tom was elected chairman of all of The Main Street America Group’s operating companies’ boards in 2006.

Prior to joining Main Street America, Tom was senior vice president of personal lines at Associates Insurance Group in Dallas, Texas, a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company. He has held several other management positions throughout his insurance career, including key roles with Crum and Forster and Trinity Universal Insurance Company, both based in Dallas.

Tom is chair of the Jacksonville, Fla., Chamber of Commerce board of directors. Tom has also held several other leadership positions at the JAX Chamber including treasurer of the board of directors, chair of the board of governors and chair of JAXUSA Partnership, the Chamber’s economic development division. Additionally, Tom is vice president of finance for the North Florida Council of the Boy Scouts of America, chair of the River Club of Jacksonville’s board of directors and is a board member and the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

Tom earned his bachelor's degree in English and history at Boston College, Boston, Mass.

Ed Kuhl
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Ed Kuhl joined The Main Street America Group in 1988 as controller. He has served as treasurer of all of Main Street America’s operating companies since 1999 and was elected a vice president in March 2000. Ed was appointed chief financial officer in September 2002 and promoted to senior vice president, chief financial officer, in March 2005. In March 2007, he was promoted to executive vice president, chief financial officer. Ed is responsible for oversight of all of the organization’s financial activities, including the accounting, treasury, tax, planning and internal audit functions. He also oversees our investment unit, as well as our corporate insurance, ceded insurance, reserving and data management functions.

Before coming to Main Street America, Ed was vice president and chief financial officer of Sedgwick James of Pennsylvania Inc. He has also been the manager of corporate accounting at the PMA Group in Philadelphia. He began his insurance career as an accountant in the International Division of INA.

Ed has earned the following designations from the Insurance Institute of America: Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Associate in Insurance Accounting and Finance (AIAF) and Associate in Research and Planning (ARP). He is a member of Financial Executives International, CPCU Society and Society of Insurance Financial Management (formerly the Society of Insurance Accountants). Ed earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, with concentrations in accounting and organizational management.

Doug Eden
Senior Vice President, Field Operations

Doug Eden joined The Main Street America Group in March 2007 as senior vice president, field operations. Doug is responsible for developing and leading our customer relationship strategies, as well as directing the management of our regional field operations. He also ensures we meet our organization’s short-term and long-term premium goals. Additionally, Doug oversees our marketing function.

Doug has an extensive background managing independent agent networks. He joined Main Street America from Hanover Insurance, Itasca, Ill., where he was regional president, Midwest. Prior to his tenure at Hanover, Doug was senior vice president – P&C distribution management at CNA Insurance Company, Chicago. His extensive P&C industry experience also includes regional and business line management roles at Fireman’s Fund. Doug began his career at USF&G Insurance, where he held a variety of management roles in several regional offices, including Jacksonville.

Doug holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Bruce Fox
General Counsel

Bruce Fox joined The Main Street America Group in August 2003 as senior field attorney and was promoted to managing attorney in May 2006, where he oversaw the company’s claims law office in Auburn, Mass. He joined our corporate law staff as corporate counsel in November 2007 and was appointed assistant secretary, corporate counsel, law, in March 2008. In January 2011, Bruce was promoted to general counsel. Bruce is responsible for representing Main Street America on all legislative and regulatory affairs. He also ensures Main Street America’s business practices, policies and all other dealings meet state and federal regulatory requirements. Bruce oversees all aspects of governance for our organization to ensure Main Street America is managed in the best interests of our policyholders. Further, he provides legal advice and counsel to senior staff members.

Prior to joining Main Street America, Bruce was director of legal services for the contract negotiation and benchmarking services division of AMR Research Inc., Boston. His extensive legal experience also includes roles as managing attorney at American International Group, Boston, and senior trial attorney at two Boston-area law firms.

Bruce earned his bachelor's degree at Suffolk University, Boston, and his juris doctorate degree at Boston College Law School.

Steve Peeters
Executive Vice President, Insurance Operations and Chief Operating Officer

Steve Peeters joined The Main Street America Group in February 2010 as vice president, commercial lines. In August 2010, he was promoted to senior vice president, product operations. In August 2011, Steve was promoted to executive vice president, insurance operations and chief operating officer. Steve is responsible for our insurance operations function. This includes claims, integrated customer solutions (ICS) and information technology. He also oversees product development, underwriting standards, and pricing processes for our full portfolio of surety, commercial lines and personal lines products and coverages. He is also responsible for ensuring the continued profitability and growth of our products. In addition, he oversees our assumed reinsurance and pricing functions.

Prior to joining Main Street America, Steve led Zurich Insurance Services, which is a privately owned program administration and insurance services company strategically linked with Zurich North America Insurance Company. In this role, Steve was responsible for $950 million of written premium, primarily in the Zurich Small Commercial business line. Before being named president and COO of Zurich Insurance Services in December 2007, Steve was the company’s executive vice president and chief underwriting officer. His vast industry experience also includes several executive roles at Zurich North America: senior vice president and chief underwriting officer, Zurich Small Business; president, East Region, Zurich Small Business; and vice president, Small Business Solutions Underwriting. Steve also had a very successful 15-year tenure at Hartford Financial Services Inc.

Steve earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Bryant University, Smithfield, R.I., and his master’s in business administration/finance from the University of Connecticut, Storrs.

Toni Porterfield
Senior Vice President, Human Resources

Toni Porterfield joined The Main Street America Group in May 2004 as vice president, human resources. She is responsible for the strategic direction and implementation of all human resources and communications products and services throughout the organization, as well as overseeing our administrative services unit. Toni was promoted to senior vice president, human resources, in March 2005.

Toni’s background is very diverse and includes training, marketing, communications and human resources. Her broad experience includes working at Chrysler Motors as manager of field sales and marketing training. Toni began her insurance career in corporate training and development at The Travelers and The Maryland Insurance Group. She joined Zurich in 1992. While there, Toni held several senior management positions including vice president, marketing; senior vice president, corporate development; and most recently, senior vice president, human resources, organizational development and rewards, at Zurich North America.

Toni is a member of the American Management Association, a member and National Education Honorary of Phi Delta Kappa, and a member and National Business Honorary of Beta Gamma Sigma. Toni earned her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business administration from West Virginia University.