Wendy Cook, Frannie Epps, and Lauren Pratscher join Newfront from Marsh to further develop sophisticated carrier placement strategies and expand solutions for clients’ unique transactions.

Newfront, the tech-driven insurance brokerage firm based in San Francisco, welcomes three top experts to bolster its carrier placement and casualty strategy. Wendy Cook, Frannie Epps, and Lauren Pratscher join from Marsh, bringing a combined six decades of industry experience in architecting customized solutions for highly complex organizations.

As Head of Insurance Placement, Cook will lead carrier strategies at Newfront, a Top-40 Broker based on revenue. She will also serve as the Regional Managing Director for the Midwest. Epps, Head of Casualty, will oversee the company’s Casualty Practice, with Pratscher as Head of Casualty Placement. 

“Newfront continues to attract high-caliber insurance leaders and advisors, empowering them with a revolutionary technology platform that provides an unprecedented experience,” said Newfront CEO Spike Lipkin. “Newfront has an industry leading reputation in Executive Risk and with the addition of Wendy, Frannie, and Lauren, we have rounded out our placement and advisory capabilities with preeminent casualty talent. Together, these seasoned teams allow Newfront to negotiate the best pricing and comprehensive terms, conditions, and structure for clients.”

Cook brings 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, including several years within the underwriting and P&C sectors. Most recently, Cook was Managing Director and Chicago Office Head at Marsh, where she held a number of executive leadership roles over the past 20 years. She was also the Corporate Segment Leader in Marsh’s North Central Zone, leading one of the largest teams in the Central Zone that performed as the company’s top region. Previously, Cook was a client executive at Willis Towers Watson, as well as a casualty underwriter focused on complex risks. 

“Newfront has a formidable value proposition, combining best-in-class technology and insurance professionals,” said Cook. “I’m looking forward to continuing Newfront’s growth trajectory by strengthening our carrier placement approach with specialized, dedicated resources. I’m also excited to open a Chicago office and expand the Midwest with a diverse, industry leading team.”

Epps held leadership positions with increasing responsibility at Marsh for 15 years before joining Newfront. Most recently, she led Marsh’s Casualty Practice for the Central US. Under Epps’s leadership, more than 70 casualty consultants provided strategic program design, coordination of placement and marketing activities, and facilitation of transparent channels of communication between clients and carriers. 

Pratscher brings nearly 20 years of experience to Newfront, including holding various leadership positions within the Casualty Practice at Marsh. For the last five years she served in a dual role as the Corporate Casualty Placement Leader, fostering marketing relationships with key trading partners, and as a Senior Casualty Advisor in the Fortune 500 space. Additionally, her team placed more than $100 million in premiums into the market annually. Prior to Marsh, Pratscher spent several years in the risk management group of a Chicago-based retail real estate investment trust.

To learn more about Newfront, visit: https://www.newfront.com/.

About Newfront

Newfront is transforming the delivery of risk management, employee experience, insurance, and retirement solutions by building the modern insurance platform. Transparent data delivered real-time translates into a lower total cost of risk and greater insights. Newfront makes insurance work for you. Headquartered in San Francisco, Newfront has offices throughout the country and is home to more than 850 employees who serve clients across the United States and globally.

Media Contacts:

Traci JohnsonNewfront
press@newfront.com 

Natasha KoleasPAN Communications 
949-397-7582
nkoleas@pancomm.com