February 3, 2011 (St. Louis, MO): The Bar Plan Mutual Insurance Company recently announced the installment of new Officers to its Board of Directors. Jerome (Jerry) Brant is the new Chairman of the Board. Jerry replaces outgoing Chairman, David Larson, who has retired from the Board after serving for 25 years. Larson will remain as a trustee of The Bar Plan Foundation.
Larson was the longest serving and sole remaining member of The Bar Plan’s original board, having begun his service when the company was organized in 1985. Said Larson: “The bar leaders at the time and the original board had the foresight to create this company to fill the vacuum left by commercial carriers, who came and went from the market as they pleased. Missouri lawyers were at their mercy. We aimed to remedy that situation and I’m proud that we did so.” During Larson’s tenure, The Bar Plan became the largest legal malpractice insurer in Missouri, and the company expanded into Kansas, Indiana, New Mexico, and, most recently, Tennessee.
“Dave has been an instrumental part of the success of The Bar Plan”, said President and CEO Karen McCarthy. “Dave has shepherded the company from a mere idea to a market leader in our industry. We owe Dave a great deal of gratitude and are very thankful for all of his time and dedication.”
Larson, a trial lawyer with his own firm in Kansas City, served as Chairman for 12 years and chaired numerous committees. He decided that the time had come to make way for new and younger board members. “It is hard to believe that 25 years has elapsed since I was first asked to join the board of a fledgling insurance company,” said Larson. “I’ve had the privilege of working with great people to build a company that will always be there for the lawyers of Missouri. The Bar Plan has become the very best example of what a bar-related insurance company can be. We are the model in the industry and will continue to excel. My service with The Bar Plan has been an important and rewarding part of my career.”
Brant is a Managing Shareholder/Director at Withers, Brant, Igoe & Mullennix, P.C. a law firm based in Liberty, Missouri. His practice concentrates in litigation, real estate, business law, probate, local government, and school law. He served as a Member of the Board of Governors of the Missouri Bar, was twice recipient of the prestigious President’s Award of the Missouri Bar, served as President of the Clay County Bar Association, as Clay County Counselor, and as Chair of the Clay County Economic Development Council, and serves as a Member of the Board of Directors of Patriots Bank, Miles of Smiles, Inc. and the Nevada Linscomb Foundation.
“As a Member of the Board since 1997 I am very excited to have the opportunity to now lead the organization going forward,” said Brant. “We have always strived to make decisions that best serve the interests of our insureds and I intend to continue that tradition.”
In addition to the election of a new Chairman, other officers elected are: Richard Steele, Vice Chairman; Ann Hagan, Secretary; and Kent Hyde, Treasurer.
The Bar Plan Boards of Directors have gone through some additional changes in the last year with the additions of John Gunn to the Mutual Company Board and the Surety Company Board and Keith Birkes to the Foundation Board. In conjunction with its subsidiary, The Bar Plan Surety and Fidelity Company, The Bar Plan writes Court Bonds in 49 states. The company is unique with its services to the legal community including CLE seminars, risk management hotline and practice management services, along with its active participation in, and support of, Bar Associations in each of our markets. All products and services offered by The Bar Plan are for the benefit of the legal community.