Ace USA, the US-based retail operating division of the Ace Group, has appointed Keith Mattheessen as new senior vice president for Ace Risk Management's (ARM) Houston Region and Laura Vest as senior vice president and branch manager for ARM in Dallas.

Based in Houston, Texas, Mattheessen will expand his responsibilities to also now include setting and driving the overall strategic direction for ARM’s branch operations in the Houston region.

Mattheessen will oversee new business development and underwriting activities, establish distribution strategies, and serve middle and large account commercial customers.

Mattheessen will add this new role to his current responsibilities as senior vice president and chief underwriting officer of the ARM Energy Underwriting Unit, which is a unit within ARM that enhances Ace’s existing US energy operations by providing a centralized point of access for specialized insurance coverage and risk management solutions to the energy industry.

With over 26 years of insurance and underwriting management experience, Mattheessen joined Ace USA in 1999, and has held several senior account management and underwriting leadership roles for Ace Risk Management.

Based in Dallas, Texas, Vest will be responsible for client relations, new business development, financial results, and the overall strategic direction of the branch office.

In addition, Vest will also oversee the regional production plans, distribution, product sales and marketing, producer management, staff management, and general operations in the Dallas branch office.

With more than 20 years in the insurance and risk management arena, Vest joined Ace Risk Management in 2005, and most recently served as vice president and regional underwriting manager.