Who We Are
Our story
Our Magnolia story
Magnolia Grove was founded in 2022 by Justin Crawford and Beat Capital Partners to provide brokers with a market that they could truly partner with to bring their clients environmental insurance solutions. We are underwriting via a partnership with a strong carrier partner. With the team’s unique underwriting expertise and deep broker relationships, we are developing a market leading environmental MGA platform.
Our values
Service
We are known for our commitment to providing the absolute best service in the market.
Warmth
We partner with brokers like we would a close friend.
Integrity
We do what we say we are going to do when we say we are going to do it. No excuses.
Conviction
Providing our partners with everything they need is something we take seriously.Our people
The Team
Justin Crawford
President & CEO
Justin is the founder of Magnolia Grove. Prior to founding Magnolia Grove, Justin held various underwriting roles in the environmental market, most recently managing the environmental unit for DUAL North America. He also spent time with underwriting organizations such as Chubb (formerly ACE) and Intact Specialty Solutions (formerly OneBeacon). He has been in the insurance industry since graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance in 2010.
Richard Edwards
Chief Underwriting Officer
Richard comes to Magnolia Grove with extensive environmental market experience. Most recently he was a Senior Underwriter at DUAL North America handling the Southeast and Southwest regions. He started his insurance career at Westchester, a Chubb Company focusing on large environmental package and environmental energy business. Richard brings to the team expertise in energy, products pollution, and environmental facility underwriting.
John Broomfield
Senior Vice President
Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, John spent 8 years with Dual Environmental – most recently as a Vice-President. Prior to Dual, John co-founded Greenwich Environmental Underwriting Management, an MGA focused on environmental and energy placement. Prior positions within the environmental insurance sector included Senior Underwriting positions at American Safety, Zurich and Marsh.
Craig Hawkins
Senior Vice President
Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Craig spent 13 years at Intact Environmental, where he served as Vice President, overseeing operations in the Eastern US. Prior to joining Intact, Craig was a regional manager of the Southeast Region at Zurich. Additionally, he assisted with founding the wholesale environmental division of Westchester Environmental (formerly ACE). Equipped with an Environmental Science Degree from the University of Georgia, Craig began his career performing complex environmental remediation projects which has proved to be valuable experience.
Kevin Fussell
Vice President, Underwriting
Kevin graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance in 2009. He went on to earn the CPCU designation in the fall of 2017. Kevin has substantial experience in the Environmental Insurance Industry having held previous underwriting positions at Chubb (formerly Ace), Colony Specialty, and Dual Commercial.
Rumen Valkanov
Assistant Vice President, Underwriting
Rumen is an Assistant Vice President at Magnolia Grove. He graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance in 2014 and has been involved in the industry ever since. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Rumen worked on the Environmental Team at Westchester, A Chubb Company focusing on developing strong relationships with brokers in the West Coast Region.
Joliana Hodges
Senior Underwriter
Joliana is currently a Senior Underwriter at Magnolia Grove. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Joliana was a Senior Underwriter at Dual North America with multiple years of experience in the industry. As a former collegiate golfer, Joliana has a passion for competing both in business and sport. Joliana graduated from Appalachian State University in 2019 and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
Anna Ruth
Operations Director
Anna joins Magnolia Grove with years of experience working within the insurance industry. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Anna worked at Everest Insurance as a Senior Underwriting Assistant. She also worked at AmWins and DUAL North America in Underwriting Assistant and Senior Underwriting Assistant roles. She brings a commitment to providing exceptional customer service and building strong relationships.
Janette Rallis
Underwriting Assistant
Janette is an Underwriting Assistant at Magnolia Grove. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Risk Management and Insurance in May of 2023. She has a strong academic foundation in the insurance industry along with a passion for lifelong learning.
Christian Gibbens
Underwriting Assistant
Christian graduated from Auburn University in 2015 with a degree in international business. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove in January 2024, Christian worked in the financial services industry for 8 years and brings extensive experience in building effective partnerships and providing exceptional customer service.
Justin Crawford
President & CEO
Justin is the founder of Magnolia Grove. Prior to founding Magnolia Grove, Justin held various underwriting roles in the environmental market, most recently managing the environmental unit for DUAL North America. He also spent time with underwriting organizations such as Chubb (formerly ACE) and Intact Specialty Solutions (formerly OneBeacon). He has been in the insurance industry since graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance in 2010.
Richard Edwards
Chief Underwriting Officer
Richard comes to Magnolia Grove with extensive environmental market experience. Most recently he was a Senior Underwriter at DUAL North America handling the Southeast and Southwest regions. He started his insurance career at Westchester, a Chubb Company focusing on large environmental package and environmental energy business. Richard brings to the team expertise in energy, products pollution, and environmental facility underwriting.
John Broomfield
Senior Vice President
Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, John spent 8 years with Dual Environmental – most recently as a Vice-President. Prior to Dual, John co-founded Greenwich Environmental Underwriting Management, an MGA focused on environmental and energy placement. Prior positions within the environmental insurance sector included Senior Underwriting positions at American Safety, Zurich and Marsh.
Craig Hawkins
Senior Vice President
Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Craig spent 13 years at Intact Environmental, where he served as Vice President, overseeing operations in the Eastern US. Prior to joining Intact, Craig was a regional manager of the Southeast Region at Zurich. Additionally, he assisted with founding the wholesale environmental division of Westchester Environmental (formerly ACE). Equipped with an Environmental Science Degree from the University of Georgia, Craig began his career performing complex environmental remediation projects which has proved to be valuable experience.
Kevin Fussell
Vice President, Underwriting
Kevin graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance in 2009. He went on to earn the CPCU designation in the fall of 2017. Kevin has substantial experience in the Environmental Insurance Industry having held previous underwriting positions at Chubb (formerly Ace), Colony Specialty, and Dual Commercial.
Rumen Valkanov
Assistant Vice President, Underwriting
Rumen is an Assistant Vice President at Magnolia Grove. He graduated from Georgia State University with a degree in Risk Management & Insurance in 2014 and has been involved in the industry ever since. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Rumen worked on the Environmental Team at Westchester, A Chubb Company focusing on developing strong relationships with brokers in the West Coast Region.
Joliana Hodges
Senior Underwriter
Joliana is currently a Senior Underwriter at Magnolia Grove. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Joliana was a Senior Underwriter at Dual North America with multiple years of experience in the industry. As a former collegiate golfer, Joliana has a passion for competing both in business and sport. Joliana graduated from Appalachian State University in 2019 and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing.
Anna Ruth
Operations Director
Anna joins Magnolia Grove with years of experience working within the insurance industry. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove, Anna worked at Everest Insurance as a Senior Underwriting Assistant. She also worked at AmWins and DUAL North America in Underwriting Assistant and Senior Underwriting Assistant roles. She brings a commitment to providing exceptional customer service and building strong relationships.
Janette Rallis
Underwriting Assistant
Janette is an Underwriting Assistant at Magnolia Grove. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Risk Management and Insurance in May of 2023. She has a strong academic foundation in the insurance industry along with a passion for lifelong learning.
Christian Gibbens
Underwriting Assistant
Christian graduated from Auburn University in 2015 with a degree in international business. Prior to joining Magnolia Grove in January 2024, Christian worked in the financial services industry for 8 years and brings extensive experience in building effective partnerships and providing exceptional customer service.
Our partners
Beat Capital Partners (“Beat”) is a long-duration venture capital investor exclusively focused on the insurance industry, offering the right individuals and teams startup funding, infrastructure, risk capital, and highly-rated paper, alongside experienced guidance and support. Beat has launched nine businesses since its founding in 2017, which collectively wrote gross premiums in excess of $500 million (USD) in 2021 and operates Lloyd’s Syndicate 4242. Beat is backed by experienced insurance investors including Bain Capital Credit and Elliott Management, as well as its management team, and is committed to being the best possible partner for entrepreneurial insurance talent.
