Harleysville Insurance today announced the appointment of Ronald Gorman as regional president of its Mid-Atlantic operation. In this position, he oversees the underwriting, agency management and support functions throughout the region?which is headquartered in Harleysville, Pa., where Gorman is based?and includes the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

?Ron Gorman has a proven track record of leadership, sales growth and revenue enhancement that makes him well suited to this new role,? explained Thomas E. Clark, senior vice president of field operations, in announcing the appointment. ?Ron will work closely with our Mid-Atlantic resident vice presidents, as well as other members of his leadership team, to achieve optimal efficiency and profitable growth within his region.?

Gorman spent the last 13 years with Zurich North America in various leadership roles in the company's small business segment. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of field operations for Zurich Small Business. Before Zurich, Gorman was associated with CIGNA Corporation for 14 years, holding various marketing, operations and finance leadership positions. He earned a bachelor's degree from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, and has attained the Certificate in General Insurance (INS).

Clark also announced the recent appointment of Shelly Diegel as Mid-Atlantic regional vice president of commercial lines business development. In this role, she is responsible for Harleysville's commercial lines sales, marketing and field underwriting efforts throughout the region. She is located in Harleysville's Chesapeake office in Owings Mills, Md.

?Shelly Diegel's extensive field operations and agency management experience?in addition to her familiarity with the Mid-Atlantic region?will serve her well in her new position,? Clark said. ?The addition of Ron and Shelly formalizes the leadership team necessary to drive future profitable growth throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, and supports our ongoing efforts to fully leverage the benefits afforded by our regional field network.?

Diegel served as vice president of national group partners for Zurich North America in Baltimore before coming to Harleysville. She also has held marketing, field operations and agency management positions with St. Paul Travelers, USF&G and Maryland Casualty. In total, she has 24 years of insurance industry experience, and is a graduate of Towson University in Baltimore. Diegel is a member of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America's Best Practices Council, and chairs The Partnership, a special council created by the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents to identify and address issues related to the agency/company relationship.

Harleysville's Mid-Atlantic operation is one of four geographic zones the company established to support the expansion of its field sales and underwriting presence in key markets. The Mid-Atlantic region includes field underwriting offices in Harleysville, Harrisburg and Monroeville, Pa., as well as Moorestown, N.J., Owings Mills, Md., and Richmond, Va.

Harleysville Insurance is a leading regional provider of insurance products and services for small and mid-sized businesses, as well as for individuals, and ranks among the top 60 U.S. property/casualty insurance groups based on net written premiums. Harleysville Mutual Insurance Company owns 54 percent of Harleysville Group Inc. (NASDAQ:HGIC), a publicly traded holding company for nine regional property/casualty insurance companies collectively rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. Harleysville Group is a member of the NASDAQ Global Select Market, which represents the top third of all NASDAQ-listed companies and has the highest initial listing standards of any exchange in the world based on financial and liquidity requirements. Harleysville Insurance?which distributes its products exclusively through independent insurance agencies and reflects that commitment to its agency force by being a Trusted Choice® company partner?currently operates in 32 eastern and midwestern states. Further information can be found on the company's Web site at www.harleysvillegroup.com.