UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
SCHEDULE 14A
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Specialty
Underwriters' Alliance,
Inc.
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(Name
of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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Hallmark
Financial Services, Inc.
American
Hallmark Insurance Company of Texas
Hallmark
Specialty Insurance Company
Mark
E. Schwarz
C.
Gregory Peters
Mark
E. Pape
Robert
M. Fishman
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Registrant)
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Item
1: The following stockholder presentation has been posted to
http://www.suaitownhall.com:
Item
2: Changes were made to the following web pages of
http://www.suaitownhall.com:
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Welcome
to the SUAI Town Hall
As
the second largest stockholder of Specialty Underwriters’ Alliance, Inc.
(Nasdaq: SUAI), Hallmark Financial Services strongly believes that
significant improvements are needed at SUAI: better financial performance,
improvements in the company’s strategy and business model, stronger
corporate governance and Board accountability to stockholders. Hallmark
beneficially owns approximately 9.9% of SUAI’s outstanding common
stock.
Accordingly,
Hallmark has nominated a slate of highly qualified nominees for election
to SUAI’s Board of Directors at the company’s Annual Meeting of
Stockholders scheduled to be held on May 5, 2009. Hallmark’s nominees are
Robert M. Fishman, Mark E. Pape and C. Gregory Peters. Hallmark strongly
believes that the interests of all SUAI stockholders would benefit from
these highly qualified, truly independent director nominees and further
believes these nominees possess the right combination of skills and
experience to work with the other members of the SUAI Board to make the
decisions necessary for restoring and enhancing stockholder value at
SUAI.
Hallmark
seeks your support to elect its nominees to replace three current members
of SUAI’s seven-member Board at SUAI’s May 5th Annual Meeting. Hallmark
invites you to read the materials on this SUAI Town Hall website to learn
more about Hallmark’s campaign at SUAI and how you can
help.
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Nominees
Robert
M. Fishman (Age 59)
Robert
M. Fishman has been self-employed as an insurance industry consultant
since January 2009. From January 2008 through January 2009, Mr. Fishman
served as Managing Director of Southwest Insurance Partners, Inc., an
investment company with operating subsidiaries in the property &
casualty and life, accident & health insurance sectors. From November
2006 through May 2007, Mr. Fishman served as the Chief Executive Officer
and President of United America Indemnity Ltd., a provider of specialty
property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. From October 2005 through
December 2006, Mr. Fishman served as the Chief Executive Officer and
President of ARAG NA, the U.S. subsidiary of the ARAG Group, a leading
provider of legal insurance. From July 2004 through September 2004, Mr.
Fishman was the President of the insurance operations for Quanta Holdings
Co., a provider of specialty insurance and reinsurance. From January 1994
through June 2004, Mr. Fishman was employed by Zurich Financial Services,
where he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer
starting January 2001. Prior to that time, Mr. Fishman also served as
Chief Executive Officer of Zurich’s Diversified Products Division (1999
through 2001) and Executive Vice President of the Zurich Specialty
Division (1994 through 1999). Prior to that time, among other positions,
Mr. Fishman held positions at Lexington Insurance Company and Progressive
Corporation. Mr. Fishman was self-employed as an insurance industry
consultant from May 2007 through January 2008 and from September 2004
through October 2005.
Mark
E. Pape (Age 58)
Mark
E. Pape has served as a partner at Tatum LLC, an executive services firm,
since August 2008. From November 2005 through December 2007, Mr. Pape
served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at
Affirmative Insurance Holdings, Inc., a property and casualty insurance
company specializing in non-standard automobile insurance. Mr. Pape also
served on Affirmative’s board of directors and its audit committee from
July 2004 through November 2005. Mr. Pape served as Chief Financial
Officer of HomeVestors of America, Inc., a franchisor of home acquisition
services, from September 2005 through November 2005. He served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of R.E. Technologies, Inc., a
provider of software tools to the apartment industry, from April 2002
through May 2005. He served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of LoanCity.com, a start up e-commerce mortgage bank, from May
1999 through June 2001. Prior to that time, among other positions, Mr.
Pape has served as Vice President, Strategic Planning for Torchmark
Corporation, a life and health insurance holding company, Executive Vice
President and Chief Financial Officer of American Income Holding, Inc., a
life insurance holding company, and as an investment banker. Mr. Pape was
self-employed as an insurance industry consultant from December 2007
through August 2008 and from May 2005 through September 2005.
C.
Gregory Peters (Age 42)
C.
Gregory Peters has served as Senior Vice President of Southwest Insurance
Partners, Inc., an investment company with operating subsidiaries in the
property & casualty and life, accident & health insurance sectors,
since March 2009. From July 2008 through March 2009, he served as the
President and Chief Executive Officer of Remote Knowledge, Inc., a
provider of satellite-based high speed broadband equipment and services to
the maritime industry. From June 2007 through July 2008, Mr. Peters served
as the President of Muragai, LLC, a private investment company
specializing in acquisitions in the insurance industry. From November 1999
through June 2007, Mr. Peters was Senior Vice President, Equity Research
at Raymond James and Associates, where Mr. Peters launched the firm’s
sell-side research practice for the insurance industry and was the lead
analyst for property and casualty companies. Prior to Raymond James, Mr.
Peters covered the insurance industry as a research analyst for ABN Amro
and Kemper Securities.
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