Below you will find information on U.S. Risk underwriters and brokers. Use the drop-down menu to filter by office location, program or specialty.
Ray Ward
Senior Broker
Ray joined U.S. Risk in 2019 as a Senior Broker in the Houston office, after 10 years in the Lloyd’s of London market. He has over 35 years experience broking property and casualty lines for energy risks, prevalently oil and gas, from exploration and production through to refining and marketing. Due to the broad range of exposures inherent to the oil and gas industry, Ray’s experience embraces marine, transportation, construction and environmental. He has worked extensively with both domestic and international risks.
Product specialties
- Exploration and production, onshore and offshore (upstream)
- Transportation (midstream)
- Refining and marketing (downstream)
- Contractors (drilling and service contractors)
- LNG (liquifaction, transportation and regassification)
- Energy property, including construction
- Energy casualty (GL and excess)
- Control of well
- Environmental
- Marine (service fleets, etc.)
- Cargo/inland marine
Karen Wesiak
Underwriting Manager
Karen has over 30 years experience in the insurance industry working in commercial lines. Karen joined U.S. Risk in 2019 with the acquisition of Regency Insurance Brokerage, who Karen has been with since 2014. Karen’s main focus is commercial package and/or monoline general liability or property coverages for a broad base of business types.
Product specialties
- Main Street retail business
- Habitational
- Hospitality/restaurants
- Artisan contractors
- Lessors risk/shopping centers
- Houses of worship
- Supermarkets
- Manufacturing
- Wholesale/distributors/importers
Karen Williams-Dunn
Director of Homeowners Underwriting
- Homeowners, including high-value
- Dwelling property
- Personal umbrella
- Personal liability
- Excess umbrella
- Excess CPL
Karen’s insurance career began in 1975. Her experience includes personal lines, retail and wholesale. Her focus is on homeowners insurance, writing with a Lloyd’s of London Binding authority program.
Product specialties
- Homeowners, including high-value
- Dwelling property
- Personal umbrella
- Personal liability
- Excess umbrella
- Excess CPL
Lori Williams-Sipes
Vice President / Senior Broker
Lori Williams-Sipes joined U.S. E&O Brokers in 1996, and became part of the U.S. Risk team when the company was acquired in 2019. She specializes in professional liability for P&C and life and health agents, retailers, managing general agents, wholesalers, TPAs and aggregators. Lori helped build and develop the nationwide E&O program, which has access to over 30 carriers.
Product specialties
- Errors and omissions (E&O)
- Cyber
- Employment practices liability (EPLI)
- Directors and officers (D&O)
- Crime
- Bonds
- Lawyers E&O
- Real estate E&O
- Claims adjusters E&O
- Misc. consultants E&O
- E&O programs and master policies for franchise operations
Michael Williamson
Underwriter
Michael has worked in the insurance industry for 20 years.
Product specialties
- Property
- General liability
- Umbrella
- Inland marine
- Professional
- Garage
- Liquor
- Pollution
Cheryl Wladyka
Senior Underwriter
Cheryl is an entertainment insurance underwriter with over 30 years of commercial insurance experience. Before joining U.S. Risk/Take1 in 2008, Cheryl was with CNA for over 12 years, and FFIC for over six years.