Kathy Cody
CEO & President
Kathy Cody is an accomplished insurance executive with a proven record of driving organizational growth, scaling operations, delivering transformational leadership, and integrating acquisitions while creating high-performance cultures. Recognized for her strategic vision and collaborative leadership style, she has led transformative initiatives that deliver strong business results and long-term value.
Before founding Crestwell, Kathy was the Chief Executive Officer and President of Orchid Insurance, where she successfully scaled operations and integrated the acquired MGA into Brown & Brown Insurance. Her career also includes key senior leadership roles at Farmers Insurance Group, where she served as Chief Operating Officer of Personal Lines, Chief Financial Officer of Distribution, and Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Farmers Life Insurance.
Paul DiFrancesco
Chief Underwriting Officer
Paul DiFrancesco is a veteran insurance executive with over 40 years of experience leading underwriting, operations, and business development across top-tier carriers. He has a proven track record of building new revenue sources, optimizing operations, and delivering innovative solutions that enhance customer experience and profitability.
Most recently, Paul served as Commercial Lines Segment Leader for GeoVera, where he built and scaled an Admitted and E&S Commercial Residential Program serving Florida’s top agents and their condominium and homeowner association clients. His leadership experience also includes serving as Senior Vice President of Business Development at Frank Winston Crum Insurance, Chief Operating Officer at UPC Insurance, and Senior Vice President & Chief Insurance Officer at Cypress Property & Casualty Insurance Company. Earlier in his career, he held senior leadership roles as CEO and President of AutoOne, a White Mountains Company.
Paul’s expertise spans underwriting, pricing and compliance management, reinsurance placement, portfolio optimization, product and distribution development, and application of data and analytics to strengthen risk selection. He is recognized as a highly ethical, results-driven leader committed to strategic growth, operational excellence, and long-term success in the insurance marketplace.
Eugene Vatnik
Chief Information Officer
Eugene is a seasoned technology leader with a strong focus on the insurance and finance industries. He has extensive experience in large system implementations, application development, infrastructure, cloud, cyber security and regulatory compliance. He has held prior roles at Clarendon National Insurance, Imperium Insurance, Rockingham Insurance, and Ambac Financial Group.
Vasilios (Sil) Lefkimiotis
Senior Underwriter
Vasilios has 9 years of experience in property insurance. The first 3 years Vasilios was a multi-state claims adjuster at UPC Insurance where he got to experience first-hand how coverage forms, exclusions, deductibles, and policy limits reveal themselves when a claim occurs. For the remainder of his time at UPC, he was in the personal lines underwriting department with a focus on the Florida residential property business. Vasilios joined GeoVera Insurance as a Commercial Underwriter prior to the program’s launch in August of 2023, fully engaged in standing up the Commercial program and operations. Vasilios has a B.A. from the University of South Florida and is a licensed Florida insurance agent.
Anna Vincent
Underwriter
Anna Vincent is a graduate of the University of South Florida and a dedicated insurance professional. She began her career at GeoVera in December 2023 and now serves as an Underwriter at Crestwell Underwriters, where she values building strong relationships and delivering tailored insurance solutions with care and precision.
Joelle Hunter
Director of Administration & Operations
Joelle brings over a decade of executive management experience, including several years in the insurance industry. At Crestwell Underwriters, she leads the administrative and operational functions that support the company’s MGA model. Joelle plays a key role in driving efficiency across systems, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring smooth day-to-day execution. Her proactive leadership and commitment to operational excellence help position Crestwell as a dependable, agile partner for both agents and carriers.