Archives: People

Responsibilities
James DerHagopian manages a book of business that services clients in a wide range of industries, including construction, real estate, transportation, and technology. He is responsible for the coordination of daily account service needs, contract reviews, coverage analysis, and the design, negotiation, and implementation of property and casualty insurance programs for public and private sector clients. For construction projects this includes the design, marketing, and implementation of controlled insurance programs (CIPs). As well as the everyday servicing of account management, claims management, and safety services. James is also an active participant in several Conner Strong & Buckelew focus groups, including the Construction Practice Group, which works to address current industry trends, market conditions, and the resulting impact on insurance coverages for those in the construction industry.

Background
James originally joined Conner Strong & Buckelew in 2008 as a member of the Production Support Group in Philadelphia, PA. He was responsible for the analysis and placement of prospective clients’ insurance programs. Prior to joining Conner Strong & Buckelew’s New York office, James was an Underwriter for Old Republic Construction Program Group in New York, where he focused on construction accounts headquartered in New York, the Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic regions.

Education
The College of New Jersey – Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Finance

Professional Designations
Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS)

Joseph Buckelew has offices located in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Florida. Conner Strong & Buckelew serves the insurance, risk management and employee benefits brokerage and consulting needs of clients throughout the United States and abroad. He has held prominent roles with this and predecessor companies since 1959.

Joseph formerly served on the Board of Directors of Commerce Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: CBH) and was Chairman of the Board from July 2007 until March 2008. Joseph has also served as Vice Chairman of Kimball Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees since 1985 and on the Barnabas Health Care System’s Board of Trustees for over 10 years. He also served as Chairman of the New Jersey Highway Authority for seven years and Chairman & Vice Chairman of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority. He is currently on the Board of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission.

Joseph was also one of the former owners and founders of Ocean Cablevision which merged with Monmouth Cablevision and ultimately was sold to Clear Cable. In addition, in 2012, Joseph and other local business and civic leaders purchased Interstate General Media (IGM), the parent company of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News and Philly.com. In 2014, Joseph sold his shares to the minority owners.

As a longtime Lakewood resident, Joseph has served as Lakewood Mayor, Police Commissioner and a member of its Township Committee as well as on the Ocean County Board of Freeholders. He also was one of the founding members of WOBM, a radio station formed in the early 1960s.

His deep-rooted ties to the community have earned him numerous honors, including a Distinguished Citizen Award from the Jersey Shore Council of the Boy Scouts of America, a Good Scout Award from the Ocean County Council of the Boy Scouts of America, a silver Gull Award for Business Achievement from the Monmouth-Ocean Development Council and a Humanitarian Award from Ocean County College Foundation. Joseph received a Doctor of Humane Letter honorary degree from Georgian Court University and a Doctor of Public Service honorary degree from Monmouth University. His most recent honor in 2018 was his induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

Joseph’s former professional affiliations included the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Independent Insurance Agents of Ocean County and the Ocean County Board of Realtors. He is currently a licensed Real Estate Broker.

He and his wife, Carol (deceased), were married for over 60 years. They have two sons, Brian and Kevin, six grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

Responsibilities
Michael Tiagwad is responsible for the management and oversight of Conner Strong & Buckelew. He is actively involved in the strategic direction of the firm in addition to the firm’s merger and acquisition activities. He is also heavily involved with the firm’s larger relationships. Tiagwad has a wealth of experience in all facets of commercial insurance including Alternative Risk solutions and Wrap-up insurance programs. He was one of the original professionals responsible for the strategy behind the creation of Globex International and Innovative Captive Strategies (ICS).

Conner Strong & Buckelew is one of the largest and most well respected insurance brokerages in the country, serving clients in North America and abroad. Headquartered in Camden, New Jersey, Conner Strong & Buckelew is a diversified brokerage firm, serving clients in both the property and casualty and employee benefits arenas. Specialty practice areas include life science & technology, healthcare, construction, hospitality & gaming, public entity and real estate, among others. Extensive resources are available to provide surety, safety, claims and forensic accounting support.

Background
Prior to joining Conner Strong & Buckelew in 2005, Tiagwad spent 17 years at The Graham Company, a Philadelphia based insurance brokerage. Initially, Tiagwad oversaw the company’s sales efforts, and in 1998 he became President of the agency. Under Tiagwad’s leadership, the firm grew to become one of the 50 largest agencies in the United States. Prior to Tiagwad’s employment at The Graham Company, he spent eight years at Xerox Corporation in various sales and marketing positions.

Education 
Central Connecticut State University – Bachelor of Business Administration

Community Involvement
Member of the Board of Governors for the Academy of Risk Management and Insurance for Saint Joseph’s University
Advisory Board Member for NFTE (Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship)
Led record-setting fundraising effort for Caron Treatment Centers My First Year of Recovery Program

Responsibilities
John Muscella is responsible for all financial aspects of Conner Strong & Buckelew including, financial reporting, financial analysis, budgeting, investment and financing activity, merger and acquisition analysis, and due diligence and integration. He also oversees the administrative staff of the company and has management responsibility for all of Finance and Administration. Additionally, Muscella was a key person involved in the financial analysis and due diligence related to the separation of Conner Strong & Buckelew from Commerce Bank and into a privately held company. He is also a member of the Executive Management Group and is actively involved in determining and implementing the operational and strategic direction for Conner Strong & Buckelew.

Background
Muscella is a Certified Public Accountant and has almost 30 years of financial and public accounting experience, of which the last 22 years have been in the insurance field working as the Chief Financial Officer for Conner Strong & Buckelew. In that role he has overseen all financial aspects of the company. During that time, Muscella was involved in the analysis, valuation and integration of over 20 acquisitions.

Muscella began his career in Public Accounting where he spent 5 years and gained diverse experience by working on, among other tasks, audits, taxes (both personal and corporate), financial reporting, financial analysis and business valuations. Prior to joining Conner Strong & Buckelew, he worked for three years in a governmental accounting position where he gained additional diverse financial experience.

Education
Rutgers University – Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Professional Designations
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Community Involvement
Muscella is a member of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Responsibilities
Terrence Tracy is a veteran in the insurance industry, and since 2006, has been an instrumental member of the executive leadership team of Conner Strong & Buckelew and its affiliated companies. Under Terry’s leadership, the Commercial Lines Department has grown by more than 100%.

As National Accounts Practice Leader, Terry is responsible for leading over 200 insurance professionals and 7 divisions that focus on managing clients’ total cost of risk. In addition, Terry leads our Executive Risk Practice Group, which focuses on the unique challenges in placing director and officers insurance, employment practices liability and cyber insurances. Ensuring he stays in tune with the marketplace, Terry works directly with clients in the financial and professional services and manufacturing industries in placing their property and casualty insurance.

Terry Tracy leads our InsurTech Practice Group. In 2020, Terry was appointed the inaugural board member to BrokerTech Ventures which is an organization that exists to bend the innovation curve, to challenge and ultimately to change the insurance brokerage industry through the use of state-of-the-art technology.

Terry Tracy is a frequent speaker for Conner Strong & Buckelew’s client education series and a variety of associations on topics ranging from the nuts-and-bolts of insurance to emerging risks that impact clients.

Background
Prior to joining the insurance industry, Terry was a Senior Manager in the Tax Department at Ernst & Young. After many years in the tax industry, he joined a regional brokerage firm in Philadelphia. In 2006, Terry joined Conner Strong & Buckelew’s predecessor company, and in 2007, was instrumental in spinning off the insurance division of a regional bank to a privately owned insurance brokerage company that is Conner Strong & Buckelew today.

Education
Villanova University – Masters in Tax
Drexel University – Bachelors of Science

Professional Designations
Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

Responsibilities
Joseph DiBella is responsible for leading all aspects of the Employee Benefits Practice as well as overseeing the Marketing Department at Conner Strong & Buckelew. This includes overseeing the day-to-day Employee Benefits consulting and brokerage services the firm provides for its clients, the development of new strategic services and leading new business development. This also includes overseeing the benefits related services provided by PERMA, a sister company of Conner Strong & Buckelew. Joe plays an active benefits consulting role with key clients and is engaged in program design, financial evaluation, health and wellness, compliance, communications, and other key client-facing areas.

Background
Joe joined Conner Strong & Buckelew in 2005 with many years of senior leadership experience in the group benefits industry. Prior to joining Conner Strong & Buckelew, Joe led National and Large Account business for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Joe has significant experience in data analytics, underwriting, labor negotiations, population health, benefits administration, compliance, communications, and strategic planning. He has been fully engaged in health and benefits advisory with some of the nation’s largest companies. Joe has been a frequent guest speaker for the Philadelphia Business Journal on issues related to employee benefits and is quoted regularly in publications such as U.S. News & World Report and various AIS Services publications. He has authored several articles on controlling health care costs and the use of effective strategies in benefits management. He regularly speaks on issues dealing with benefits and health insurance reform and has been a panelist and speaker on healthcare issues for the Self Insurance Institute of America, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the NJ League of Municipalities.

Education
Seton Hall University – Bachelors of the Arts

Professional Designation
Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC)

Community Involvement
Joe has held several prominent leadership roles in both public service and private organizations. He served as an elected Township Councilman and Board of Education member in Sayreville, New Jersey, and from 2005 to 2008, he was Mayor of Howell Township, one of New Jersey’s largest municipalities. In addition, Joe has been a member of the Board of Directors at Kimball Community Medical Center in Lakewood, New Jersey, and is a Board Member Emeritus of Paradigm Holdings, LLC, a national captive organization providing stop-loss coverage for middle-market companies. He also serves as a Board Member of C2, a privately held collaboration firm specializing in employee benefit solutions, and is a member of the Council of Employee Benefits Executive Advisory Committee.