Hastings Mutual Insurance Company chief legal officer to serve as chair of organization’s Board of Directors
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has elected a new chair for the 2024 calendar year – Michael “Mike” Puerner, chief legal officer for Hastings Mutual Insurance Company, a regional property casualty insurance company based in Hastings, Mich. Puerner officially took the helm Tuesday, Jan. 30. He succeeds Kurtis Wilder, shareholder with leading law firm Butzel and former Michigan Supreme Court Justice.
Michigan Chamber President & CEO Jim Holcomb thanked Wilder for his dedicated service and welcomed Puerner to the role, saying volunteer leaders like these two are the lifeblood of the Michigan Chamber and fulfilling the organization’s mission and work.
“The Michigan Chamber team and our state’s businesses have benefited immensely from Kurtis’ keen policy insights and thoughtful engagement and will continue to do so with Mike’s leadership as chair,” Holcomb said. “Mike’s commitment to free enterprise and ensuring our state’s economic competitiveness, along with his spirit of service and civility, will be a great guide for the Chamber’s work in 2024.”
Puerner has served Hastings in multiple leadership roles over the years, and is now the company’s senior vice president, secretary and chief legal officer responsible for corporate governance, compliance, litigation, and government affairs. A graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and Northwestern University, he holds several insurance industry designations and certifications in addition to being a thought leader in the insurance sector nationally and statewide.