News
Proactive Controls Group, LLC Transfers Ownership to Employee Partnership
April 1, 2026
We are excited to announce that, effective April 1, 2026, Proactive Controls Group, LLC is under new ownership. This milestone marks an inspiring new chapter in our company’s journey.
Longtime leaders Chris Ferro, Robby Wells, Andrea Burgess, Michael Strickland, Nicholas Machak, and Eric Schwebach have transitioned ownership of the firm from Founder Peter Duggan to an equal partnership. Together, this new ownership team brings more than 60 years of combined experience at Proactive.
As part of this transition, Chris Ferro (with Proactive since 2012, formerly Vice President) has been named CEO. Robby Wells will serve as President, and Andrea Burgess has been appointed CFO; both have been key pillars of the company since 2014.
Reflecting on the transition, Peter Duggan shared: "It was always my dream to pass the company on to my employees, making this a deeply proud moment for me. This team represents the very best of Proactive, and I know they will lead the company to new heights."
Backed by this experienced and collaborative leadership team, we are thrilled to build upon our strong foundation. Our core commitment remains unchanged: delivering exceptional service, serving as your trusted partner, and driving success for our clients.
We are deeply grateful to our clients, partners, and team members for the trust you have placed in us over the years. We look forward to building the future together.
Proactive Welcomes Karen Rice to the Team as Head of Global Claim Success Initiatives!
October 21, 2024
Proactive, a rapidly growing claims consulting provider to global Insurance carriers, recently introduced a new service area which aims to elevate and support claims specialists, their managers, leaders, and Insureds, in a new and innovative way. This service, called Global Claim Success Initiatives, will be led by Karen Rice, former Head of Construction Claims North America at AXA XL.
Peter Duggan, Founder and CEO of Proactive, stated, “We aim to assist our clients not just with handling claims, but with helping them grow in their careers, broaden their expertise, and prepare for the future. Karen has grown through the ranks from Claim Handler to Coverage Specialist, then Manager to Head of Claims, so she knows exactly what it takes to excel in the industry. There is no better fit to lead this practice area and to support our clients as they look to achieve their professional goals. Many of our clients are in the early stage of building their infrastructures and careers, and with the right support, they are going to be the dominant players of the future. If we can play even a small part in their success, it will be very rewarding, because we care about their careers—and we care about them as individuals.
In navigating complex challenges such as multi-line coverage, infrastructure management, claims specialist development, subrogation strategies, finding the right outside Counsel, establishing workflows, and leveraging data analytics, Karen has been there and done that well. She will be a valuable resource and sounding board for our clients who are working through these same issues. And who better to educate the Proactive team about our clients' needs and challenges than someone who has successfully served in roles we look to support?”
Karen commented, “I’ve had the luxury of being a client of Proactive on many Subcontractor Default Insurance, Construction Professional/Rectification, and Construction Defect claims and I’ve gained first-hand knowledge of how Proactive is unique in its approach to client service. There is a passion for innovation at Proactive, a desire to constantly improve, a deep database of valuable claim information to help the industry, and a vision to create positive experiences for both Carriers and Insureds worldwide. I am thrilled to contribute to that vision.”
Chris Epps, Vice President at Proactive, added, “We’ve been working with Karen for more than 5 years, and during that time, we have observed her develop her staff, navigate complex coverage issues, lead the way on multi-line claim issues, dig into highly technical and nuanced claim matters, and perhaps most impactful—serve as a trusted mentor to those around her. Having the opportunity to work with someone as talented and accomplished as Karen is something we are very excited about.”