Our Executives
Pierre Bize
President and CEO
Mr. Bize began his career in France with an auditing and consulting firm, then joined
a property management company and served in various capacities initially as an audit
manager and later as special counsel in charge of government agency relations.
He joined GROUPAMA - IDF, a regional insurer specializing in agricultural and personal
lines as Chief Financial Officer in 1986. In addition, he headed administration and human
resources, and re-engineered the company's operations following its merger. He later
joined GMF Group, Paris, (CSE's parent company) in 1990. As head of its control division,
he held direct responsibility for financial audit, established budgeting and reporting
systems, and organized the strategic planning process for the group's 80+ subsidiaries.
He also took part in the reorganization of GMF's insurance holdings. In October, 1993, he
was asked to oversee GMF's operation in the United States, and he and his wife Brigitte moved
to San Francisco with their five children. He joined CSE Insurance Group as President and CEO
in August, 1994.
Mr. Bize's educational background includes the equivalent of a Master's Degree in Finance.
He completed the Advance Insurance Executive Education Program at Wharton, and has taught
Finance courses within the insurance industry. Since his coming to California, he has been
involved with numerous local community organizations. Pierre has been actively involved
with the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation in California since 1994 and currently
is serving as a member of their National Board of Governors.
(in alphabetical order)
Lee Baumgartner
Vice President of Administration and Information & Technology
 Lee Baumgartner is responsible for the direction and leadership of Administration & IT for CSE Insurance Group. He joined the company in 1989 as the Director of Operations.
Mr. Baumgartner received his BA degree in Political Science and Psychology from Stanford University.
Dave Brinker
Executive Vice President of Products and Support
Dave Brinker leads all functions related to CSE Insurance Group’s product development and management, business development and marketing, and all departments supporting the operations of the company. He joined CSE as Senior Vice President, IT in 1998 and received his most recent promotion in 2008.
Prior to CSE, Mr. Brinker worked as director and vice president with Delphi Information Systems, Inc., where he was responsible for developing multiple products for independent property and casualty insurance agencies. He also represented Delphi on ACORD’s AL3 advisory board and on the board of directors of the Alliance for Productive Technology (APT), an industry consortium to develop insurance industry EDI products. Prior to Delphi, he worked for 12 years at Insurnet, Inc., first as a programmer/analyst and later holding various director and vice president positions.
Mr. Brinker holds a BS degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Arizona.
Stefan Dobrus
Chief Financial Officer / Senior Vice President
Mr. Dobrus is responsible for monitoring and guiding the company’s finance department. His duties include overseeing the company’s
investment portfolio, budget management and financial operations.
Mr. Dobrus brings over thirty years experience to his new position. He started as an engineer estimating the costs of major
construction projects. Over time he moved into the accounting field, his professional experience incorporating programming systems
plus multiple aspects of quantitative work in insurance including consulting, investment accounting and reinsurance.
Prior to joining CSE, Mr. Dobrus was Director of Actuarial and Financial Services for CAMICO Mutual Insurance Company. He recently
served as Vice President, Financial Comptroller, Treasurer and Secretary for Coast Brokers Insurance Services and consultant and
project management engineer for Pacific Gas & Electric.
Mr. Dobrus received a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from USC while attending school on an
athletic scholarship. He has earned a MBA from U.C Berkeley and is presently working toward a Doctorate of Business Administration
at Golden Gate University.
Outside of the office, he is passionate about maintaining a high level of fitness, a pursuit reflective of his time as a gymnast
during which he competed for USC. Born in Las Vegas, Mr. Dobrus lives in San Francisco with his wife and their Rottweiler.
Kai Fung
Vice President of Actuarial
Kai Fung is responsible for all actuarial activities for CSE Insurance Group, and oversees the pricing and corporate loss reserving functions for the company. He has worked with CSE since 1992.
Prior to joining CSE, Mr. Fung was the actuary responsible for the liability business segment at the Argonaut Insurance Group. He began his insurance career with the Farmers Insurance Group and has held a number of actuarial positions at various property casualty insurance companies.
Mr. Fung is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society, and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Matt Hull
Vice President of Market Strategy
and Business Development
 Matthew Hull is Vice President of Market Strategy and Business Development at CSE Insurance Group, where he heads the organization’s marketing, competitive analysis, and channel expansion efforts. Prior to his role at CSE, Mr. Hull was Director of Product Management at AIG/21st Century Insurance and a Senior Product Manager at GMAC Insurance.
Before entering the Insurance industry, Mr. Hull worked for several years in investment banking, writing equity research and publishing buy/hold/sell ratings on public equity. He most recently served as Vice President of Equity Analysis for Avondale Partners, covering business services companies. His research was published in The Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily and Kiplinger’s.
Mr. Hull holds an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a BA from Washington University in St. Louis.
Greg Parini
Vice President of External Relations
 Greg Parini oversees the contract development, compliance, legislative activities, statistical and regulatory reporting, and relations with state insurance departments on behalf of CSE Insurance Group. He also manages the company’s annual Youth Scholarship Essay Competition.
Mr. Parini joined CSE in 1982 as Assistant Underwriting Manager, and has also served as Underwriting Manager, Assistant Vice President, Underwriting, Vice President Underwriting, and Compliance Officer for the company.
Mr. Parini has been an instructor with the Insurance Education Association and the Insurance School of the Pacific for more than two decades. He has received the Insurance Education Association teaching award and was recognized in 2003 as one of the first recipients of the Outstanding Course Leader by the AICPCU. He is a Professor of Insurance and is currently teaching insurance courses for two community colleges.
Besides the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter designation, he holds the Associate Insurance Services designation, the Continuing Professional Development designation for the CPCU, and the Insurance Teaching Professional designation from SITE. He has received the Professional Leadership Scroll from the Society of the CPCU and the Recognition Award from the IEA Insurance School of the Pacific
Mr. Parini is a member of several insurance organizations including:
- Board Member of the Association of California Insurance Companies
- California Department of Insurance Licensing Curriculum Board
- Governing Committee of the Western Association of Automobile Insurance Plans
- State Bar Association Standing Committee on Insurance
- Board Member of the Child Abuse Prevention Program-IICF
- Society of Insurance Trainers and Educators
- Society of Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters
Mr. Parini earned a BA degree in Political Science from the University of San Francisco. He also earned a BS degree in Insurance and an MS degree in Human Relations from Golden Gate University.
Mr. Parini was born in Oakland, CA and grew up in Crockett, CA. He currently resides in the East Bay.
Frank Querques
Senior Vice President of Insurance Operations
 Frank Querques is responsible for the management of personal and commercial lines underwriting policy for CSE. He is also responsible for operational processing, including policy issuance and maintenance, and for customer contact through telephone and correspondence service. He joined CSE Insurance Group in 1994 as the Vice President of Underwriting and was promoted to his current position in 1997.
During his time with CSE, Mr. Querques has developed a catastrophe management program for brush fire and fire-following earthquake exposures, implemented the most up-to-date technological underwriting tools for risk evaluation and portfolio management, and successfully merged the company’s underwriting and processing areas into one department.
Before joining CSE Insurance Group, Mr. Querques was employed by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company as an Underwriting Manager in San Diego, California and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Prior to this, Mr. Querques was employed by State Farm Insurance Company, in Wayne, New Jersey in various management positions.
Mr. Querques earned a BA Degree in Business Administration and Economics from Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, New Jersey and an MBA from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. Additionally, he earned the CPCU designation from the American Institute for Property and Liability Underwriters in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Querques is currently a member of the Mount Diablo Chapter of CPCU.
A New Jersey native, Mr. Querques now lives in the East Bay.
Dave Schlocker
Vice President of Human Resources
 David Schlocker is responsible for CSE Insurance Group’s human resources, payroll and training activities in Sacramento, San Francisco, Pasadena, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. He joined the company in 1992. Mr. Schlocker is also an instructor in the business department at University of California, Berkeley Extension, as well as previously serving as appointed faculty at the University of San Francisco.
Mr. Schlocker currently serves on the Human Resources Committee for the Property and Casualty Insurers Association of America, the Franklin Covey Client Facilitator Advisory Board and the Executive Forum for the Northern California Human Resources Association (NCHRA).
Mr. Schlocker has a BA degree in Psychology from Arcadia University, a Masters degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from California State University, Los Angeles, and an MBA in Finance from Northrop University.
Kelli Schulhofer
Vice President of Field Operations
and Market Development
Kelli L. Schulhofer oversees CSE Insurance Group’s overall agency field sales force and the company’s distribution network in Arizona, California and Nevada. She joined CSE in 1998 as a Senior Territorial Marketing Representative in Southern California. She was promoted to Regional Marketing Manager for California in 2005 and named Regional Marketing Director for California in 2007. She received her most recent promotion in 2008.
Prior to CSE, Ms. Schulhofer was Vice President of Insurance Operations for Coast Fed Services from 1995 to 1998. She also served as an Underwriter for Auto Insurance Specialists from 1990 to 1995, and an Office Manager for Bohannan & Associates, Farmers Insurance Agency from 1986 to 1990.
Ms. Schulhofer received a BA degree in Business Administration from Capella University in Minnesota. She has held a Licensed Property & Casualty since 1988, and a Licensed Life, Accident & Health Certificate since 1997 and Certificate in General Insurance since 2004.
A Chicago native, Ms. Schulhofer now resides in Santa Clarita, CA with her husband and two daughters. She has been a Girl Scout leader for seven years, and enjoys snow skiing. She is an avid sports enthusiast with a passion for the Chicago Bears.
Jim Williamson
Senior Vice President of Claims
 James Williamson, SCLA, FCLA, is responsible for all aspects of the claims operations within CSE Insurance Group. He came to CSE in 1997 as the Claims Supervisor in the Seattle regional office. He then moved to the home office in Walnut Creek and served in a variety of positions, including Claims Operations Manager, Managing Casualty Analyst, Subrogation Manager, SIU Coordinator, Director of Home Office Claims, and Assistant Vice President Home Office Claims. He was promoted to his current position in 2002.
Mr. Williamson has held a variety of claims positions with increasing responsibilities throughout his career, from multi-line filed adjusting, auditing and training, branch and regional management to executive management. Mr. Williamson also spent several years as an arbitrator for the Inter-Company Insurance Arbitration Forum.
Mr. Williamson is a past Treasurer, President and Board member of the Property Claims Association of the Pacific and an Educational Fair Representative for the Society of Claims Law Associates.
Mr. Williamson received his MBA from Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California, and his BA in Education with honors from Eastern Washington State College. He has also earned the professional designations of Senior Claims Law Associate (SCLA) and Fraud Claims Law Associate (FCLA).
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