Cross Insurance Establishes Surety Bond Division

Cross Insurance, a subsidiary of Cross Financial Corp., and an independent insurance provider in New England, announced the establishment of a new division specializing in surety bonds.

Cross Surety Inc., with offices in Dalton, Mass., Lewiston, Maine, and New York, N.Y., employs seven specialists with a combined total of more than 140 years of experience in this specialized field.

Surety industry veteran Michelle Orlando has been hired to manage and direct Cross Surety Inc.

Orlando has more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of the surety business. Throughout her career, she has been a trusted advisor on bonding matters to many businesses, banks, law firms, accounting firms, governmental entities, private owners, architects, engineers and construction professionals.

Prior to joining Cross, Orlando worked for Willis of Northern New England as senior vice president of Bond Operations and its predecessor companies HRH of Northern New England and the Dunlap Corporation.

Orlando is vice president of the New England Surety Association, a member of numerous industry groups including the Surety Association of Massachusetts, the Associated General Contractors of Maine, Construction Financial Management Association, and the Maine Better Transportation Association. She was awarded the Tiger Trust Award from the National Association of Surety Bond Producers in 2001 for excellence in promoting the use of surety bonds in the private sector.

Cross Surety, Inc. handles the bonding and surety needs for a diverse group of businesses, contractors and construction companies in the United States, Canada and overseas.

Establishing Cross Surety Inc., with offices in Maine and Massachusetts, continues the growth plans of Cross Insurance, which has acquired more than 90 insurance agencies since its founding more than 50 years ago, incorporating more than 30 offices throughout New England.

Source: Cross Insurance