New Tampa insurance exec ran Sears Auto, stomped bugs

TAMPA — Baldwin Risk Partners named Joe Finney, a former executive of a fast-growing Sarasota pest control firm, president of its Mainstreet Insurance Group unit.

Finney was CEO of Sarasota-based Environmental Pest Service from January 2014 until last September. He helped the company grow through an acquisition strategy, where it bought more than 20 pest control firms statewide and into Georgia. It had $45.7 million in revenues in 2015, up 30.2% from $35.1 million in 2014, and it was ranked No. 19 on Pest Control Technology magazine's 2016 “Top 100” list of the nation's largest pest control firms.

Prior to EPS Finney oversaw Sears Automotive Group, which grew to $1.6 billion in sales and 14,000 employees spread through 800 Sears Auto Centers and 1,200 Kmart locations under his watch. Finney's other career stops include CEO of Tire Centers, a $1 billion Michelin subsidiary, and a top senior executive at Terminix and ServiceMaster, where he led significant turnarounds.

Mainstreet Insurance Group provides insurance coverage and products to main street Americans and businesses, according to Insurance Journal. The unit includes The Villages Insurance Partners and Ryan Insurance.

Tampa-based Baldwin Risk Partners is a holding company, founded by insurance industry veterans Lowry Baldwin, Elizabeth Krystyn and Laura Sherman, that oversees multiple insurance and risk management assets and entities. One of those entities is Baldwin Krystyn Sherman Partners, an independent insurance brokerage firm that provides private risk management, commercial risk management and employee benefits to clients. BKS has offices in Tampa, Naples, Sarasota and Fort Myers.