Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc. has appointed COO

Pat Van Bakel has been appointed chief operating officer at Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc., effective March 1.

Van Bakel has been with the company for more than 20 years, having most recently served as senior vice president, operations, insurer markets.

He began his career as an adjuster and has moved through a number of management and special assignments with increasing responsibilities that have positioned him well to take on this new role, the company reports.

Van Bakel is a member of many industry organizations, currently chairing and serving on several institute committees.

Committed to continuing education, he has invested his career through technical, leadership and executive training.

“Pat has been an invaluable member of our team for many years, and has shown great leadership skills and a strong dedication to our mission and values,” said John Sharoun, chief executive officer of Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc.