Nicholas Puhala has joined the Savannah office of Seacrest Partners, Inc. as director of agency operations.  Puhala brings 14 years of commercial insurance brokerage, risk management consulting and agency management experience to his new position with Seacrest.

As a member of Seacrest’s management team, Puhala will work closely with Seacrest’s staff in Savannah and Atlanta to enhance the firm’s client service procedures, reinforce quality control protocols, and maintain affiliations with key partners including Assurex International, Georgia Agency Partnership, and key insurance markets.

Prior to joining Seacrest Partners, Puhala served as vice president and market leader for the Savannah and Jacksonville offices of USI Insurance, a national brokerage firm.  During his career, he has also held management and client executive positions with Hilb Rogal and Hobbs, BB&T Insurance Services and Willis.

“Our firm has enjoyed continuous growth for the past 10 years which has created the need for additional management talent. We are pleased with Nick’s decision to join our firm as someone with his experience, focus and dedication to clients, staff and community is rare,” said David Paddison, president and one of Seacrest’s seven co-founders.

“It’s an honor to join the talented team at Seacrest Partners.  Seacrest is known as the premier insurance brokerage firm in the region and I’m excited for the opportunity to help grow that success,” Puhala said.

A well-known name in the Savannah community for volunteering his time and talents with numerous civic, charitable and social service organizations, Puhala is an active member of the Downtown Rotary, member of the Chamber CEO Council, past president of the Propeller Club, and past chairman of the Disability Services Committee for the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.  He is a parishioner and Eucharistic Minister at St James Catholic Church.

A graduate of Leadership Savannah and Leadership Southeast Georgia, Puhala is a 2016 recipient of Generation NEXT Rising Stars of Savannah Business.

Puhala earned his BBA in Management from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business and has continued his studies by earning the Certified Insurance Counselor designation.  He is also a Benedictine Military School graduate.