Ironshore announced today that the latest executive defectorsfrom AIG Environmental, Joe Boren and John O'Brien, have joined thecompany as leaders of a newly established Ironshore environmentalinsurance facility.

American International Group has been struggling to keep staffamid its efforts to sell off various units to pay off billions ingovernment loans.

Mr. Boren, who was chief executive officer at AIG Environmental,will become CEO of the new Ironshore unit, which is to be based inNew York. Mr. O'Brien, previously president and chief operatingofficer of AIG, will be president.

The move comes just two weeks after three other environmentalexperts from AIG Environmental in Chicago–Adrien Robinson, GregoryHeidemann and Patrick Crotty–defected to join NavigatorsEnvironmental, a Chicago-based specialty unit of New York-basedNavigators.

Early last month, Ironshore also announced that it snagged twoother senior management leaders from financially troubled AIG–KevinKelley, the former CEO of AIG's specialty insurer, LexingtonInsurance, and Shaun Kelly, who had been Lexington's president andCOO.

Kevin Kelley became Ironshore's new CEO, replacing founding CEORobert Deutsch, who is now president.

Shaun Kelly took on the role of CEO of Ironshore's U.S.Operations.

Yesterday, AIG said Russell Johnston had been appointed to fillthe CEO slot vacated by Mr. Boren.

Mr. Boren had worked at AIG Environmental for the last 13 years.Mr. O'Brien had been with AIG for the last 17 years.

Ironshore said its new unit will write a wide variety ofenvironmental and casualty products with focus on middle marketcommercial risks. The products will serve wholesale and retailmarkets and will include products for contractors, fixed facilitiesincluding real estate, professional service companies andmanufacturing operations.

Mr. Boren will report to Shaun Kelly.

Ironshore, which started its life as a Bermuda-based commercialproperty insurer in late 2007, has since formed IronPro to enterthe management liability arena; IronBuilt to serve the constructionmarket; IronHealth, specializing in health care liability; andIronSelect, an excess casualty division.

The company also entered the Lloyd's market, buying PembrokeManaging Agency and Syndicate 4000 in a deal that closed in earlySeptember of last year.

In addition, in mid-December, Ironshore acquired the assets ofMarine Re, a reinsurance specialist in hull and cargo forcommercial and pleasure craft.