Arkansas Professor to Head Newly Created Alabama Insurance Center

The first director for the new Alabama Center for Insurance Information and Research, a finance professor at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, has been named.

The University of Alabama announced the selection of Dr. Lars Powell to direct the center. He was an insurance agent and medical malpractice claims adjuster before going into education. He has also been a consultant on insurance operations and regulations.

Gov. Robert Bentley announced the creation of the center last year to provide information on insurance issues. Its initial focus will be the looking at ways to improve the availability and affordability of homeowners insurance in counties along the Alabama coast.

The center is located at Alabama’s Culverhouse College of Commerce.