Alliant snapped up NFP veteran for real estate specialty

30-year stalwart the latest in a string of recent high-profile additions

Alliant Insurance Services made public the inclusion of Gary Pestana to its team as managing director within Alliant Specialty’s Real Estate & Hospitality specialty vertical. Operating from Charlotte, NC, Pestana brought over thirty years of experience to his role, offering strategic risk management services to real estate owners, operators, and developers nationwide. Pestana’s professional journey spanned more than three decades, focusing on developing risk management programs for public and private real estate entities. His expertise encompassed environmental, property, liability, and construction insurance, beginning his career in engineering and environmental consulting.

Prior to his tenure at Alliant, Pestana served as managing director of real estate at NFP from March 2019 to March 2024. His extensive experience in the insurance sector also included roles as executive vice president, real estate, at JLT Specialty USA from August 2015 to March 2019 and senior vice president, real estate and environmental, at Marsh Risk and Insurance Services from April 2004 to August 2015. Pestana's foundational experience began at IT Corporation, where he held the position of business line manager from 1992 to 2002. He held an MBA in corporate finance and strategy from the Drucker School of Management and a BA in geology from Humboldt State University. In March, Alliant also reinforced its surety operations in New York with the appointment of Lou Spina as senior vice president within its Alliant Specialty division.