Core Specialty has tapped Mike Powell as its new executive vice president and general counsel, handing the legal reins of one of Greater Cincinnati’s biggest private employers to a veteran corporate dealmaker. The Cincinnati-based specialty insurer said Powell will succeed longtime general counsel Robert Kuzloski, who is retiring after steering the company’s legal operations since a major recapitalization in 2020.
In a May 4 release, Core Specialty said Powell’s appointment is effective immediately and that he will be based at the company’s Cincinnati headquarters. The move closes the loop on a planned transition as Kuzloski exits the top legal post.
The hire also lands as a notable win in the local executive talent market. The Cincinnati Business Courier described Core Specialty as “one of Greater Cincinnati's largest private companies,” underscoring how the general counsel chair there has become a high-profile seat.
Powell arrives from Fifth Third Bank, where he most recently served as deputy general counsel and corporate secretary, overseeing corporate governance, securities compliance and mergers and acquisitions work. Fifth Third has highlighted his earlier in-house M&A role at Teradata and roughly a decade in corporate practice in Washington, D.C., giving him a résumé steeped in complex transactions and boardroom issues.
What Powell Brings To Core Specialty
Core Specialty is not exactly in quiet-maintenance mode. The company has been in growth gear since a 2020 recapitalization and leadership reset, activity that has raised the stakes for its in-house legal team. PR Newswire covered that recapitalization and the management changes that followed, setting the backdrop for why a seasoned corporate lawyer might be especially attractive now.
In announcing Powell’s hire, Core Specialty leaned hard on his transactional and governance pedigree. Founder and CEO Jeff Consolino said Powell’s “extensive background across corporate, governance, and complex transactional matters will be a strong asset,” positioning him as a key player in both the company’s growth strategy and its relationship with the board.
With Kuzloski stepping away after guiding the legal function through a transformative recapitalization and expansion phase, Powell inherits a role that is less about building from scratch and more about steering a larger, more complex enterprise. For a Cincinnati insurer that has quietly grown into a regional heavyweight, bringing in a Fifth Third-tested deal lawyer signals that the next chapter is likely to feature plenty of action in the fine print.
