Mark F. Bennett, was born in Yonkers, New York. He completed
his education receiving a Political Science degree with honors from Iona College in New
Rochelle, New York, and his J.D. from Pace University School of Law in White Plains, New
York.
Mr. Bennett was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1984, and is also admitted to practice
before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. He belongs to the
American Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the Travis County Bar Association.
Mr. Bennett has served as Insurance Counsel to state insurance regulators on a large
number of insurance company restructurings and rehabilitations. He was a key contributor
to the Fidelity Bankers Life Insurance Company Rehabilitation Plan and negotiated the
terms of the Company's sale to Hartford Life Insurance Company. He has been charged with
the responsibility of operating the day-to-day affairs of Fidelity Bankers.
While in private practice, he is credited with having structured a guaranty association
rescue and rehabilitation plan for an insolvent property and casualty insurance company in
Texas, as well as devising rehabilitation or reorganization plans for other troubled
insurers. As former counsel to the Liquidation Division of the Texas State Board of
Insurance, he was involved in the takeover, administration, and management of many
insurers, including International Fidelity Life Insurance Company, National County Mutual
Fire Insurance Company, Best Lloyds Insurance Company, and Southeast Indemnity Company, to
name a few.
He has extensive experience in mergers, acquisitions, reinsurance transactions, and
general corporate areas. Mr. Bennett has also acted as Insurance Counsel to the Deputy
Liquidator of two health maintenance organization insolvencies, Foundation Health Plan of
New Jersey and MedCenters of North Dakota, as well as legal counsel for other managed
health care insurance companies. Furthermore, he has acted as insurance administrative,
regulatory, corporate, and reinsurance counsel to the Deputy Receiver of Home Warranty
Corporation and its affiliates for the administration of those companies. He has also
acted as legal counsel to firms that provide policy administration, claims, EDP, and
accounting services on an "outsource basis" to both the property and casualty
and life insurance industries.
Mr. Bennett is currently a named and founding partner of the law firm Cantilo &
Bennett, L.L.P. ("C&B"). Prior to his involvement with C&B, he was a
partner in the law firm of Rubinstein & Perry, LLP and Cantilo, Bennett & Wisener,
L.L.P. Mr. Bennetts practice concentrates on insurance mergers and acquisitions,
corporate reorganizations, corporate law, insurance administration and regulation,
insurance insolvency and receivership, reinsurance, and insurance outsourcing matters.
Mr. Bennett has also participated in various National Association of Insurance
Commissioners committees regarding the Receiver's Handbook; he contributed to the drafting
and editing of several handbook chapters. He consults frequently with state insurance
regulators regarding insurance rehabilitations and liquidations. He also
consults with members of the insurance industry concerning insurance
consolidations, restructurings, sales, start-up insurance organizations, health
care, and insurance company outsourcing activities.