Belt previously was chairman of Palisades Capital, New York, a financial advisory and investment firm.

From 2004 to 2006, during the Bush administration, Belt was executive director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.

Belt has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Nebraska  and law degree from Georgetown University.

In other personnel news:

– The California Health Care Coalition (CHCC), San Diego, has hired Lee Burdick, a lawyer, to be its new executive director. He take over from an interim executive director, Ken Stuart.

– Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, Golden Valley, Minn., a unit of Allianz S.E., Munich, Germany, has promoted Jim Jordan to senior counsel and senior director of government affairs.

Jordan previously was a counsel focusing on regulatory issues and retail broker-dealer affairs at Allianz. Before that, Jordan was a staff attorney at the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Jordan has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a law degree from Harvard University.

– Securian Financial Group Inc., St. Paul, Minn., has hired Siddharth Gandhi to be head of the company’s strategic  business development unit.

Gandhi previously was senior director of financial services at Wolters Kluwer, Netherlands.

Gandhi has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota.

Securian also has promoted Richard Fetter to director of individual life insurance underwriting. Fetter will continue to be the chief underwriter.

Fetter has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota.

– Hooper Homes Inc, Basking Ridge, N.J., has promoted Lori Gorman to be the company’s first chief operations officer. Gorman will be responsible for all of the company’s services, delivery and support operations.

Gorman was previously head of the Heritage Labs, Hooper Holmes Health & Wellness and Hooper Holmes Services divisions.

Gorman has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Kansas State University and a master’s degree from Baker University.

– Newport Group Inc., Heathrow, Fla., has hired Rob Shaffernoth to be vice president of retirement services.

Shaffernoth has a bachelor’s degree in business from Appalachian State University.

– Merkle Inc., Columbia, Md., has hired David Magrini to be vice president of the insurance and wealth management practice.

Magrini previously was vice president of marketing at Prudential Financial Inc., Newark, N.J. (NYSE:PRU) .

– Ashley Scudder