Thirty-four-year-old Reeve Young proved to be quite popular on his first day as an unwriting assistant at Ironshore.

But it wasn't just because of Mr. Young's friendly demeanour. Instead he had new colleagues sending him welcoming e-mails and stopping for chats, because the insurance company's chief executive officer Robert Deutsch decided to celebrate the appointment of the company's 100th employee by tacking on an additional $100 to everyone's pay cheque.

The company, based in the Swan Building on Victoria Street, was established in January 2007 with nine employees. Backed by more than $1 billion in capital, Ironshore was set up as a primary insurer in response to the crisis conditions in the US property catastrophe insurance markets.

Today it boasts 100 employees, 40 of whom work in Bermuda. Of those working on the Island, 21 are Bermudian.

The company's chief financial officer Mitch Blaser said the company was dedicated to bringing on Bermudian staff.

Mr. Young became Ironshore's 100th employee after a friend who already works within the company recommended he apply for a job.

"She knew I was looking for a challenge and a change of direction," Mr. Young said. "My wife Sacha, who is a teacher, encouraged me to go for it. Before starting here I owned my own maintenance company for four years and before that I worked within the BF&M claims department for four years. But I was looking for something different and some place where I could grow, my friend thought Ironshore would be a good place for that."

Mr. Young has taken courses at the Bermuda College and the Bermuda Insurance Institute (BII). And now that he is working within the insurance sector again he hopes to complete more courses at the BII and receive his professional designation.

Mr. Blaser said many of the Bermudians hired within the company came as a result of referrals from people already working for Ironshore.

"We like that approach," he said. "When our employees refer someone to us we have a good idea of what this person will be like and it can make the process go a lot faster. Over the past year we have grown from nine people to 100 and employee referrals are a great way to do quality control. And we think it is a credit to us that people enjoy working in the company and want their friends to work for Ironshore too."

Ironshore has also become involved in the community through its $35,000 sponsorship of the Western Counties Cricket Association.

In its first 12 months, the company's gross written premiums were $315 million through its Bermuda office and another $15 million via its US operations.