2025 OfficersPresident Vice President Secretary Treasurer * Click on the board member's name to view a brief bio | 2025 Directors
Gail Bartholomew, Nouryon USA, LLC Robert Benvenuto, HUB International Paul Brandel, US Foods Frank Griggs, Fresenius Kabi USA Tanja Maffei Chan, Hylant Adam Miholic, Revantage Amy Scheiden, The Habitat Company Liz Venhuizen, Ozinga Jack Williamson, Solventum |
Biographies
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Gail Bartholomew
| Gail Bartholomew is the Global Insurance and Claims Manager for Nouryon USA, LLC, based in Chicago, IL. Gail is responsible for risk management, insurance, and claims management of Nouryon’s global operations. Gail is also involved in due diligence, contract review and M&A activities. Nouryon, a leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals, was spun off from AkzoNobel in 2018. While not a household name, there are very few homes in the US that don’t have a component of Nouryon somewhere within. Gail joined AkzoNobel as Senior Risk Management Coordinator in 2001, and in 2005 left to accept the role of Underwriting Director with CNA where she managed a property and casualty portfolio of architect and engineering clients. In 2008 she returned to AkzoNobel as Risk Manager and went with Nouryon at the separation from AkzoNobel in 2018. Gail recently assumed the global risk management role for Nouryon. Her prior insurance background also includes brokerage, underwriting, and consulting roles. In addition to the RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) designation, Gail has the CRM, CIC, CISR, and CPRM designations from the National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research. Gail and her husband Jim have a blended family of five children, their spouses, grandchildren, and a wide range of dogs across the households. |
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Robert serves as Regional Chief Growth Officer and member of the Midwest Executive Management Team. He is responsible for driving corporate growth, strategic investment and client strategies across the business. Robert leads a dynamic team of complex risk and insurance specialists, recruits leading industry talent and sources strategic M&A opportunities. Prior to joining HUB International, Robert served in various Executive Leadership roles at Aon and Marsh (formally JLT Group). He spent over two decades producing and managing large corporate clients such as BP (pre-and-post-Deepwater horizon), Honeywell International, Takeda - Abbott Pharmaceuticals, Sears Holding Corporation and General Growth Properties (pre-and-post-bankruptcy). In addition, Robert led large-scale engagement teams advising insurers such as AIG and Chubb (formerly ACE) on the design and implementation of strategic product distribution strategies across the Americas, UK, Europe, and Asia. Robert developed his Risk & Insurance expertise by producing and serving an array of large and mid-market companies and Private Equity sponsors across multiple industries since beginning his career as a commercial insurance broker with Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. in New York in 1988. Robert serves on the Chicago Chapter Board of the Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS), Co-Chairs The Chicagoland Risk Forum, mentors the Rising Risk Professionals group and is an active member of the Economic Club of Chicago. He received a degree in Economics from the University of Rhode Island and advanced studies in International Finance at Richmond College in London. Robert resides in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood with his wife and four children. |
Paul Brandel is the Risk Manager US Foods®. US Foods is one of America’s great food companies and a leading foodservice distributor, partnering with approximately 300,000 restaurants and foodservice operators to help their businesses succeed. With nearly 30,000 employees and more than 70 distribution centers, we provide our customers with a broad and innovative food offering and a comprehensive suite of e-commerce, technology and business solutions. The company also operates over 85 wholesale warehouse stores and 14 processing facilities. These include 12 Stock Yards® facilities that provide high-quality center of plate, custom cut and packaged to customer specifications; Freshway Foods, a fruit and vegetable processor, re-packer and distributor; and Save On Seafood, a seafood processor and distributor. Paul began his career in 1999 as multi-line claims adjuster for Marriott International. Following Marriott International, he held multiple positions with Gallagher Bassett servicing both captive and self-injured clients. In 2007, Paul accepted the Claims Manager position with Hyatt Hotels Corporation and then accepting a Risk Manager position with Rockford Mass Transit District in 2010 and Waterton in 2014. Prior to his current position with US Foods, Paul served as the Risk Manager for Eby-Brown from 2016-2019. Mr. Brandel serves as a Workers’ Compensation Practice Group Advisor for the USLAW Network. He is a past President of RIMS Chicago Chapter (2018) and past chair of the Risk & Safety Committee for the International Foodservice Distributors Association (2016-2019). |
Kelly Croll has been in Corporate Insurance and Risk Management at Allstate for over ten years. As a Insurance Risk Lead Consultant, she oversees the agent error and omissions insurance program, property and other corporate insurance programs. She also manages corporate claims, including those under the corporate auto and general liability policies. In addition, she is primarily responsible for risk management contract review. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Illinois in Linguistics and English/Rhetoric and her J.D. from DePaul University School of Law. Prior to working at Allstate, she litigated insurance coverage and complex litigation cases for over ten years. |
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Ryan Fee
| Ryan Fee is the VP of Risk Management for InvenTrust Properties Corp, a publicly traded REIT headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, where he has been for the last 6 years. In his current role, he is responsible for the strategic planning, development and implementation of all insurance and risk management programs including insurance policies, claims, loss control, identification and treatment of risk, Enterprise Risk Management, Business Continuity Management and management of InvenTrust’s Captive insurance company. Ryan began his career at Enterprise Rent-A-Car and transitioned from the rental offices to their third-party claims administration. He has also worked in the claims department for several third-party administrators, most recently as a Claims Supervisor and Account Manager for C.C.M.S.I., where he oversaw a team of claims professionals handling property, casualty, professional liability and worker’s compensation claims. Ryan has been in the risk management and insurance industry for over 20 years. Ryan graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University with a bachelor of arts in Risk Management and Financial Services. |
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Frank Griggs is Manager, Finance / Global Casualty Insurance - Risk Management at Baxter International, Inc. Baxter is an American multinational healthcare company in which primarily focuses on products to treat kidney disease, and other chronic and acute medical conditions. The company had 2017 sales of $10.6 billion, across two businesses: Bioscience and Medical Products. Baxter's Bioscience business produces recombinant and blood plasma proteins to treat hemophilia and other bleeding disorders; plasma-based therapies to treat immune deficiencies and other chronic and acute blood-related conditions; products for regenerative medicine, and vaccines. Baxter's Medical Products business produces intravenous products and other products used in the delivery of fluids and drugs to patients; inhalational anesthetics; contract manufacturing services; and products to treat end-stage kidney disease, or irreversible kidney failure, including products for peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis. Gathering and maintaining data global renewal data to facilitate the global casualty insurance program (WC, Auto, OUS Auto, GL, and Product Liability) renewals, manage the TPA (Third Party Administrator) claims, review sales contracts are some of key functions that Frank’s provides. Prior to working at Baxter International Inc. Frank worked at Sedgwick CMS handling workers’ compensation complex claims for 4 National Accounts for multiple jurisdictions. Currently, on the committee of the Rising Risk Professionals (Social Committee) and heavily involved with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital doing multiple fundraisers throughout the year as I run multiple distances for the cause. Graduated from Northern Illinois University and have B.S. in Economics. |
Drawing on her 28 years of industry experience, Tanja leads the Global Risk Management Team of experts to ensure clients are provided innovative, cost- effective solutions and value-added services domestically and globally. Tanja also collaborates with client executives and insurer partners to develop new national and international business. She has extensive M&A and captive experience in a variety of industries. Tanja previously worked with clients Leggett, Platt, and Steelcase. Before joining Hylant, she was a Director of international clients at Willis and Marsh. Tanja conducted her job in Geneva, Switzerland during 2013- 15. She handled large and mid-sized clients’ foreign property, liability, captive and environmental programs. Earlier she worked at CNA, Chicago, where she held underwriting and business development positions. She began her career with Swiss Life in 1996 and was stationed in Brussels and Paris. Tanja is a frequent speaker on insurance issues like M&A, compliance, captives, claims management, program structure and cultural differences. She has also spoken on the state of the market at RIMS regional chapters such as Chicago Risk Forum, Ohio, Pittsburgh and Denver, ALB (Association of Lloyds’ Brokers), TMAC (Treasury Manager's Association of Chicago) and AFP (Association of Financial Professionals). She currently represents Hylant on the Association of Lloyd's Broker's (ALB) Board, the Chicago Association of Insurance Professional Women (APIW) and RIMS Chicago and has a passion for promoting inclusion and diversity within the insurance industry. |
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Adam Miholic is the Vice President, Placement and Captives for Revantage, a Blackstone real estate portfolio company that provides best-in-class corporate services. Adam is responsible for spearheading the strategy, development and implementation of Revantage’s North American insurance placement as well as all global captive programs. In partnership with Blackstone, he operationalizes the selected strategy and provides strategic guidance to ensure cost stability and insurance capacity across their Real Estate portfolio companies. He also serves as a Board member and Officer for each of the captive insurance companies within the Blackstone portfolio. Adam has more than 12 years of experience in insurance and captive consulting. Before joining Revantage, he was a consultant at Marsh and Hylant, where he was responsible for evaluating, developing, and implementing captive insurance companies for their client base. Adam has been awarded multiple industry accolades, including Captive Review’s “Power 50: One to Watch,” Captive International’s “40 under 40” and Risk & Insurance’s “Power Broker: Rising Star.” Adam is also actively engaged with industry associations. Adam is a frequent speaker at industry events and contributor to industry publications. Adam holds dual bachelor’s degrees in education and history from Marquette University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Arizona State University. He recently earned the Associate in Captive Insurance (ACI) designation from the International Center for Captive Insurance Education. |
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Katie has recently joined Solventum as the Corporate Insurance & Risk Manager, bringing 12 years of expertise in risk management, corporate insurance solutions, and strategic planning. In this role, Katie is responsible for the oversight and coordination of all aspects of the worldwide property and casualty insurance programs. This includes evaluating insurance policies, identifying coverage enhancements, assessing risks, overseeing coverage placement, and more broadly assisting in the structuring, negotiating, purchasing, and day-to-day management of the global insurance program. She also provides assistance with coverage-related disputes. Prior to joining Solventum, Katie served as an Account Executive at Marsh McLennan Agency, focused in the Real Estate and Construction niche. In this role, she developed a deep understanding of the business drivers, key metrics, and success measures of individual clients. Katie also addressed specific challenges clients faced and anticipated industry issues that could impact them. Earlier in her career, Katie held roles as a Risk Manager at LaSalle Investment Management, Senior Risk Analyst at Rotary International, and began her journey in the industry as a Claims Representative at Sedgwick. |
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With over 25 years of experience in the insurance and risk management industry, Amy Scheiden has developed deep expertise across multiple sectors, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, real estate, and professional services. She has held key positions with insurance companies, brokerages, and in-house risk management teams, building a well-rounded perspective on risk management. Amy has a proven track record in claims management, successfully overseeing self-insured retention programs and serving as a captive administrator for a large association captive, delivering tailored solutions to complex risk challenges. Since 2020, Amy has been an integral part of The Habitat Company, currently serving as Risk Manager. In this capacity, she is responsible for the strategic oversight of Habitat's comprehensive risk management program, including the placement of property, casualty, and management liability insurance, as well as managing claims and spearheading loss prevention initiatives. As a member of the Legal Team, Amy works collaboratively with all departments—ranging from on-site teams to executive leadership—ensuring the seamless implementation of risk mitigation strategies that protect the company's assets and enhance operational resilience. Amy’s prior experience includes managing claims and loss control for a diverse real estate portfolio valued at over $25 billion. Her client base included five REITs, a bank holding company, land and condo development firms, construction companies, and property management entities. In these roles, Amy provided expert risk control consulting services, effectively minimizing exposure while optimizing operational efficiency. Amy’s extensive background in risk management, coupled with her strategic approach to large-scale operations, makes her a valuable asset to the board of directors. Her in-depth understanding of both the challenges within the risk management landscape and her ability to navigate complex, high-stakes environments positions her as an ideal candidate to help guide the organization toward sustained growth and success. |
Liz is the Director of Risk & Insurance team for Ozinga a large construction / transportation risk headquartered in the Chicago area. Her team is responsible for managing Ozinga's diverse risk, maintaining its insurance portfolio and supporting the business. This includes contract negotiations, claim management and vendor compliance. She works closely with outside council and directs strategy on complex claims. Liz started a single parent Captive in Vermont to assist business with advanced Risk Management options. She continues to manage the growth and development of the captive. Liz is a Professional Member of RIMS the Risk Management Society, Chicago RIMS and of the VCIA. |
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Jack Williamson is the Claim Manager at LRS, which is among the nation’s leading privately-held waste diversion, recycling and portable services providers. LRS diverts and repurposes more discarded material away from landfills than any other comparable provider. Overseeing the workers’ compensation and liability claim programs is the principal function that Jack performs, while also supporting all other aspects of the overall risk management program. Prior to joining LRS, Jack worked as a claim professional for several insurance carriers, primarily in the area of workers’ compensation. Jack holds a B.S. in Finance with a Minor in Economics from Illinois State University. |
Seung Yoo is the Senior Director of Global Risk and Property Management at Steel Partners. Responsible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive global risk management programs and real property administration to effectively manage the company's insured property assets and protect the company from all potential or foreseeable operating risks. His past roles include Sr. Director of Global Risk and Property Management at Regal Rexnord Corporation, US Risk Manager for Takeda Pharmaceuticals, underwriter at Chubb and broker at ECBM. Seung received his B.A. in Risk Management and Insurance at Temple University and holds the CPCU ARM-E and ARe designations. |
