Our people

Learn about our people. Check out the bios of our executives, directors, physicians, attorneys, board of directors and other leaders. Use the links below to jump to specific groups.

Corporate officers

 

Terry Miller, CPA, CFA

Terry Miller, CPA, CFA

President and Chief Executive Officer

Terry has worked at SFM for over 40 years, serving as the company’s original controller. He has since risen through the ranks, becoming Vice President of Accounting, Vice President of Finance, Senior Vice President and CFO, then Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He became President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2018.

He serves on the board of directors of the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association, the Insurance Federation of Minnesota and the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds.  He recently was on the board of the Minneapolis Urban League and Small Sums, a Saint Paul, Minnesota‐based nonprofit. He’s also a member of the Minnesota Society of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, the CFA Institute and the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association.

He graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas.

Dave Kaiser

Dave Kaiser

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Co-Founder, SFM Foundation

Dave joined SFM in 1992 as Senior Programmer Analyst and later held various leadership roles in the Information Systems team. He became SFM’s Chief Information Officer in 2005, after serving as VP of Information Services since 2001.

He co-founded the SFM Foundation and previously served as the Chair of its board of directors.

Dave earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a member of the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) Technology Committee and a former big brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Mike Happe, CPCU

Mike Happe, CPCU

Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
President, SFM Risk Solutions

Mike joined SFM in 2005. He was previously Vice President of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) and held leadership positions at two national insurance carriers.

Mike serves on the board for the National Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association, is the Secretary-Treasurer of the Insurance Federation of Minnesota and is a director of the Minnesota Self-Insurers’ Security Fund. He previously served on the boards of the SFM Foundation, the Global Insurance Accelerator and the Minnesota Homeownership Center, was an elected Councilman for the City of Minnetonka, Minnesota, and was on the leadership team for the Governors of the national Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Society.

Mike is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration, and holds a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation.

Steve Sandilla

Steve Sandilla

Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer

Steve joined SFM in 1991 as a Claims Representative and later advanced to Claims Supervisor, Large Accounts Business Manager and Senior Vice President of Operations before moving into his current role as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer. He oversees SFM’s business operations and direct profit and loss.

Steve earned a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point.

He serves on the board of directors for the Minnesota Safety Council.

Jody Rogers, PHR

Jody Rogers, PHR

Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer

Jody has been with SFM since 1991. She started in SFM’s in-house law firm and transitioned to Human Resources in 1997. She held various leadership roles within the Human Resources team, becoming Senior Vice President of Human Resources in 2018 and Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer in 2020. She oversees the company’s Human Resources functions.

She earned a Professional in Human Resource designation (PHR) from the Human Resource Certification Institute and is certified by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing as a Mental Health First Aider. Jody has extensive experience in talent management, leadership development, employee engagement and corporate benefits including wellness programs. As a recipient of SFM’s annual service excellence award, her leadership has helped to create and build upon a culture of service which is the cornerstone of SFM.

Jody currently serves on the advisory board for the Women in Leadership Certificate Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She previously served on the board of directors for YouthLink and was the Chair of their Human Resources Committee. She was also the Human Resource Committee Chair and Advisor of the American Association of State Compensation Funds (AASCIF), and was a Human Resources Committee member of the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC).

Amanda Aponte, FCAS, MAAA

Amanda Aponte, FCAS, MAAA

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Amanda joined SFM as an Actuarial Intern in 2007. She held various actuarial roles before becoming Vice President and Chief Risk Officer and promoting into her current role as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. She is responsible for SFM’s financial reporting, investment planning, analytics and enterprise risk activities. She oversees the Finance and Analytics Teams.

She is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS) and member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA). She is the chair of the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Insurer Association (MWCIA) Board of Directors, Audit and Executive Committees. She also serves on the Children’s Hospital of Minnesota Board of Directors’ Joint Investment Subcommittee. Amanda is a former member of the Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association (WCRA) Actuarial Committee and the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS). She was a 2017 International Association of Industrial Accident Boards (IAIABC) NextGen recipient.

Amanda graduated summa cum laude from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science degree in actuarial science and a minor in mathematics.

Kathy Bray, JD, CIPP-US

Kathy Bray, JD, CIPP-US

Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Kathy joined SFM in 2007, originally as Senior Defense Counsel within SFM’s in-house law firm Schmidt, Scharfenberg & Hollick (SSH). She served as SFM’s Corporate Counsel beginning in 2016 and was promoted to Vice President and General Counsel in 2019. She took on her current role leading the company’s legal strategy as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer in 2020. She serves as SFM Mutual Insurance Company’s Secretary, manages SFM’s public policy efforts, and oversees the Compliance team and in-house law firm.

Before joining SFM, she spent over 15 years in private practice, advising employers in workers’ compensation and employment matters, including disputes that involved ADA, FMLA and other discrimination litigation. She is on the board of directors of the Minnesota Insurance Guaranty Association (MIGA) and Minnesota CLE (Continuing Legal Education). She is a member of the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) Minnesota Advisory Committee and the Associate Member Council of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC). She has been a Mediator and Arbitrator for Minnesota’s Union Construction Workers’ Compensation Program and continues to be a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs and related industry conferences.

Kathy graduated cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School and has her undergraduate degree in business from the University of Denver.

Chad Hagedorn

Chad Hagedorn

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Chad started at SFM in 2003 as a Systems Administrator and advanced to various leadership roles within the Information Services team. He became Director of Information Services in 2016, became Vice President, Chief Information Officer in 2019, and was promoted to his current role as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in 2023.

He previously worked at Chart Industries as a Systems Administrator managing 13 sites worldwide with a small team of others.

Chad earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business / Information Technology from the University of Phoenix and is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association (WCRA) IT Advisory Committee.

Chris Anderson

Chris Anderson

Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer

Chris joined SFM in 1995 as a Staff Accountant and was promoted to Corporate Controller and Director of Finance in 2013. He was promoted to Vice President in 2018 and became Chief Accounting Officer in 2020. He is responsible for financial and regulatory reporting, budgeting and annual financial audits. He also handles statutory accounting, premium tax and income tax compliance.

Prior to joining SFM he held accounting positions at Mendakota Country Club and NordicTrack.

He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. He is an inactive certified public accountant.

Andy Gebhard

Andy Gebhard

Vice President and Chief Communications Officer

Andy joined SFM in 2007 as a Senior Web Developer. He later became Director of Communications and Social Media, became Vice President of Communications in 2016 and was promoted to his current position as Vice President and Chief Communications Officer in 2022. He held positions in communications and information services at a variety of Twin Cities companies prior to joining SFM.

He currently serves as Chair of the SFM Foundation board of directors and previously chaired both the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds (AASCIF) Communications and Information Technology Committees.

Andy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa.

Sarah Hunter, JD

Sarah Hunter, JD

Vice President of Operations

Sarah joined SFM in 2018 as Defense Counsel in Schmidt, Scharfenberg & Hollick representing SFM and its policyholders in Minnesota workers’ compensation litigation. She became Vice President of Claims in 2022 and Vice President of Operations in 2024. She is responsible for strategic oversight and direction of SFM’s technical claims operations, underwriting and insurance operations teams.

She serves on the WCRA Members Services Committee and was appointed and serves as an insurer member of the Minnesota Rehabilitation Review Panel.

Sarah graduated cum laude from the College of St. Scholastica with a Bachelor of Arts degree and from Hamline University School of Law with a juris doctorate. She has been admitted to the Minnesota Bar since 2007.

Brian Bent, CPCU

Brian Bent, CPCU

Vice President and Director of Underwriting

Brian joined SFM in 2006 as Director of Underwriting and was promoted to Vice President and Director of Underwriting in 2010.

He is responsible for setting enterprise-wide underwriting and policy servicing direction and has regulatory compliance responsibilities. Brian also oversees the loss prevention technical function and premium audit operations at SFM.

Brian is a graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and received his Master’s of Science degree from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. He earned an Associate in Risk Management and has a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation.

He is a member of the Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau (WCRB) Governing Board and Rating Committee.

Business unit leaders, directors and subsidiaries

Mark Arrington

Mark Arrington

Vice President of Regional Business

Mark joined SFM in 1988 as a Claims Representative working with insured and self-insured customers. He was promoted to Claims Supervisor and then Director of Claims Operations in 1998 and is a licensed independent casualty adjuster in the State of Minnesota. In 2005, he moved into the role of Business Manager for the middle-market South/Metro Business Unit in Minnesota and led SFM’s expansion into South Dakota. He is responsible for the profit and loss of this region and premium sector. He was promoted to his current role as Vice President of Regional Business in 2022.

Mark received a Bachelor of Science in business from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Dennis Logstrom

Dennis Logstrom

Vice President of Small Business

Dennis joined SFM in 1990 as Claims Representative. He later advanced to Claims Specialist and Claims Supervisor. In 2005, Dennis moved into the role of Business Manager for the Small Business Accounts team and is responsible for the profit and loss of this premium sector. He was promoted to his current role as Vice President of Small Business in 2022.

Dennis is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Nick Marino, CPCU

Nick Marino, CPCU

Vice President of Regional Business

Nick joined SFM in 2006 in a marketing and underwriting role in order to grow SFM’s presence in Wisconsin. In 2008, he was named the manager of the Wisconsin team.

He now leads a team of 14 Wisconsin-based insurance professionals that manage a diverse and growing book of business in SFM’s second largest premium state.

Nick earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and real estate from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. He holds a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and represents SFM on the Rating Committee of the Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau.

Shawn Miner, CPCU

Shawn Miner, CPCU

Vice President of Regional Business

Shawn joined SFM in 2009 as a Marketing Underwriter when SFM first entered the Iowa and Nebraska workers’ compensation markets. He advanced to Iowa/Nebraska Business Unit Manager in 2013 and oversees the operations for SFM’s agency partners in these two states. He was promoted to his current role as Vice President of Regional Business in 2022 and leads SFM’s Iowa/Nebraska/Kansas team.

Shawn earned a Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and currently sits on the board of directors of the SFM Foundation and Nebraskans for Workers’ Compensation Equity & Fairness.

He is a graduate of the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business.

Debra Zorn, PHR, SHRM-CP

Debra Zorn, PHR, SHRM-CP

Vice President of Regional Business

Deb joined SFM in 1994 as part of SFM’s in-house legal team. She later held the role of Employment Specialist for 11 years, where she was responsible for recruiting and other human resources duties. In 2016, she moved into the role of Business Manager for the middle-market North/Metro Business Unit. She is responsible for the profit and loss of this region and premium sector. She was promoted to her current role as Vice President of Regional Business in 2022.

She is a 2006 graduate of Cardinal Stritch University in human resource management. She earned a PHR certification in 2009 and SHRM-CP certification in 2015.

Deb is also the Scholarship Director for the SFM Foundation , and manages the recruiting and grading of scholarship applications, as well as payments of scholarships. She is the main contact for scholarship recipients and their families, which includes a mentoring role.

Angie Andresen, MPA

Angie Andresen, MPA

Vice President of Claims

Angie joined SFM in 2021 as a Claims Technical Analyst and later transitioned to the role of Business Systems Analysis Leader before being promoted to Vice President of Claims in 2024. She is responsible for all aspects of SFM’s claims operations, including regulatory, financial and quality oversight. Her previous experience includes workers’ compensation claims handling, regulatory review and oversight, and technology project management in both the private and public sectors, most recently with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.

She is a member of the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Insurer’s Task Force and has served on multiple committees for the International Association of Accident Boards and Commissions.

Angie graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies and received her Master of Public Administration from Metropolitan State University. She is currently pursuing her Master of Arts in organizational leadership from the University of Oklahoma.

Ryan Jirak, AU, CIC

Ryan Jirak, AU, CIC

Large Accounts Business Manager

Ryan joined SFM in 2011 and has held a number of roles including marketing underwriting, small business marketing, and large account business development. He is currently the Business Manager of the Large Accounts team. He is responsible for the profit and loss of this region and premium sector.

Ryan is a guest lecturer for the risk management programs at the University of Minnesota and University of St. Thomas. He is an Executive Chair of the Minnesota Independent Insurance Agent and Brokers Emerging Leaders and volunteers his time with Brighter Days Grief Center as a grief counselor and local Pheasants Forever Chapters.

He graduated from the University of St. Thomas in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He also holds Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designations.

Stacie Goodrich, M.A., OTR/L, CDMS, QRC

Stacie Goodrich, M.A., OTR/L, CDMS, QRC

President and Chief Operating Officer, CompRehab, Inc.

Stacie became President and Chief Operating Officer of CompRehab, Inc. an SFM company, in January 2019. She joined CompRehab in 2001 as a Qualified Rehabilitation Consultant.

She is a graduate of the College of St. Scholastica with a Master of Arts degree in occupational therapy and a Bachelor of Arts degree in health sciences. She has 18 years of experience providing vocational rehabilitation services, medical case management services, and ergonomic workstation evaluations. She performs ergonomic training and workstation evaluations in both office and industrial settings. She is skilled in performing detailed job analyses and job coaching services. Prior to joining CompRehab, Stacie worked as an occupational therapist in an inpatient rehabilitation setting where treatment focused on post-operative orthopedic therapies, evaluation of physical capabilities, and discharge planning. She has additional experience as an occupational therapist in an elementary school setting.

Stacie is a member of the Minnesota Association of Rehabilitation Providers (MARP) and is an approved rehabilitation provider in the Exclusive Rehabilitation Consultant Network for the Union Construction Workers’ Compensation Program (UCWCP). She focuses her case work on removing an injured worker’s barriers to returning to work, and enjoys the collaborative process of working with all parties in facilitating an appropriate and successful return to work for employees.

John Hollick, JD

John Hollick, JD

Chief Defense Counsel, Schmidt, Scharfenberg & Hollick

John joined SFM Companies in 1989 as a Law Clerk and later advanced to Defense Counsel and Senior Defense Counsel. He has over 30 years of experience in workers’ compensation defense. He has been Chief Defense Counsel since 2013 and oversees Schmidt, Scharfenberg and Hollick, SFM’s in-house legal team of attorneys.

He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and previously served as Chair of the Legal Committee of the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds. He is also a graduate of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Minnesota program and continues to be a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs and the Chamber of Commerce.

John is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Management and graduated cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Patricia Busse, MS

Patricia Busse, MS

Director of User Experience

Patricia joined SFM in 2012 as a member of the Communications department and was promoted to establish the User Experience Team in 2022. She leads the user experience, voice of the customer and product management efforts at SFM.

Prior to joining SFM, she worked as a journalist, holding reporting and managing editor positions.

Patricia graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, and from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a master’s degree in professional and technical communication. She also holds a UX certification from the Nielsen Norman Group.

Matt Hill

Matt Hill

Director of IT Security

Matt joined SFM in 2017 as a Network Engineer and was promoted to his current position as Director of IT Security in 2023. He directs information security policy and strategy at SFM, and leads SFM’s security and IT incident response teams. Matt also manages IT risk evaluations, audits and security investigations for SFM.

He holds several IT industry certifications, and is active in the local chapter of ISC2. He’s an active volunteer at Second Harvest Heartland and Habitat for Humanity.

Matt has spent 20 years working in IT roles for professional services organizations. Prior to joining SFM, Matt worked at Eide Bailly, LLP.

Ceil Jung, RN, BSN, CCM

Ceil Jung, RN, BSN, CCM

Director of Medical Services

Ceil has been with SFM since 2013. She is responsible for managing the Medical Services team which includes telephonic medical case management audits and resource, nurse drug review program, medical vendor management, and SFM’s consulting physicians. She also coordinates the occupational medicine resident rotations at SFM and in-services on medical topics and issues.

She received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas. She has been a Certified Case Manager since 2000.

Ceil is program Co-chair for the Insurance Rehabilitation Study Group (IRSG) and serves on the Medical Issues Committee and Research and Standards Committee for the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC). She is also on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Medical Services Review Board.

Tanya Keller, FCAS

Tanya Keller, FCAS

Director of Analytics

Tanya has been with SFM since 2021 and leads the actuarial, business intelligence and data science functions at SFM.

Prior to joining SFM, she held actuarial positions at Travelers Insurance and Ernst & Young.

Tanya graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Madison with bachelor’s degrees in actuarial science as well as risk management & insurance. She is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS).

Louis Quick

Louis Quick

Director of Software Development

Louis joined SFM in 2010 as a Senior Software Developer and held titles of Senior Software Engineer and Software Development Manager before being promoted to Director of Software Development in 2024.  He is responsible for all of the software development at SFM, including vendor integrations, web applications and proprietary software.

Before joining SFM, he held similar positions at other companies with nearly 30 years of experience in the software development field. He has experience in a wide range of technologies from mainframes to the latest Microsoft offerings.

Louis graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and a minor in computer programming.

Lee Wendel, CSP, ARM, CSPHA

Lee Wendel, CSP, ARM, CSPHA

Director of Loss Prevention

Lee joined SFM in 2015 as the Loss Prevention Technical Leader and was promoted to Director of Loss Prevention in 2022.  He is responsible for the strategic direction and safety resources that support SFM’s Loss Prevention team. With a passion for safety developed over 30 years in business leadership positions, he helps loss prevention staff provide effective safety prevention services that protect employees while also reducing risk for policyholders. Lee’s responsibilities also include training new Loss Representatives and ensuring existing staff provide great service and professional advice to policyholders.

He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND. He earned the Certified Safety Professional designation in 2016 and has over 20 years of safety leadership experience. He also earned an Associate in Risk Management designation and is certified in safe patient handling practices.

Rhonda Wills

Rhonda Wills

Vice President of Residual Markets

Rhonda joined SFM Companies in 1988. She has over 34 years of experience with SFM in multiple roles, and over 37 years working in the workers’ compensation arena. She held roles in the Claims Technical and Underwriting Technical departments before becoming the Business Manager for SFM Risk Solutions assigned risk business for both Superior Point and SFM, and was promoted to her current position as Vice President of Residual Markets in 2023.

She is responsible for profit and loss, as well as the development of new business for the residual market. She currently manages 75% of the Minnesota and 20% of the Wisconsin residual market contracts, and leads a multi-disciplined team of insurance professionals in multiple states. She also manages the Minnesota Department of Commerce safety contract, providing loss preventions surveys to customers in the Minnesota Assigned Risk Plan.

Rhonda also serves on the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds (AASCIF) Underwriting Committee.

LaFonda Leshovsky

LaFonda Leshovsky

Business Team Leader of TPA Services, SFM Risk Solutions

LaFonda joined SFM Companies in 2018 as a Senior Claims Adjuster and became Business Team Leader of SFM Risk Solutions’ third-party administration business in March 2021. She is responsible for the leadership and development of the TPA business which includes managing existing account services, new business development, and overseeing TPA claims staff.

She is a graduate of Bethel College with a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and also received an associate’s degree from North Hennepin Community College. She has more than 20 years of workers’ compensation experience.

LaFonda is President of the Professional Insurance Women of Minnesota, serves on the board of the Minnesota Employers Workers’ Compensation Alliance and is a licensed independent casualty adjuster in the State of Minnesota. She is also a member of the Alliance for Women in Workers’ Compensation, and is an associate member of the Iowa Self-Insurers Association.

Schmidt, Scharfenberg & Hollick attorneys

John Hollick, JD

John Hollick, JD

Chief Defense Counsel

John joined SFM Companies in 1989 as a Law Clerk and later advanced to Defense Counsel and Senior Defense Counsel. He has over 30 years of experience in workers’ compensation defense. He has been Chief Defense Counsel since 2013 and oversees Schmidt, Scharfenberg and Hollick, SFM’s in-house legal team of attorneys.

He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and previously served as Chair of the Legal Committee of the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds. He is also a graduate of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Minnesota program and continues to be a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs and the Chamber of Commerce.

John is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Management and graduated cum laude from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Steve Scharfenberg, JD

Steve Scharfenberg, JD

Assistant Chief Defense Counsel

Steve joined SFM Companies in 1989 and has been practicing solely in the area of workers’ compensation for 22 years.

He graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is admitted to practice in the State of Minnesota as well as Wisconsin, and he handles all Wisconsin workers’ compensation litigation on behalf of SFM.

Cheryl Bowsfield, JD

Cheryl Bowsfield, JD

Senior Defense Counsel

Cheryl joined SFM Companies in 1998. Prior to that, she clerked for Judge Michael Sovis in the 10th Judicial District located in Hastings, Minnesota and then went into private practice in workers’ compensation insurance defense.

In addition to Minnesota workers’ compensation law, Cheryl also specializes in workers’ comp law in Nebraska and South Dakota and assists SFM Claims Representatives with legal questions in those states.

Cheryl graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is admitted to practice in the State of Minnesota and assists in all areas of workers’ compensation.

Tom Davern, JD

Tom Davern, JD

Senior Defense Counsel

Tom joined SFM Companies in 2006. Prior to that he practiced for six years in Florida before returning to Minnesota in 2006.

He worked for an insurance defense firm in Miami, Florida and specialized in motor vehicle accident litigation and fraud investigation. Tom is still admitted to practice in the State of Florida as well as Minnesota. In addition to defending workers’ compensation claims with SSH, Tom handles subrogation claims and is the attorney representative of SFM’s Special Investigations team.

He graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2000.

Beth Giebel, JD

Beth Giebel, JD

Senior Defense Counsel and Director of Legal Training

Beth joined SFM Companies in 1999. She facilitates all legal training on behalf of SFM and presents at various workers’ compensation and employment law seminars throughout the region.

She graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, and has practiced exclusively in the area of workers’ compensation defense.

Aaron Schmidt, JD

Aaron Schmidt, JD

Managing Counsel

Aaron joined SFM Companies in 2015. Prior to coming to SH, he clerked for Judge Toddrick Barnette in the 4th Judicial District in Minneapolis, Minnesota and then practiced in the areas of workers’ compensation, general liability, and construction insurance defense at private firms.

He graduated from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is admitted to practice in the State of Minnesota.

Peter Lindquist, JD

Peter Lindquist, JD

Defense Counsel

Peter joined SFM Companies in 2018. Prior to coming to SSH, he practiced for four years in the areas of workers’ compensation defense, general civil litigation, and employment law. He is an active member of the Minnesota Employers Workers’ Compensation Alliance and the Minnesota Defense Lawyers’ Association’s workers’ compensation and amicus curiae committees.

Peter is a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College and received his J.D. from William Mitchell (now Mitchell-Hamline) School of Law in St. Paul. He is licensed to practice in Minnesota.

Jessica Stoeckman, JD

Jessica Stoeckman, JD

Defense Counsel

Jessica joined SFM Companies in 2006 as a Claims Representative and moved on to a variety of other roles including Special Investigator and Legal Intern before being promoted to her current position as Defense Counsel for Schmidt, Scharfenberg & Hollick in 2013.

She is active in Minnesota Defense Lawyers Association, Minnesota Women Lawyers and the New Lawyers Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association. She has done pro bono work in taxation and family law, and also held legal research positions for Hamline University and a local bus company.

Jessica is a graduate of St. Cloud State University and Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul. She is admitted to practice law in the State of Minnesota.

Independent physician advisors

SFM contracts with independent physician advisors with extensive occupational medicine expertise to advise claims representatives on complex medical issues and review injured worker diagnoses and treatment plans. Working closely with physician consultants with first-hand workers’ compensation experience helps claims staff provide the best possible service to injured workers and their employers.

Ralph Bovard, MD, FACSM, FACPM, FACOEM

Ralph Bovard, MD, FACSM, FACPM, FACOEM

Independent Physician Advisor

Dr. Bovard is an Independent Physician Advisor to SFM. He has over 35 years of clinical practice experience in occupational, non-operative orthopedics and sports medicine. He is board certified in both general preventive medicine and occupational medicine.

He received his medical degree from the University of Minnesota and did his residency training in preventive medicine at the University of Arizona. He has special interests and advocacy for fitness, exercise physiology, body composition analysis and the “industrial athlete” model.

Dr. Bovard is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM), American College of Preventive Medicine (FACPM) and the American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (FACOEM).

He remains a core faculty in the HealthPartners Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. He is also the Medical Director for a regional energy company and provides medical peer case review analyses.

Ola Kuku, MD, MPH

Ola Kuku, MD, MPH

Independent Physician Advisor

Dr. Kuku is an Independent Physician Advisor to SFM. ​He is a board certified occupational medicine physician with over 20 years of experience in workers’ compensation and disability management, and has held several physician leadership positions.

Dr. Kuku received his medical degree from Semmelweis Medical University in Budapest, Hungary. He received a graduate degree in public health (MPH) from George Washington University, Washington D.C. He trained at Howard University Teaching Hospital in Washington D.C. and Regions Hospital/University of Minnesota residency program.

He is a member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Board of directors

Kent D. Dixon

Kent D. Dixon

Board Chairperson

Kent Dixon of Excelsior, Minnesota, has been on the SFM board of directors since 2009. He is the President of Jerry’s Enterprises based in Edina, Minnesota, which has been an SFM policyholder since 1986.

He received bachelor’s degrees in business administration and accounting from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Karen M. Holt

Karen M. Holt

Board Vice Chairperson

Karen Holt of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, joined the SFM board of directors in June of 2018. She is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Wilson-McShane Corporation in Bloomington, Minnesota, which has been an SFM policyholder since 2015.

Karen is a proven leader with over 30 years of expertise in the benefits field and third-party administration industry. Her experience entails strategic planning, executive leadership experience, client retention and client satisfaction management, as well as a deep understanding of business operations in a dynamic environment.

Prior to joining Wilson-McShane, she held a Director of Employee Benefits position with Berkley Risk Administrators Company; and was also Vice President with Comprehensive Care Services.

Harald E. Borrmann

Harald E. Borrmann

Investment Committee Chair

Harald Borrmann of St. Paul, Minnesota, has been on the SFM board of directors since 2016. He is the current Chair of SFM’s Investment Committee and brings with him a wealth of financial, investment and accounting knowledge.

He also currently serves as the President of the Board of Mental Health Resources, a nonprofit provider of mental health and substance abuse services throughout Minnesota, and provides customized consulting services in the fraternal insurance and reinsurance fields.

Harald is the former President and Board Chair of Catholic United Financial, former Board Chair of the Catholic United Financial Credit Union, former Board President of the Catholic United Financial Foundation and former Board Chair of the American Fraternal Alliance. Prior to his work in the fraternal insurance sector, he spent 30 years in the reinsurance field representing insurers of all sizes throughout the United States.

He received his bachelor’s degree in marketing and finance from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Business and has done additional coursework at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Laurie M. Lafontaine, MBA, CPA (Retired)

Laurie M. Lafontaine, MBA, CPA (Retired)

Director

Laurie Lafontaine of Wayzata, Minnesota, joined the SFM board of directors in June of 2021. She has been involved in governance for over 30 years, serving on boards and in leadership positions. She serves or has served on the boards of directors and/or audit committees of several national health care organizations, including North Memorial Health Care, Memorial Health Care, Bon Secours Health System (Baltimore), Presence Health System (Chicago) and Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas. She also serves or has served on several community boards of directors/finance/audit committees, including ClearWay Minnesota, GHR Foundation, Senior Community Services, Way to Grow, Neighborhood Commercial Spaces, LLC, Twin Cities RISE, Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities, Girl Scout Council of Minnesota, Rogers Behavioral Health, Wisconsin River Valleys and United Way.

She is a former Finance Executive of Allina Health System where she had responsibility for accounting and financial reporting, treasury, tax, accounts payable and real estate, and had also served as Interim Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Information Officer. Prior to joining Allina, she was an Audit Partner at Deloitte & Touche Twin Cities.

Laurie has an executive MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a B.S.B.A. in accounting from the University of North Dakota. She is a CPA (retired) and a member of MNCPA, Financial Executives International and Women Corporate Directors.

Robert F. McIntyre, MBA, ARM, CPCU

Robert F. McIntyre, MBA, ARM, CPCU

Director

Rob McIntyre of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, joined the SFM board of directors in May of 2017. He is presently the Executive Vice President for The Horton Group, based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Rob was formerly the Branch President of Horton-Wisconsin, relinquishing those duties to return to sales after thirteen years in executive leadership.

He received his bachelor’s degree in business management from Northern Michigan University and master’s degree in business administration from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He currently holds ARM and CPCU designations and formerly earned Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designations. Rob has been a member of multiple advisory boards, including SFM’s Agent Advisory Council.

Thomas J. Mertens

Thomas J. Mertens

Director

Thomas Mertens of Medina, Minnesota, joined the SFM board of directors in 2022. He currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, which has been an SFM client since 2013. He has been with the Archdiocese since 2012 and was previously the CFO and Controller for Macquarie Air-Serv Holding Inc. for eight years where he provided expertise and leadership in growing the company’s revenues mainly through acquisitions. He began his career as an auditor for KPMG Peat Marwick in Minneapolis.

Thomas received bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business administration from St. John’s University, Collegeville. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1990.

Laura R. Moore, MEHS, CIC, CRM

Laura R. Moore, MEHS, CIC, CRM

Director

Laura Moore of Maple Plain, Minnesota, joined the SFM board of directors in 2020. She is presently the President and Business Insurance Practice Leader of Marsh McLennan Agency Minnesota (MMA) and has been with MMA since 2004. Laura is responsible for the overall culture and growth initiatives of the offices while also ensuring operational efficiencies. She focuses on sales planning, forecasting, talent acquisition, training and development and on executing growth initiatives across the agency. Prior to working at MMA, she worked in risk control for St. Paul Companies (now Travelers Insurance).

She received both a bachelor’s degree in community health and master’s degree in environmental health and safety from the University of Minnesota Duluth. She earned Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designations from The National Alliance for Insurance Education and Research.

Amy Porwoll

Amy Porwoll

Director

Amy Porwoll of St. Cloud, Minnesota, joined the SFM board of directors in 2024. She has worked at CentraCare for 28 years, beginning her career there as a Senior Programmer Analyst, advancing to a Systems Administrator, and then Director of Information Systems. She became Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer in August 2011. Prior to joining CentraCare Amy worked at IBM for six years.

She currently serves on the board of directors of Panda Health and is a past board member of St. Cloud State’s Foundation and the Minnesota Epic User’s Group. She’s also a member of the Health Information Management Systems Society, the College of Health Information Management Executives, the Scottsdale Institute, and the Women’s Health Leadership TRUST.

She graduated with honors from St. Cloud State University with a bachelor’s degree in business computer information systems and received a master’s degree in health care from the University of St. Thomas.

Terese A. Radford

Terese A. Radford

Director

Terese Radford of Mendota Heights, Minnesota, joined the SFM board of directors in 2020. She serves as Senior Vice President of Bremer Bank with more than 3 years of experience in banking.

She is a past board and finance committee member for Angel Foundation, served on the finance committee for the Jeremiah Program, is an active member of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and is an alumna of their leadership program. She is currently on the finance committee for Dodge Nature Center.

Terese received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and French with a concentration in finance from University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Terry Miller, CPA, CFA

Terry Miller, CPA, CFA

Director

Terry Miller of Eagan, Minnesota, has worked at SFM for over 40 years, serving as the company’s original controller. He has since risen through the ranks, becoming Vice President of Accounting, Vice President of Finance, Senior Vice President and CFO, then Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He became President and Chief Executive Officer in November 2018.

He serves on the board of directors of the Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association, the Insurance Federation of Minnesota and the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds.  He recently was on the board of the Minneapolis Urban League and Small Sums, a Saint Paul, Minnesota‐based nonprofit. He’s also a member of the Minnesota Society of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, the CFA Institute and the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association.

He graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas.