Ryan Fee

President InvenTrust Properties
About Ryan

Ryan Fee is the VP of Risk Management for InvenTrust Properties Corp, a publicly traded REIT headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois. He is responsible for the strategic planning, development and implementation of all insurance and risk management programs, including insurance policies, claims, loss control, Enterprise Risk Management, Business Continuity Management and management of InvenTrust's captive insurance company. Ryan has been in the risk management and insurance industry for over 20 years.

Seung Yoo

Vice President Steel Partners
About Seung

Seung Yoo is the Senior Director of Global Risk and Property Management at Steel Partners, responsible for comprehensive global risk management programs and real property administration. 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. He holds the CPCU, ARM-E and ARe designations.

Kelly Croll

Secretary Allstate
About Kelly

Kelly Croll has been in Corporate Insurance and Risk Management at Allstate for over ten years. As an Insurance Risk Lead Consultant, she oversees the agent errors and omissions insurance program, property and other corporate insurance programs, manages corporate claims, and is primarily responsible for risk management contract review. She earned her J.D. from DePaul University School of Law.

Katie Rabs

Co-Treasurer & Past President Solventum
About Katie

Katie is the Corporate Insurance & Risk Manager at Solventum, responsible for the oversight and coordination of the worldwide property and casualty insurance programs. Prior to Solventum she was an Account Executive at Marsh McLennan Agency, and earlier held roles at LaSalle Investment Management, Rotary International and Sedgwick.

Michael Schilling

Co-Treasurer EY
About Michael

Michael is a Senior Manager in EY's Insurance Claims Services practice, based in Chicago. With more than 15 years of specialized experience, he advises policyholders on complex insurance recoveries involving property damage, extra expense, business interruption, cyber events, fidelity claims, and litigation support.

Theresa Severson

Past President Kite Realty Group
About Theresa

Theresa Power Severson is Senior Vice President of Insurance and Risk at Kite Realty Group, managing the company's risk and insurance programs, captive insurance program, claims management, business continuity, and enterprise risk management. In 2023 she was honored as the Risk Manager of the Year by RIMS.

Gail Bartholomew

Director Nouryon USA, LLC
About Gail

Gail Bartholomew is the Global Insurance and Claims Manager for Nouryon USA, LLC, based in Chicago, responsible for risk management, insurance, and claims management of Nouryon's global operations. She holds the RIMS-CRMP designation along with the CRM, CIC, CISR, and CPRM designations.

Paul Brandel

Director US Foods
About Paul

Paul Brandel is the Risk Manager for US Foods. He began his career in 1999 as a multi-line claims adjuster for Marriott International and has held roles with Gallagher Bassett, Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Eby-Brown. He is a past President of the RIMS Chicago Chapter (2018).

Angela Falese

Director BluSky Restoration
About Angela

Angela Falese is an accomplished business development leader with extensive experience in the insurance restoration industry. She serves on the marketing committee for the Chicagoland Risk Forum.

Peter Jakab

Director CBIZ Valuation Group
About Peter

Peter is a seasoned business development professional with over 25 years of experience in valuation services and capital asset management, delivering insurance appraisals and fixed asset inventories for governmental and non-governmental clients. He has served on the Chicago RIMS membership committee.

Tanja Maffei Chan

Director Revantage
About Tanja

Drawing on 30 years of industry experience, Tanja has extensive global M&A, risk management and captive experience across a variety of industries, with prior roles at Hylant, Willis, Marsh and CNA. She is a frequent speaker on market updates, M&A, captives and claims management.

Adam Miholic

Director Revantage, a Blackstone company
About Adam

Adam Miholic is the Vice President, Placement and Captives for Revantage, a Blackstone real estate portfolio company, leading North American insurance placement and all global captive programs. He has more than 12 years of experience in insurance and captive consulting.

Lara Pearson

Director Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants
About Lara

Lara Pearson is the Senior Director of Risk Management at Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants in Downers Grove, IL. She previously served as President of the Atlanta RIMS chapter, leading it to the Global RIMS Chapter of the Year Award.

Amy Scheiden

Director The Habitat Company
About Amy

With over 25 years in insurance and risk management, Amy Scheiden is Risk Manager at The Habitat Company, overseeing property, casualty and management liability placement, claims and loss prevention.

Liz Venhuizen

Director Ozinga
About Liz

Liz is the Director of Risk & Insurance for Ozinga, a large construction and transportation company headquartered in the Chicago area, where her team manages risk, the insurance portfolio, contracts, claims and vendor compliance. She also started and manages a single-parent captive in Vermont.

Past presidents

Everyone who has chaired the chapter. Nobody is removed when their term ends.

  • 2024–2025 Katie Rabs
  • 2022–2023 Carnell Jones
  • 2021 Theresa Severson
  • 2020 Liz Walker
  • 2019 Chris Brandt
  • 2018 Paul Brandel
  • 2017 Jason Mezyk
  • 2016 Jonathan Falco
  • 2015 Marie Kupferschmid
  • 2014 Barb Devine
  • 2013 Cindy Slubowski
  • 2012 Patty Grass
  • 2010–2011 Julie Bean
  • 2008–2009 Alan Kubitz
  • 2007 Terry Sampson
  • 2006 Ron Cooley
  • 2005 Ron Gandolfi
  • 2003–2004 Peggy Rychtarik
  • 2002 Mark Schneider
  • 2001 Daniel Ballard
  • 2000 William T. Sweeney
  • 1999 Lance L. Ferris
  • 1998 Noreen Klink
  • 1997 Pansy Heger
  • 1996 David Burr
  • 1995 James Stenstrom
  • 1994 Laura DeSpain Olmsted
  • 1992–1993 Doug Nyhus
  • 1991 Rebecca Gilman
  • 1990 Vern Torrens
  • 1989 Raymond Zadenetz
  • 1988 Janice Ochenkowski
  • 1987 William V. Fish
  • 1986 J.A. Cornelius
  • 1985 Thomas Durkin
  • 1984 Gilbert L. Carson
  • 1983 Daniel T. Morris
  • 1982 Craig L. Ames
  • 1981 Philip J. Saturnino
  • 1980 Hal Johnson
  • 1979 S.H. Staubitz
  • 1978 J.M. Lindenmayer
  • 1977 Jack W. Barker
  • 1976 Arnold J. Saret
  • 1975 John F. Ross
  • 1974 Arthur P. Bostwick
  • 1973 Phillip B. Gehrke
  • 1972 H. Jay Varner
  • 1971 William J. Gibbons, Jr.
  • 1970 Arthur H. Melzer
  • 1969 James R. Mascarella
  • 1968 Edward D. Hansen
  • 1966–1967 Leonard P. Hellerich
  • 1965 Waller B. Smith
  • 1964 Robert D. McGowan
  • 1963 Dean Alexander
  • 1962 Kenneth F. Haelsig
  • 1961 C. Paul Kipp
  • 1960 Frank A. O’Shaughnessy
  • 1959 E.R. Zimmerman
  • 1958 Richard E. Blakely
  • 1957 Casimir Z. Greenley
  • 1956 C. Henry Austin
  • 1955 Robert B. Myers
  • 1954 Frazier S. Wilson
  • 1952 Ray E. Bass

Getting involved

Committees

Programs, membership, sponsorship and communications all meet monthly and all of them want more hands. No election required — just say so.

Standing for the board

Nominations open in the spring and anyone in good standing can stand. Serving on a committee first is the usual route, but it is not a requirement.

Speaking or hosting

If you have something worth an hour of the room, or somewhere worth meeting, the programs committee would like to hear from you.

Get in touch