Pekin Insurance Promotions
** At the annual meeting of The Farmers Automobile Insurance Association held on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, Dan Connell, CPA, was elected President and Chief Executive Officer of the Property/Casualty companies of Pekin Insurance. In addition, Dan was elected Chief Executive Officer of Pekin Life Insurance Company. Scott Martin will remain in his position of Chairman of the Board of Pekin Insurance.
Dan joined Pekin Insurance as controller in 1998 and has served on the Pekin Insurance Board of Directors since 2006. He was named senior vice president and chief financial officer in October 2010, and in May 2019, Dan was named executive vice president and chief financial officer. Dan earned the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation and began his career at the accounting firm KPMG, LLP, in Chicago, Illinois, and Omaha, Nebraska. He has 31 years of experience in the property/casualty, life, and health insurance industries. He is currently a Trustee for the Pekin Union Mission and a former member of the Illinois Central College Educational Foundation.
Dan and his wife, Erin, have four children: twins Chase and Kylie, who are juniors in college, and two boys, Evan and Sean, in high school. Every year, Dan and his family look forward to their vacation in Wisconsin to go boating.
Please join us in congratulating Dan Connell on his new position as Pekin Insurance’s Chief Executive Officer!
Brian has earned his Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI), Fellow of the Academy of the Life Underwriting (FALU), and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designations. He is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
**Congratulations to Brian Lee, who has been promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer/Life. He will continue to serve as Senior Vice President of the Property/Casualty
Companies.
In 1983, Brian began his career at Pekin Insurance as a life underwriter trainee. He advanced in the Life Underwriting Department and was promoted to chief underwriter in 1992. Nine years later,
his job title changed to underwriting manager. In 2003, Brian was named vice president – administration, and he was named senior vice president and chief operating officer/life in 2010.
Brian has earned his Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI), Fellow of the Academy of the Life Underwriting (FALU), and Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designations. He is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
Brian actively supports the insurance industry and his community as a member of the Central Illinois CPCU Society and the Pekin Community Bank Advisory Board. Brian is a past president of the Central Illinois Home Office Underwriters Association, the Dirksen Congressional Center, the Pekin
American Businessmen’s Club, and the Pekin Country Club.
**Congratulations to Mike Zabinski for being promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Risk Officer. In 2002, Mike began his Pekin Insurance career as an assistant
treasurer. He brought with him 20 years of public accounting and audit experience in the insurance industry. He was promoted to controller and vice president before being named vice president –
controller and chief risk officer in May 2019.
In his new role, Mike’s duties will include leading the financial strategy and functions of the organization. Mike will also continue to serve as the leader of our Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program, which identifies, assesses, monitors, and reports all material risks. Since beginning the program in 2017, the ERM team has developed a formal ERM policy, established employee-driven Risk Working Groups, and held regular meetings with the Executive Team and Board of Directors.
Mike has served on the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) Federal Tax Steering Committee and the Illinois CPA Society Peer Review Acceptance Committee
monitoring the American Institute of CPA’s Peer Review Program in Illinois.
His professional designations include Associate in Risk Management – ERM (ARM-E), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and Supervisory Management (SM).
In 1981, Mike graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. In 1988, he earned a Master of Science in Taxation from DePaul University.
Active in his community, Mike has served on boards of the Morton Community Foundation, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Pekin Country Club, and the Central Illinois chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
**Congratulations to Amber Stenger, who has been promoted to Controller! Amber began her career with the company in 2013 when she was hired as an accounting project manager. She was promoted two years later to assistant treasurer – property & casualty. In 2018, she was named assistant vice president – assistant treasurer, where she was responsible for leading all areas of P&C Accounting, including Accounts Payable, Agency Accounting, Collections, and Financial Reporting. Amber also led the forecast and budget processes for the P&C and Life companies.
In 2000, Amber started her accounting career as an auditor with KPMG, LLP, in St. Louis, Missouri, and then transferred to KPMG’s Washington, D.C., office the following year. She accepted a position
with Inova Health System in Fairfax, Virginia, in 2003 and was promoted to senior accountant. In 2011, Amber accepted a corporate accounting manager position at Emerson Electric.
Amber is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and has a Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Virginia. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and holds
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Supervisory Management (SM) designations.
Amber feels very lucky to have been a part of several change efforts during her tenure at Pekin Insurance. She has been excited to see the company embrace new technology and processes that are setting us up for future success. Additionally, she is thrilled about the growth of strategy and risk in
recent years.
As the new leader of the Accounting Department, Amber is excited to implement changes in their technology, processes, and services. As we drive toward improving profitability as an enterprise, she believes Accounting can provide valuable insight and transparency to assist leaders and employees.
**Congratulations, Michele Ginther, who was recently promoted to Assistant Vice President & Assistant Treasurer of all Pekin Insurance companies! In 1993, Michele began her career at Pekin
Insurance as a commission and cost accountant. She has since been in the roles of senior accountant, senior financial statement analyst, and life financial statement manager. Prior to her promotion,
Michele was the assistant vice president & assistant treasurer of Pekin Life Insurance Company.
Michele is a graduate of Bradley University and has earned the Fellow, Life Management
Institute (FLMI) and Supervisory Management (SM) designations.
When asked about her favorite change at work, she responded, “We have had so many good changes here at Pekin Insurance that I can’t come up with a favorite! The Home Office remodel, expanded
parking, smart casual dress, and flextime are some of the positive changes that have happened over the last few years.” Looking toward the future, Michele is especially excited about the Accounting Department potentially getting approval to move forward with a new financial processing platform.
**Congratulations to Mike Zabinski for being promoted to Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Risk Officer. In 2002, Mike began his Pekin Insurance career as an assistant
treasurer. He brought with him 20 years of public accounting and audit experience in the insurance industry. He was promoted to controller and vice president before being named vice president –
controller and chief risk officer in May 2019.
In his new role, Mike’s duties will include leading the financial strategy and functions of the organization. Mike will also continue to serve as the leader of our Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program, which identifies, assesses, monitors, and reports all material risks. Since beginning the program in 2017, the ERM team has developed a formal ERM policy, established employee-driven Risk Working Groups, and held regular meetings with the Executive Team and Board of Directors.
Mike has served on the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) Federal Tax Steering Committee and the Illinois CPA Society Peer Review Acceptance Committee
monitoring the American Institute of CPA’s Peer Review Program in Illinois.
His professional designations include Associate in Risk Management – ERM (ARM-E), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), and Supervisory Management (SM).
In 1981, Mike graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy. In 1988, he earned a Master of Science in Taxation from DePaul University.
Active in his community, Mike has served on boards of the Morton Community Foundation, Blessed Sacrament Parish, Pekin Country Club, and the Central Illinois chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
**Congratulations to Amber Stenger, who has been promoted to Controller! Amber began her career with the company in 2013 when she was hired as an accounting project manager. She was promoted two years later to assistant treasurer – property & casualty. In 2018, she was named assistant vice president – assistant treasurer, where she was responsible for leading all areas of P&C Accounting, including Accounts Payable, Agency Accounting, Collections, and Financial Reporting. Amber also led the forecast and budget processes for the P&C and Life companies.
In 2000, Amber started her accounting career as an auditor with KPMG, LLP, in St. Louis, Missouri, and then transferred to KPMG’s Washington, D.C., office the following year. She accepted a position
with Inova Health System in Fairfax, Virginia, in 2003 and was promoted to senior accountant. In 2011, Amber accepted a corporate accounting manager position at Emerson Electric.
Amber is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and has a Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Virginia. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), and holds
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Supervisory Management (SM) designations.
Amber feels very lucky to have been a part of several change efforts during her tenure at Pekin Insurance. She has been excited to see the company embrace new technology and processes that are setting us up for future success. Additionally, she is thrilled about the growth of strategy and risk in
recent years.
As the new leader of the Accounting Department, Amber is excited to implement changes in their technology, processes, and services. As we drive toward improving profitability as an enterprise, she believes Accounting can provide valuable insight and transparency to assist leaders and employees.
**Congratulations, Michele Ginther, who was recently promoted to Assistant Vice President & Assistant Treasurer of all Pekin Insurance companies! In 1993, Michele began her career at Pekin
Insurance as a commission and cost accountant. She has since been in the roles of senior accountant, senior financial statement analyst, and life financial statement manager. Prior to her promotion,
Michele was the assistant vice president & assistant treasurer of Pekin Life Insurance Company.
Michele is a graduate of Bradley University and has earned the Fellow, Life Management
Institute (FLMI) and Supervisory Management (SM) designations.
When asked about her favorite change at work, she responded, “We have had so many good changes here at Pekin Insurance that I can’t come up with a favorite! The Home Office remodel, expanded
parking, smart casual dress, and flextime are some of the positive changes that have happened over the last few years.” Looking toward the future, Michele is especially excited about the Accounting Department potentially getting approval to move forward with a new financial processing platform.
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