Marquette University Law School | Milwaukee, WI

Juris Doctor Degree, 1994

 

Loras College | Dubuque, IA

Bachelor of Arts Degree, magna cum laude

1991 Majors in Business Finance and Business Marketing

 

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. | Denver, CO

Certified Financial Planner Designation, 2002

(Lapsed two years after return to Loras)

LORAS COLLEGE | Dubuque, IA

June 2025 | President

June 2024 | President-elect

 

Steele Capital Management | Dubuque, IA

December 2021 – 2024 | President

• Managed day-to-day operations of the firm.
• Introduced and implemented budgeting, strategic planning and annual review processes to our team.
• Generated $10,000,000 in new assets annually from new and existing clients.

 

LORAS COLLEGE | Dubuque, IA

June 2007 – December 2021

 

2016 – 2021 | Vice President for Advancement & Treasurer (CFO)

• Improved results in net income from operations, budgeting process and procurement efficiencies while improving Loras’ relationship with its banking partners.
• Led Loras to achieve budget goal for FY17 resulting in a $1,250,000 improvement to the bottom line on a $35,000,000 budgetnet of institutional aid.
• Led successful negotiation and settlement with insurance company related to fire and loss of building on campus that occurred in March of 2016.
• Improved morale and performance in all four areas that fell under Finance and Administrative Services during first These areas include information technologies (IT), human resources (HR), physical plant and finance.
• FY17 – advancement team added $17,014,000 to campaign bringing total to over $103,000,000.
  • $19,375,500 was overall total raised for cash, pledges and planned gifts.
  • Increased total annual fund dollars raised by 42%.
• May 5, 2017 – Loras hosted the inaugural Loras Legacy Ball, a fundraiser for student aid with an additional intent of growing our connectedness with leaders in the Greater Dubuque community.
  • Original goal of $250,000 in gross revenue was surpassed by over $50,000 in year one.
  • Team surpassed $1,000,000 in net revenue prior to the fourth annual ball on August 20, (2020 cancelled due to COVID-19)
• FY18 – led Loras finance team along with members of Loras Board of Regents and consultants from Piper Jaffray, through debt and SWAPsettlement restructure that resulted in renewal of Letter of Credit for three years and reduced annual interest and SWAP settlements payments by over $500,000.
  • Interest and SWAP settlement savings allocated to debt principal repayments.
  • Reduced total debt service over term of restructure by $900,000.
  • Loras finance team led the work that resulted in positive net income from operations for FY18 while hitting budget numbers for the year.
  • Moved significant portion of debt from national bank to three local banks.
• FY18 – our advancement team increased total cash raised by 79.5% or $5,488,300 over previous fiscal At the time it was best total cash year in Lorasfundraising history ($12,388,700).
  • Closed the campaign on August 31, 2017, with just over $105,000,000 raised during the campaign.
• FY18-FY19 – worked closely with physical plant personnel as the main entrance and first floor of Keane Hall went through extensive Loras was the general contractor on project.
  • Took over project lead of day-to-day duties when Assistant Vice President of Physical Plant was in accident and out of work for nearly six months.
  • FY19 – there was major collapse of retaining wall on campus resulting in multi-million-dollar loss.
    • Led successful negotiation with insurance company that included Loras personnel, insurance consultants, architect and engineering professionals and contractors from local electrical, gas and construction companies.
  • FY19 – led team that worked with consultant firm as campus master planning process was completed that worked with entirecampus in gaining input and finalizing master plan for the next 10 years with an emphasis on priority projects over the next five years.

• FY19 – FY20:
  • Completed replacement of Loras antiquated electric distribution system.
  • Updates to landscaping around Keane Hall.
  • Loras finance team led the work that resulted in another year of positive net income from operations for FY19 while hitting budget number for the year.
• FY19 – our advancement team increased total cash raised by 6% or $1,555,600 over previous fiscal year. (It was the best total cashyear in Loras fundraising history $13,944,300).
  • Lead development officer and personally worked with donor that resulted in the Loras’ largest one-time cash gift in school history, $5,000,000.

2012 – 2016 | Vice President for Institutional Advancement

• FY13 – team increased total cash raised by 26% or $1,555,412 over previous fiscal year, exceeding goal. (At the time it was besttotal cash year in Loras fundraising history $7,611,200)
• May 2013 – launched inaugural Duhawk Day
  • 24 hour initiative Loras asks alumni, family and friends of Loras College to celebrate, unite and support Loras College.
  • Alumni gatherings organized and held in over 39 cities around the world since inception.
  • Over 900 donors made gifts to Loras during the first 24-hour period, this number has grown each year culminating in arecord 1,895 donors on Duhawk Day.
  • Duhawk Day 2021 totaled 2,121 donors.
  • Colleges, universities and high schools around the country reach out and meet with Loras advancement office due to our Duhawk Day.
• October 2013 – publicly launched $75,000,000 endowment focused capital campaign, the largest campaign in Loras’ then 173-year history.
• FY14 – team increased total cash raised by 19% or $1,462,700 over previous fiscal year. (At the time it was best total cash year in Loras fundraising history $9,073,900).
  • We added $15,274,800 to campaign total (New Cash, New Pledges and New Planned Gifts) and raised $17,937,400 incash, pledges and planned gifts overall.
• FY15 – team increased total annual fund dollars by 23% or $1,002,295 over previous fiscal year which was best in Loras’ history ($5,395,900). We also had our then second-best total cash year in Loras fundraising history ($8,415,300).
  • We added $15,746,900 to campaign total and raised $18,484,800
  • We had 4% increase in graduate donors over previous fiscal year. A third straight year of increase in graduatedonors.
• June 2015 – the $75,000,000 campaign goal was achieved, two years ahead of schedule, the goal was increased to$100,000,000 with the same end date of 2017.
• FY16– our team raised $15,330,500 toward the campaign, $17,867,000 overall and $7,238,500 in total cash, the seventhbest total cash year in school history.
  • We had 5% increase in cash given to the endowment over previous year.
  • We had 2% increase in the amount of money raised via private grants.

2011 | Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement

• Oversaw day-to-day advancement operations of development, alumni and advancement services offices while maintainingassigned donor and prospect responsibilities.
• FY12 – team increased total annual fund dollars raised by 7%.

 

2010 | Director of Major Gifts

• Worked with new Vice President for Institutional Advancement to completely overhaul development office and major gift program which resulted in increased efficiency and dollars raised by our team.

 

2009 | Director of Development

• Oversaw advancement operation on interim basis as direct report to President of Loras (Office of Vice President for Institutional Advancement was vacant for majority of fiscal year)
• Held team together and instilled positive attitude throughout advancement office during vice president vacancy.
• FY1O – team’s total dollars raised increased by 3% versus previous fiscal year.

 

2007 | Director of Loras Fund, Senior Development Officer

• Met with current and prospective donors at varying stages of major gift cycle.
• Developed and executed strategies to move donors and prospects through multiple stages of the cycle.
  • In first year, increased amount raised by nearly 5%.
  • Maintained 5% increase in second year.

 

 

ERNST & YOUNG, LLP | Minneapolis, MN

April 2006 to May 2007

Senior Manager: Personal Financial Services

• Managed the Minneapolis persona! financial services office and was responsible for group achieving utilization, realization and profitability goals.
  • All team and individual goals were achieved for the year.
• Delivered and managed executive financial planning service programs to executive groups of large companies as well asworking with affluent individuals and their families to help coordinate their financial strategies and address concerns and needs.
  • This included working and leading tax compliance area to complete individual tax returns in timely, efficient andprofitable manner.
• Additional responsibility included generating new business in these areas along with employee financial education programs offered by employers to their employees.

 

RICHARDSON FINANCIAL GROUP | Menomonee Falls, WI

March 2003 to April 2006

Financial Planner/Client Relationship Manager

• Provided comprehensive integrated wealth planning and management services to affluent individuals and families.
• Services included analysis of current and future cash flows, expenses, assets and liabilities, income taxes and estatedistribution under varying sets of assumptions to provide clients with a comprehensive view of their financial picture.
• Provided analysis of clients’ estate plan by completing detailed examination of estate planning documents and providing summary of current and future estate distribution with description of issues and recommendations.

 

ERNST & YOUNG, LLP | Milwaukee, WI

January 1997 to March 2003

Manager: Personal Financial Counseling – Through March 2003

Senior Staff: Personal Financial Counseling – Through October 1999

• Responsibilities included selling, designing, implementing, delivering and managing financial education programs for largeemployee groups as well as agents and brokers.
• Financial education programs included one-on-one counseling and workshops for employees and executives in the areas of employee benefits, debt management, retirement, income tax, investment, education and estate planning.
  • As a senior staff member in national practice was asked to step in for senior manager who was fired one week prior to the delivery of a three hour pilot workshop to the top three human resource executives of a multi-billion dollar insurancecompany client.

The pilot workshop was successful and the engagement followed.

• Was part of sales team that secured two successful employee retirement programs for Milwaukee Ernst & Young office and was project manager for both engagements.
• Programs for agents and brokers were designed to teach how to incorporate financial planning process while using financial planning software.
• Project management required regular contact with human resource executives to review engagement progress and issues,management and leadership of Ernst & Young team as well as handling of all billing and collection issues.

 

NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, MARK H. SCHMIEDEL DISTRICT AGENCY | Waukesha, WI

August 1994 to January 1997

Special Agent

• Assisted clients to plan for their financial future in the areas of survivorship, retirement and educational planning.
  • Began with fact-finding meeting to understand clients’ goals and objectives.
  • Followed up with planning analysis and recommendations based on information collected and clients’ needs.
• Achieved and exceeded premium requirements each year.

 

 

GERALD R. TURNER & ASSOCIATES, S.C. | Milwaukee, WI

February 1993 to August 1994

Attorney – Through August 1994

Law Clerk – Through May 1994

• Performed legal research and legal writing in the areas of insurance, business, bankruptcy, family, tort and workers compensation law.
• Client contact included interviewing new clients, taking witness statements, attending depositions and making court appearances.

• Loras Advancement Team received the 2020 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Educational Fundraising Award
• 2015 Association of Fundraising Professional Greater Tri-State Chapter Outstanding Fundraising Professional
• 1997-2003 Lake Michigan Area Office of Ernst & Young Personal Financial Counseling Group Outstanding Service and Teamwork (given upon departure)