State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.

Dave Gonzales is Senior Vice President for State Farm Insurance Companies in the the Great Western Zone. He joined State Farm in 1980 as an auto company trainee in the Greeley, Colorado, office, where he was promoted to employment assistant and personnel specialist in 1981 and assistant personnel manager in 1982. He moved to corporate headquarters as an employment representative in 1984. Later that year he was named personnel manager in the Tempe, Arizona, office where he became a management assistant in 1988. He was appointed assistant division manager in the Dallas, Texas, office in 1989, auto division manager later that year, and fire division manager in 1990. Dave was named executive assistant at corporate headquarters in 1992 and was elected Deputy Regional Vice President in the Bakersfield, California, office in January 1994. He was named VP-Operations at Corporate Headquarters in 1998, and Regional Vice President in Arizona in 2000. Dave has served on many community and higher learning institution boards. He is an alum of Southern California Leadership and is a director on the State Farm General Company board. A native of Colorado, Dave received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. He earned the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 1987.

Mike Fernandez is vice president of public affairs at State Farm, an insurance and financial services company that is the largest auto and home insurer in the U.S. In a public relations and marketing career that spans more than 25 years, Fernandez has had responsibility for many functions including corporate marketing, investor relations, government relations, media relations, employee communications, industry affairs, community relations, sponsorships and creative services. Prior to joining State Farm, he served as senior vice president and chief communications officer for ConAgra Foods, senior vice president of public affairs at CIGNA, and vice president of public relations at US WEST. Fernandez worked nine years as a public relations and marketing executive at Eastman Kodak Company. Prior to his corporate career, he worked in the world of political marketing and served seven years as press secretary to U.S. Senator Ernest F. "Fritz" Hollings. Recognized as a "PR All Star" by Inside PR in 1999, Fernandez and his teams have earned top honors from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and the American Marketing Association among others. He currently serves on the board of the Institute for Public Relations, is a member of the Arthur W. Page Society and a participant in the Public Relations Seminar.

Sonya Gong is a Vice President of Operations at State Farm. She has worked in the insurance industry for 20 years, starting with the company in 1987 as an auto claim representative. Working her way up the ranks, she quickly became a Supervisor and Superintendent in Auto Claims before being selected as the Regional Public Affairs Manager for the states of Alabama and Mississippi. As a registered lobbyist, Sonya worked with the media, regulatory issues and philanthropic efforts in both states. In 1999, Sonya was named Director responsible for the Bloomington Customer Response Center and Bank Response Center; running a 7x24 operation. By 2001, Sonya relocated to Ohio where she oversaw the Health Operations for the eastern half of the US and managed a multi-state transition. In 2004, she was named as Executive Assistant to the President's Office in Bloomington, IL at State Farm's Corporate Headquarters and currently resides in Atlanta, GA where she was named to her most recent position in September 2006.

We want to welcome Bridget LaRochelle to the Calvary Staff as the Director of Tech/Production. She will be working with pastors and volunteers to support our regular Sunday Worship Services and other special services and events. Bridget has a bachelors degree in media and communications from Quincy University. She has worked at State Farm for the past six years in creative services as a technical director. Bridget and her husband, Dave are members of Calvary and have three beautiful children.

Array

Chris LeBlanc chris@leblancfamilyinsurance.com - Manager - grew up in the Edmond Community. He went to school at Edmond Memorial High School and graduated in 1992. He was a standout basketball player that eventually landed a scholarship to attend Texas A&M University. After finishing his basketball career, he came back to the University of Central Oklahoma to complete his degree in Business Management. He married his high school sweetheart Jeannie Alexander and now they have two beautiful children: Kamber and Korbyn. Upon graduating, Chris started an insurance agency in Norman. He was a captive agent with Farmers Insurance Group. After working with Farmers for 5 years, Chris decided to sell his agency in Norman and start an independant agency in Edmond. He was given a chance to be back home, in the communicaty he grew up in. Chris has had his independent agency since 2002. One of the main reasons Chris left Farmers was not having the best rates possible for his clients. As an independent agent, Chris is able to move clients to different companies if one becomes uncompetitive or experiences a rate increase. This is what created the slogan "We'll Shop The Best Rate For You." This is what gives independent agents a competitive advantage over the competition (Farmers, State Farm, Allstate, & others). So if you want a great rate with outstanding service keep the LeBlanc Family Insurance in mind.

David DeMoss, the DTCI PAC Treasurer, is the Managing Attorney for State Farm Litigation Counsel in Indianapolis. He is a member of the Trial Tactics and Insurance Coverage sections. David received his B.A. from Purdue and is a 1987 graduate of Indiana University school of Law in Indianapolis. He is a member of DRI and the ABA Staff Counsel Committee. David focuses his practice on personal injury defense and insurance coverage litigation. David is active in the community with involvement in Special Olympics, High School Mock Trial Competition and is a Heartland Pro Bono volunteer.

Graham Gardner has 5 years experience and has completed CIC courses. He is currently enrolled in the CPCU Program. He spend two years with State Farm before joining the agency. He is specializing in heavy construction, primarily streets and road, grading, paving, and utilities.

Hi, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Josephine Cullison and I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I have been happily married to Frank for 25 years. We have two wonderful adult children, Shannon age 22, who is an underwriting assistant at State Farm and Joseph age 19 who is a full time student at Bakersfield College. I have been very blessed to have such a wonderful and supportive family. I would never have been able to accomplish all that I have without them.

Katelyn is a freshman at the University of Central Florida and is majoring in international law and engineering. Last year, Katelyn was one of thirty students selected to serve on the State Farm Youth Advisory Board. One of her responsibilities as a member of the board was to assist in the design and implementation of a $5 million-a-year signature service learning initiative to address issues important to State Farm and communities across the United States and Canada. This past summer, Katelyn also interned at the State Farm headquarters in Bloomington, IL. In addition to her work with State Farm, Katelyn has been an active member of Key Club International, National Honor Society, Student Council, FBLA and a number of other extracurricular activities. Katelyn is also a JROTC executive officer.

Kathy Miller, Agent with State Farm Insurance is served as the New Lenox Chamber of Commerce President for 2005. Kathy has been involved in the Chamber for several years and has chaired many committees including, most recently the Golf Outing and the annual Christmas party. Kathy has run her State Farm agency for the past 20 years on Route 30, the past 5 years being at her current location at 201 W. Maple, Rt. 30 in New Lenox. Her agency specializes in Insurance and Financial Products and she and her staff strive to provide exceptional customer service. For additional information on State Farm and Kathy's agency, please go to www.statefarm.com and click on the Agents tab.

Ken has been involved in economic and business development for 21 years, serving the past 13 years as President of the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), a non-profit, private sector, economic development corporation serving the County of Saratoga. SEDC has developed financing for over $1 billion in new business capital investments, which represents over 14,000 new jobs for Saratoga County. Three of these companies that are most notable are Quad/Graphics with over 1,300 employees; State Farm Insurance with over 1,000 employees; and Target with 1,000 employees. Other companies that SEDC has assisted in developing financing include ACE Hardware, Flow Management Technologies, Cascades Paper, SCA Paper, and Reserve America. Ken also is a director of the New York State Economic Development Council and past chairman in 1992 and 1993. He is the 1996 recipient of the Robert T. Dormer Economic Developer of the Year award. Ken has provided start-up assistance to numerous companies from seed capital through private placement and Initial Public Offerings. He has been instrumental in the development and operation of two incubator programs and one business accelerator program. Besides sitting on the Board of Directors of VoiceVerified, Inc., Ken currently is Board Chairman of the Kateri Development Corporation, and a director of Saratoga Beverage Group. Back to top.

Ms. Smuder has worked in the insurance industry since 1971. She came to Herndon Mahoney & Company in 1998 as a customer service representative, after working for State Farm and Sedgwick Insurance Brokers. Her experience includes all aspects of personal insurance sales and service. In 1995 she earned the Certified Professional Insurance Woman (CPIW) designation. She has held a Florida property & casualty general lines license since 1983. Ms. Smuder has been involved in the InVEST program, teaching insurance principles in several Lee County Schools since 1992. She has also served on the Florida Association of Insurance Agents (FAIA) InVEST statewide committee.

Array

Mark Brannon is a principal in the Atlanta-based consulting firm of Merlinos & Associates, Inc. (M&A). He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society, a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries and a Member of the Society of Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriters. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Furman University.

Marvis Simpson Atlanta born, Marvis moved back to her hometown after graduating with her MBA from Florida A&M University. She moved back to study the insurance business in her fathers State Farm Insurance office. After working under his tutelage for five years Marvis applied for an agency position with State Farm to build her own office. She is currently an Agency Intern waiting on an agency opportunity in the near future with State Farm.

Melinda grew up in Napa, graduating from Vintage High School. After receiving her degree from Pepperdine University, she began her career with State Farm Insurance and Financial Services. Melinda has been with State Farm for 20 years, and now serves as an agent in Napa. Melinda and her husband John have three children in public schools, so she is proud to be on the NVEF board to help raise funds to benefit our schools.

Michael Watz knows food! His educational background and his career testify to that statement. Watz, who was born in Rhode Island, holds an A.O.S. Degree from the Culinary Institute of America. For nearly 30 years, he has worked in every aspect of the hospitality industry for a variety of companies including the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, the Marriott Host Corporation in Irvine, Cal., the Lincoln Restaurant Group in Dallas, Tex,. and the Restaurant Enterprise Group of Irvine, Cal. Watz and his wife, Joyce, who is an attorney for State Farm, live in Evanston. They have three grown children. Return to The Board - Main Listing.

Paul Ehrenreich brings to CRESA Partners experience in corporate real estate, construction management and corporate leasing. Prior to joining the Washington office of CRESA Partners, Mr. Ehrenreich was Assistant Vice President with Medlantic Enterprises, a for-profit holding company affiliated with Medlantic Healthcare Group. While at Medlantic, Mr. Ehrenreich acted as a landlord, managing and leasing 150,000 square feet of medical and mixed-use office buildings; a construction manager, overseeing build-outs of general and physician office space as well as high-tech patient care facilities; and as a tenant representative, handling lease management, space planning, lease negotiations and relocation services for several of Medlantic's other subsidiaries in Washington, DC and Maryland. In the Northern Virginia market, Mr. Ehrenreich worked with the Fairfax Hospital (Inova Healthcare System) as the Director of Planning and Facilities Development. While there, he was responsible for the planning, design and construction of several hospital-based and outpatient satellite facilities valued in excess of $30 million. Included were a critical care wing, an ER/Trauma unit, a parking garage and several urgent care centers and outpatient diagnostic imaging facilities. Since joining CRESA Partners in 1995, Mr. Ehrenreich has represented the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Suburban Hospital, Edelman Public Relations, Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, Camber Corporation and State Farm Insurance, among others. Mr. Ehrenreich is a member of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. He graduated from the University of Rochester with a B.A. in Biology and Ohio State University with a Master's in Health Administration.

Array

A national leader in chiropractic healthcare, Richard L. Cole, D.C., D.A.C.N.B., D.A.A.P.M., is well known as a torchbearer for groundbreaking, medically sound chiropractic practice. Actively practicing since 1978, Dr. Cole has helped advance the practice of chiropractic with his standard-setting work in pain management and chiropractic neurology, as well as his efforts to encourage a higher standard of care overall in this healthcare field. In 1997, he helped established ConservCare, a managed care organization designed to attract the highest caliber chiropractors and elevate the practice of chiropractic by setting high standards for members. By establishing stringent ethical guidelines for members' practice and treatment, Dr. Cole has not only strengthened the reputation of this field of healthcare, but has helped ensure higher quality care for thousands of patients in the Mid-South. Dr. Cole incorporates the latest advances and research in medical science into the care of patients with chronic and acute pain. Using a leading-edge combination of medical care, rehabilitation therapy, traditional chiropractic methods, and years of experience with acute and chronic pain patients, he has made a difference in the lives of thousands of people. Dr. Cole served an appointment on the Tennessee Board of Chiropractic Examiners from 1996 to 2000, working as president from 1997-1998. He is board certified by both the American Academy of Pain Management and the American Chiropractic Neurology Board, and held a neurology fellowship at the National College of Chiropractic in Chicago from 1992-1994. Dr. Cole also serves as a consultant for BlueCross & BlueShield of Memphis, Blue Cross & BlueShield of Tennessee, Intracorp, Provident, Comprehensive Rehabilitation Associates, Concentra, and State Farm. Dr. Cole currently serves as President of the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards, and also holds a position on the Board of Directors of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Through these endeavors, Dr. Cole has participated extensively in new developments of chiropractic licensure and regulation. In 1992, the Tennessee Chiropractic Association gave him their Torchbearer Award, and voted him Tennessee's Chiropractor of the Year in 1997 and 2000. Dr. Cole is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pain Management, the Tennessee Pain Society, the American Association of Spine Physicians, the American Chiropractic Association, the Tennessee Chiropractic Association, the Cervicogenic Headache Society, and the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is board certified by both the American Academy of Pain Management and the American Chiropractic Neurology Board, and holds a doctorate degree in chiropractic from Palmer College of Chiropractic. Dr. Cole is very active in the community as well. In the past, he has served as President of the Bartlett Kiwanis Club and Bartlett Leadership Director. He currently serves as a trustee of Evangelical Christian School, and he is a Deacon of Hope Presbyterian Church in Memphis.

Wayne Wudyka is president of Huntington Cleaners & Shirt Laundry in Huntington Woods, Michigan. Wudyka regularly conducts training seminars in garment restoration for adjusters at some of the nations' top insurance companies, including Nationwide, AAA, Allstate, State Farm, and restoration companies like, Servpro, Duraclean and ServiceMaster. He also makes frequent presentation to content restoration organizations, dry cleaning groups, and other associations involved in garment restoration and care. Huntington Cleaners is the latest in a series of highly successful business ventures for Wayne Wudyka. Before purchasing Huntington Cleaners, he was Executive Vice President for an automotive transmission repair chain, where he engineered a company turnaround that took the organization from near bankruptcy to a merger with a national franchise company. Prior to that he managed a highly successful real estate development and brokerage business. He also founded and operated a campus restaurant while in college. Wayne attended Michigan State University from 1982-86, majoring in Business Administration :Marketing/Advertising. He is a former President of the Berkley Chamber of Commerce and former candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives. He served for two years on the Berkley Community Schools Advisory Committee and is a member of the Berkley Downtown Development Authority. He was also on the Board of Directors of Manresa Retreat Center in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He is recognized as one of the founders of the very successful Woodward Dream Cruise, a showcase for classic cars which has gained national attention as a regional annual summer event.

Wendy L. Wilber, a lifetime music enthusiast, has a special appreciation of classical piano and violin. Wendy has a diverse background with a mother who was raised in Okinawa, Japan and is now a citizen of the United States. The challenges and discrimination Wendy's mother faced has given her a desire to help others overcome such obstacles. Many of the activities Wendy participates in help develop future leaders and encourage others to be proud of their Asian heritage. For the last 22 years, Wendy has held positions in the legal, financial, and insurance industries and uses her knowledge in those arenas to assist others. She is a strong advocate of mentoring, and does so both professionally and personally. She has a great outlet to do so while working as a manager at State Farm Insurance Companies. She has been at State Farm for 16 years and enjoys working for the company. Wendy is an active member of the Central Illinois Chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans, an Asian Pacific American organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of all Asian Pacific Americans in the United States. Having served as vice president-programs for two years, she is currently serving as chapter president. Wendy is also an active member of the Kiwanis and leads the public relations efforts for the LeRoy, Illinois, chapter. In addition, she serves as an election judge and devotes a great deal of time to her church where she participates in teaching, choir, and outreach programs. Wendy has been a resident of McLean County since 1991. She has a bachelor's degree in Business Administration with plans to complete her master's in the same. She has been married to her only love, Ken, for 20 years, with whom she participates in many other activities and is a supportive part of her husband's nationwide law practice. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, and playing the piano.

Ms. Martinez is the former CEO of The Unity Council in Oakland, Ca. who developed the nationally recognized, $100 million Fruitvale Village, a model of sustainable neighborhood revitalization. President Jimmy Carter appointed her Assistant Secretary for the Office of Human Development Services, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, the first Latina appointed to a sub-cabinet level position in the history of the nation. She has served on the boards of the National Council of La Raza, Development Fund, CA Cultural & Historical Endowment, and the Advisory Councils for Citibank (CA/Nevada) and State Farm Bank. Ms. Martinez is the recipient of the San Francisco Foundation's Community Leadership Award, the Mike Sviridoff/LISC Leadership Award, the San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Latino Business Leadership Award, the University of California Alumni Association Achievement in Excellence Award, and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors Women's Hall of Fame. She received her MA in social work and BA from the University of California at Berkeley.

Commissioner Douglass has received a number of awards and honors, including the Gamma Sigma Delta award for Distinguished Service to West Virginia Agriculture and Progressive Farmer magazine's "Man of the Year" in West Virginia Agriculture. In 1990, he was enshrined into the West Virginia Agriculture and Forestry Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was inducted into the Auctioneers Hall of Fame. In 2002, Commissioner Douglass was presented the prestigious Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Administrator's Award. He was also honored by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) for his work safeguarding America's animal and plant industries. Commissioner Douglass chairs the State Conservation Committee, and is a member of the West Virginia Housing Development Fund and the Air Quality Board, a director for Peoples Bank of Point Pleasant, and a trustee for Pleasant Valley Hospital. He is a member of the board of the State Farm Museum, and is on the board of directors for the State Fair of West Virginia. Throughout his career, he has served on more than 25 boards, commissions and committees, including chairman of the West Virginia Air Pollution Control Commission and the State Forestry Commission. He and his wife Anna Lee, also a 4-H All-Star, have four children, six grandchildren, two great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters. They belong to the Leon Baptist Church. Commissioner Douglass is a Mason and a Shriner.

A 26-year employee of State Farm Insurance, Kelly is currently a Director in State Farm's Enterprise Internet Solutions area concentrating on departmental planning and strategy. Prior to her current role, Kelly has served in various developmental roles, including Section Manager of the Illinois Operations Center Auto Claim Central, business sponsor of the Asset Management Program, and a member of the Continuous Renewal Group focusing on employee retention. Kelly previously served as Director of State Farm's Project Prioritization Office (PPO). Working with State Farm's executive leadership, the PPO is responsible for the prioritization of State Farm's business strategic IT efforts and management of the business strategic IT portfolio. The PPO was formed in 2001 under Kelly's leadership. Kelly, following in her own mother's footsteps, believes strongly in giving back to and being involved in her community. She served as president of the Central Illinois chapter of CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters). With over 1,100 members, the Central Illinois chapter is the largest in the world. Kelly is currently on the national Ethics committee for the CPCU Society. Kelly has also been very involved with the Crystal Ball--a major fundraising effort of the OSF St. Joseph Medical Center Auxiliary--having led their ad sales/program committee and reservations and seating committee. In 2006, Kelly and her husband, Cory, co-chaired the Crystal Ball which raised over $118,000. Kelly has volunteered time to other community efforts, including her church, the Children's Discovery Museum Sweet Discovery fundraising event, Relay for Life, the Susan G. Komen Foundation Race for the Cure, the Jingle Bell Run for Arthritis, and the Salvation Army. Kelly is currently the president of the Bloomington-Normal Alpha Xi Delta Alumnae Association. Kelly was selected as Co-President of Leadership Illinois for 2007-2008. She was previously a member of the Leadership Illinois Board of Directors. She also served as a member of the Leadership Illinoisshe does. In 2004 the museum was invited to be the lead development for the Town of Normal's uptown re-development project. Opening in November 2004 the museum continues to be guided by Shari's passion and direction. She is very involved in many local community groups, as well as state and national museum boards and education advisory committees. She is currently serving in leadership positions as President of the McLean County Chamber of Commerce, Treasurer of Illinois Association of Museums, and board member of Leadership Illinois. She is an active member at St. John's Lutheran Church. She is married to Mark Buckellew and is the proud mother of two young adults; Scott, a recent graduate of St. Louis University, and Jessi who is a Junior at Purdue University.

Ken Fischer, Vice Chair, is a State Farm agent in Concord and lives in Moraga with his wife, Martha. He has a Bachelor's degree in History from U.C. Santa Barbara. He enjoys running with the Orinda Roadrunners and kayaking as well as exploring the trails and undeveloped areas of Contra Costa County. He serves on the Finance Committee of the Land Trust and the Risk Management Committee of Shelter, Inc. He is also a member of the committee writing a habitat preservation and restoration plan for the Town of Moraga's Mullholland Ridge Open Space Preserve.