Homesteaders Life Company
Leadership and board of directors.
At Homesteaders, the strength of our company lies in the people who lead it. Our leadership team and board of directors collaborate to ensure the long-term security of our policy owners, funeral home customers and employees.
Meet our team.
We are proud to highlight the leaders and board of directors in our company who play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Homesteaders and making certain we meet the evolving needs of funeral professionals and the families they serve. Through their distinct efforts, we are building a strong foundation for the future while honoring our legacy of financial security and service.
John M. Paule
Board Member
Current term: February 2022-February 2027 Paule is NACD Directorship Certified®. He retired as ...
David E. Watson
Board Member
Current term: February 2025-February 2030 Watson is a Managing Director of UHY Advisors Inc. He ...
Stephen M. Shaffer
Board Chair
Current term: February 2021-February 2026 Shaffer joined Homesteaders in 2014 and was appointed ...
Peter A. Brown
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2028 Brown is the owner of Peter A. Brown Commercial Real ...
Mary K. Roth
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2028 Roth is the Principal Owner of RC Search Group. She was ...
John W. Chandler, Jr.
Board Member
Current term: February 2021-February 2026 Chandler is a keynote speaker and consultant after ...
Maria Ferrante-Schepis, NACD.DC
Board Member
Current term: February 2021-February 2026 Ferrante-Schepis is NACD Directorship Certified® and ...
Miriam De Dios Woodward
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2026 De Dios Woodward has been active in service and ...
Steve Marlow, FLMI, CPA
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2028 Marlow spent the majority of his career at Ernst & ...
Brian Hansen
Board Member
Current term: February 2025-February 2030 Hansen is Senior Vice President, Chief Development ...
Ted Nickel
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2026 Nickel has been active in the insurance industry for ...
John M. Paule
Board Member
Current term: February 2022-February 2027
Paule is NACD Directorship Certified®. He retired as Executive Vice President of FBL Financial Group in 2009. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2009.
Paule is NACD Directorship Certified®. He retired as Executive Vice President of FBL Financial Group in 2009. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2009.
David E. Watson
Board Member
Current term: February 2025-February 2030
Watson is a Managing Director of UHY Advisors Inc. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2010.
Watson is a Managing Director of UHY Advisors Inc. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2010.
Stephen M. Shaffer
Board Chair
Current term: February 2021-February 2026
Shaffer joined Homesteaders in 2014 and was appointed President and CEO of the company in 2018. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018 and was named Board Chair in 2019.
Shaffer joined Homesteaders in 2014 and was appointed President and CEO of the company in 2018. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018 and was named Board Chair in 2019.
Peter A. Brown
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2028
Brown is the owner of Peter A. Brown Commercial Real Estate Services. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2003.
Brown is the owner of Peter A. Brown Commercial Real Estate Services. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2003.
Mary K. Roth
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2028
Roth is the Principal Owner of RC Search Group. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2003.
Roth is the Principal Owner of RC Search Group. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2003.
John W. Chandler, Jr.
Board Member
Current term: February 2021-February 2026
Chandler is a keynote speaker and consultant after retiring as Senior Vice President-Chief Marketing Officer for MassMutual Financial Group. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018.
Chandler is a keynote speaker and consultant after retiring as Senior Vice President-Chief Marketing Officer for MassMutual Financial Group. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018.
Maria Ferrante-Schepis, NACD.DC
Board Member
Current term: February 2021-February 2026
Ferrante-Schepis is NACD Directorship Certified® and President of Maddock Douglas, Inc. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018.
Ferrante-Schepis is NACD Directorship Certified® and President of Maddock Douglas, Inc. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018.
Miriam De Dios Woodward
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2026
De Dios Woodward has been active in service and technology-oriented organizations in a variety of industries, including financial services and healthcare for nearly 20 years. De Dios Woodward is currently President and CEO of De Dios Consulting. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2023.
De Dios Woodward has been active in service and technology-oriented organizations in a variety of industries, including financial services and healthcare for nearly 20 years. De Dios Woodward is currently President and CEO of De Dios Consulting. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2023.
Steve Marlow, FLMI, CPA
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2028
Marlow spent the majority of his career at Ernst & Young, LLP providing services to many financial service organizations and insurance companies. Marlow is also the former Vice President/Chief Financial Officer of Care Initiatives. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2023.
Marlow spent the majority of his career at Ernst & Young, LLP providing services to many financial service organizations and insurance companies. Marlow is also the former Vice President/Chief Financial Officer of Care Initiatives. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2023.
Brian Hansen
Board Member
Current term: February 2025-February 2030
Hansen is Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer of Sammons Financial Group. He was elected to the Board in August 2024.
Hansen is Senior Vice President, Chief Development Officer of Sammons Financial Group. He was elected to the Board in August 2024.
Ted Nickel
Board Member
Current term: February 2023-February 2026
Nickel has been active in the insurance industry for more than 25 years, including serving as the insurance commissioner for the state of Wisconsin from 2010 to 2019. Nickel is currently the owner of Bodilac Strategies, LLC. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2023.
Nickel has been active in the insurance industry for more than 25 years, including serving as the insurance commissioner for the state of Wisconsin from 2010 to 2019. Nickel is currently the owner of Bodilac Strategies, LLC. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2023.
About our board of directors.
Our policy owners elect all members of our board of directors — the Homesteaders Mutual Insurance Holding Company Board of Directors — to help ensure the long-term security of our policy owners, funeral home customers and employees. These individuals serve as executives across relevant professions and focus on strategy, enterprise risk management, governance and management oversight when serving on our board.
Pictured Left to Right; Back Row: David E. Watson, Peter A. Brown, John W. Chandler, Brian Hansen, Stephen M. Shaffer, John M. Paule, Maria Ferrante-Schepis; Front Row: May K. (Katie) Roth, Stephen V. Marlow, Miriam De Dios Woodward, Ted Nickel
Curious to learn more about working at Homesteaders?
At Homesteaders, we take a proactive approach to hiring and leadership development by looking ahead to the skills our company will need to remain successful in the years to come. This long-term planning allows us to be intentional about identifying and cultivating the next generation of talent, ensuring we have the right individuals in place to carry forward our mission.