Leadership and board of directors.
Meet our team.
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.
Brown is the owner of Peter A. Brown Commercial Real Estate Services. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2003.
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.
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.
Ferrante-Schepis is NACD Directorship Certified®. She has served in consulting roles since 2010 including that of President of Maddock Douglas. In November 2025, she founded ThinkWorthy Consulting, LLC, specializing in the life insurance and financial services industry. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2018.
Hansen is a Senior Vice President of Sammons Corporation. He was elected to the Board in August 2024.
Lyons retired as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sammons Financial Group in 2025. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2026.
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.
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.
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.
Roth is the Principal Owner of RC Search Group. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2003.
Schmaltz is the President & CEO of Delta Dental of Iowa. She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2026.
Watson is a Managing Director of UHY Advisors Inc. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 2010.
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: Mary K. (Katie) Roth, Stephen V. Marlow, Miriam De Dios Woodward, Ted Nickel; Not Pictured: Don Lyons, April Schmaltz
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.