Company Management
Ohio Mutual is fortunate to enjoy the leadership provided by an executive management team that collectively offers extensive industry and technical experience, a passion for personal and organizational excellence, and a creative and innovative approach to property and casualty insurance.
Mr. Russell joined the Ohio Mutual Insurance Group as president in September 2015 and added the role of chief executive officer in January 2016. He has more than 30 years of broad experience in the industry, overseeing corporate operations in information technology, marketing, agency relations, claims, customer experience and real estate. Previous experience includes senior positions at Grange Insurance, Anthem Casualty Insurance, and Crum & Forster Commercial Insurance. He earned his BA in business administration from Texas Lutheran University and an MBA from Ashland University.
Before joining Ohio Mutual Insurance Group in May 2022, Mr. Wallen served 15 years in a variety of accounting and financial reporting roles at Nationwide Insurance. Most recently, he served as a Sr. Vice President for Huntington Bank in Columbus, OH.
Ms. Kent began her career with Ohio Mutual in February 2016. She earned a Master of Science from the University of Michigan, and prior to joining Ohio Mutual held several actuarial positions at Nationwide Insurance, Nationwide Bank and Shelby Mutual Insurance Agency.
Prior to joining Ohio Mutual in May 2021, Ms. Riddle served in a number of senior sales and product roles at Nationwide Insurance over 15 years, in addition to sales, operations and project management roles at National General Insurance. She earned a B.A. in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Mr. Combs joined Ohio Mutual Insurance Group in June 2014. Prior to joining Ohio Mutual Insurance Group, he served as director of standard auto underwriting for Nationwide Insurance, with additional experience in product management and strategic planning.
Mr. Johnson joined Ohio Mutual Insurance Group in 2010. Prior to joining Ohio Mutual Insurance Group, he previously served in several roles over 25 years at State Auto Insurance Company.
Mr. Grove began his career with Ohio Mutual in 1997 as an applications programmer and also served as AVP of statistical reporting for seven years before achieving this position in 2013. He has a B.A. in mathematics from the University of Findlay and an MBA from Tiffin University.
Mr. DeLucia joined Ohio Mutual Insurance Group in April 2017, following two decades at Grange Insurance, where he had held several claims leadership roles. His insurance career also includes service at Anthem Casualty Insurance Group and Progressive Casualty Insurance Company. Mr. DeLucia earned a B.S. from Miami (OH) University.
Mr. McCormack served as an IT supervisor at Shelby Insurance and a senior leader in information technology at North Central State College for another dozen years before joining Ohio Mutual in 2011. Along the way, he earned his M.B.A. from Tiffin University in 2005 and his Ph.D. in management from the University of Maryland in 2012.
Ms. Smith joined Ohio Mutual in April 2016. She has a B.S. from The Ohio State University, and an M.B.A. from Ashland University. She comes to Ohio Mutual from AAA Ohio Auto Club, and has previously held HR executive and management positions at Sarnova Inc. and School Specialty Inc.
Mr. Boyer began his career with Ohio Mutual in 2009 in the sales department. He has a B.A. from The Ohio State University, where he double-majored in journalism and history. His previous experience includes communication roles in state government and the nonprofit sector, and as an entrepreneur.
Board of Directors
As a mutual insurance company, Ohio Mutual Insurance Group is owned by its policyholders/members and governed by a board of directors characterized by years of industry knowledge, broad business acumen and commitment to the company’s guiding principles.
Individuals elected to terms on the Board of Directors of Ohio Mutual Insurance Group, Inc. at the most recent member meeting in March 2024 are:
- Neeru Arora
- Karen Haefling
- Michael Heister
- Dawn Kink
Mark joined the Ohio Mutual Insurance Group as president in September 2015 and added the role of chief executive officer in January 2016. He has more than 30 years of broad experience in the industry, overseeing corporate operations in information technology, marketing, agency relations, claims, customer experience , and real estate. Previous experience includes senior positions at Grange Insurance, Anthem Casualty Insurance , and Crum & Forster Commercial Insurance. He earned his BA in business administration from Texas Lutheran University and an MBA from Ashland University.
Neeru Arora brings to the Board more than 25 years of expertise in business and technology strategy development, digital and data transformation, business process optimization, cyber security, and risk management. A graduate of Loyola University in finance & economics, Neeru has served in a multitude of international senior executive roles, most recently as SVP, Chief Information Officer, Alliant Credit Union.
Karen began her career in the banking industry, where she managed marketing efforts for several banking organizations, including KeyCorp, where she served as chief marketing officer from 1998-2012. She served as vice president of marketing at Vitamix Corporation before retiring in 2018. Her previous experience includes senior marketing positions for Bankers Trust New York Corp. and Central National Bank. A recipient of numerous marketing awards and a specialist in digital marketing, Ms. Haefling holds a B.A. in business administration from Ohio University and an M.B.A. from Kent State University.
A. Michael is president of the Heister Associates Agency, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a past president of the Ohio Insurance Agents Association. Mr. Heister attended the University of Cincinnati and holds the Certified Insurance Counselor designation.
Dawn Kink brings three decades of technical accounting and financial reporting experience to the Ohio Mutual Board, having served in a variety of key domestic and international senior roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Coopers and Lybrand. A certified public accountant, she currently teaches audit and internal controls courses at the University of Illinois, and is an active member of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.
Susan Porter is the current executive director of BalletMet in Columbus, Ohio, and is a former partner with the Ice Miller law firm in Columbus, Ohio, where she specialized in Labor and Employment Law and was recognized as an Ohio Super Lawyer and one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Ohio. Ms. Porter is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the Boston University School of Law.
John R. (Jack) Purse is a CPA (retired) and former partner with the Ernst & Young accounting firm. Mr. Purse is a graduate of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, with an M.B.A. and B.S. degrees in finance and economics. Mr. Purse joined McDonald’s Corporation in 1995 where he was a multiunit franchisee until his retirement in 2008.
Charles Self is the retired Chief Operating Officer of iSectors, and currently chairs the Investment Committee for Governmental Insurance Managers and serves on its Audit Committee. Mr. Self has served on numerous for-profit and non-profit boards, including the SunAmerica Annuity Funds, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Foundation, and the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region (Wisconsin). He previously served in lead investment roles for ABN AMRO and the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois, and holds an M.B.A. in Statistics and Finance from the University of Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Minnesota.
Thomas Woolley is co-founder and retired as president of the Allenbaugh Insurance Agency, Inc. in Jackson Center, Ohio. He is a graduate of Urbana University, Urbana, Ohio, with a B.S. in business management and marketing. Mr. Woolley worked in the insurance business for over 40 years and has served on the Ohio Mutual board since 1995, serving in various positions.