Mid Rivers Risk Forum Sessions

Sunday 10/4/27 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm

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Sunday 10/2026 1:30 pm - 2:30 PM

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Sunday 10/4/2026 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM

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Sunday 10/4/26 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

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Sunday 10/4/26 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

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Monday 10/5/26 8:00 am - 9:15 am

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Monday 10/5/26 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Monday 10/5/26 9:15 am - 9:30 am

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Monday 10/5/26 9:30 am - 10:30 am

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Speakers

• Representative from Aon

Monday 10/5/26 10:30 am - 10:45 am

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Monday 10/5/26 10:45 am - 11:45 am

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• Representative from SafetyNational

Monday 10/5/2026 11:45 AM - 12:00 PM

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Monday 10/5/26 12:00pm - 1:00 pm

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Monday 10/5/26 1:00 pm - 1:15 pm

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Monday 10/5/26 1:15 pm - 2:15 pm

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• Representative from Captives Insure
• Representative from Milliman
• Representative from GuideFire

Monday 10/5/26 2:15 pm - 2:30 pm

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Monday 10/5/2026 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

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• Representative from GuideFire
• Representative from AmWINS
• Representative from WSIA

Monday 10/5/26 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

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Tuesday 10/6/26 7:30 am - 8:30 am

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Tuesday 10/6/26 8:00 am - 8:20 am

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Tuesday 10/6/26 8:20 am - 9:20 am

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Speakers

• Charles Gascon - Economist and Assistant Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis,
  Charles S. Gascon is an economist and assistant vice president in the Research division of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, which he joined in June 2006. He analyzes current economic conditions nationally and in the Eighth Federal Reserve District and briefs the Bank president and staff economists prior to Federal Open Market Committee meetings. He is responsible for writing the Bank’s Beige Book report, a summary of information collected from regional business contacts, and contributes to other Bank publications. Gascon has a master’s degree in economics from State University of New York at Albany and an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. His work has been cited in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times and in local media outlets. He is a member of the American Economic Association and the National Association for Business Economics.

Tuesday 10/6/2026 9:20 AM - 9:40 AM

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Tuesday 10/6/26 9:40 am - 10:40 am

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Speakers

• Jackson Hedges - Shareholder, MVP Law
  Jackson is a shareholder practicing in the workers’ compensation group in the St. Louis office. Jackson regularly handles defense of workers’ compensation claims for a variety of Insurers, self-insured employers, and third party administrators while appearing before both the Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission and Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Outside of work, Jackson enjoys supporting Illinois Fighting Illini athletics, exercising, and is a proud member of the Pizza Connoisseurs of St. Louis. He also volunteers with dog rescue organizations and is an avid fan of the St. Louis Battlehawks.
• Jessica Kolditz - Associate Attorney, MVP Law
  Jessica Kolditz is an associate attorney in the firm’s St. Louis office, practicing in the firm’s workers’ compensation practice group. Jessica joined the firm in September of 2025, after serving as a law clerk in 2024. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, and a minor in Business Administration. Afterwards, she received her Juris Doctorate from St. Louis University School of Law, where she received the Academic Excellence Award in Advanced Corporate Governance and in Legislation.

Tuesday 10/6/26 9:40 am - 10:40 am

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Speakers

• Ellen Sue Bernards - EVP, Alternative Risk Solutions Practice Leader, HUB International Limited
  Ellen Sue leads the Alternative Risk Solutions Practice at HUB International, bringing deep expertise in the design, implementation, and optimization of complex risk financing strategies for organizations across diverse industries. With over 20 years of accounting and risk finance experience, Ellen Sue partners closely with executive leadership teams to align risk management programs with broader financial, operational, and strategic objectives. In her role, Ellen Sue leads the development of innovative alternative risk solutions, including structured/integrated solutions, captive consulting, collateral strategies and other non-traditional risk financing and risk transfer mechanisms. She is known for her ability to translate complex risk concepts into practical, actionable strategies that drive long-term value, improve cost predictability, and enhance governance.
• Aaron Lubbers - National Captive Practice Leader, P&C, OneDigital
  Aaron started with OneDigital in 2021, with nearly a decade of industry experience working exclusively in the captive insurance space. His role is to simplify the complex world of captive insurance and to provide guidance, clarity, and specialized solutions for firms that are exploring this option. Aaron earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky and holds an Associate in Captive Insurance (ACI) professional designation from the International Center for Captive Insurance Education. Prior to OneDigital, Aaron developed significate industry knowledge by working as a consultant to dozens of agencies/brokerages around the US on the various captive options that exist for their clients. This work included everything from group captives to single parent structures in both international and domestic domiciles. Aaron was named to Captive International’s 2024 & 2026 Forty under 40 class. This global recognition is a testament to Aaron’s dedication to serving his clients and helping them navigate the complexities of this space. In 2025, Aaron joined the teaching faculty at the International Center for Captive Insurance Education, to teach ACI courses to various captive insurance and risk management professionals globally.
• Tj Scherer - Vice President, Spring Consulting Group
  T.J. Scherer is Vice President for Spring Consulting Group, an Alera Group Company. At Spring, T.J. consults with domestic and multi-national organizations seeking alternative risk solutions, including providing strategic captive consultation to clients evaluating the utilization of a captive insurance company for the first time as well as those with existing captives looking for program enhancements. T.J. has over 13 years of experience in accounting and financial and risk management, specializing in complex captive design and management. T.J. graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.B.A. in Finance and a master’s degree in Accounting and Financial Management. T.J. is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in California, and also holds the RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) and Associate in Captive Insurance (ACI) designations. T.J. is an active participant on various committees and associations within the captive industry.

Tuesday 10/6/26 10:40 am - 11:00 am

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Tuesday 10/6/26 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

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Speakers

• Gina Viertel - WC Supervisor
  Gina brings nearly four decades of insurance expertise to her role, including 30 years specializing strictly in Missouri Workers' Compensation. She manages the full lifecycle of workers’ compensation claims, from initial investigation and statutory compliance to litigation management and final settlement. She is dedicated to balancing high-quality care for injured workers with strategic cost savings for members. Alongside managing indemnity claims, she supervises the department's medical adjuster. Gina holds a B.S. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management and Marketing.

Tuesday 10/6/26 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

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• Mark Huddleston
  I started in risk management in 1990 after five years in the environmental health and safety field. I have multiple business and science degrees that provide a foundation to understand risk, guide management, and achieve results. During this time, I served as the senior risk manager for five global multi-billion revenue companies. I began my ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) journey in 1999 resulting in two startups and I inherited two programs that I developed and matured. My ERM experience has helped to guide strategy, mergers and acquisition, due diligence, and divestitures. Additionally, my ERM experience has been battle tested in bankruptcy, government investigations, and mass torts. I began teaching and lecturing on ERM in the early 2000's with RIMS (including RIMS-Japan), universities, and various other seminars. I also participated in the development and validation of the RIMS-CRMP certification. I retired from Copeland, a recent spinoff from Emerson, in early 2026, but have continued to be actively involved with the local St. Louis RIMS chapter.

Tuesday 10/6/26 12:10 pm - 1:10 pm

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Speakers

• Angela Nelson - Director, MO Dept. of Commerce & Insurance
  With a robust background spanning nearly 25 years, Angela is uniquely qualified to lead the Department. Her extensive experience encompasses multiple facets of the insurance sector, having served as an agent, regulator, and executive. From 2002 to 2020, Angela played a pivotal role within the very department she now oversees, where she held several key positions. Notably, she was the Division Director of the Insurance Consumer Affairs Division from 2009 to 2012, directing the department’s response to the devastating Joplin tornado. Following that role, she led the Market Regulation Division from 2012 to 2020, navigating complex regulatory landscapes and advocating for Missouri consumers. Before her appointment as Director, Angela served as the Vice President of Public Affairs and Government Relations for the Automobile Club of Missouri, part of the larger Automobile Club Enterprises Group. In this capacity, she skillfully managed legislative and regulatory relationships on a diverse array of issues including insurance, motor club operations, and traffic safety. Angela also worked briefly for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City where she managed its compliance operations. Angela’s academic achievements include graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree in management and continuing on to earn an MBA from William Woods University. Her commitment to the field of insurance and consumer advocacy has been recognized with notable accolades, including the Graduate College Award from William Woods University in 2012 for her contributions to Missouri insurance consumers, as well as the Paul DeAngelo Memorial Teaching Award from the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society (IRES) in 2018.

Tuesday 10/6/26 1:10 pm - 2:10 pm

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Speakers

• Matt McDonough CSP - AVP - Risk Control
  Matt is the Assistant Vice President – Risk Control at Safety National, where he is responsible for leading and directing technical risk control content, managing the client services team, and leading and directing risk control resources associated with public entity multi-line insurance coverages. Matt joined Safety National in 2012, formerly serving as a Senior Risk Control Manager and Director – Risk Control, until being promoted to Assistant Vice President – Risk Control in 2023. Prior to joining Safety National, Matt worked as a Senior Loss Control Representative for a major insurance carrier and a Loss Control Consultant for an insurance agency. Matt is an active member of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP).

Tuesday 10/6/26 1:10 pm - 2:10 pm

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Speakers

• Slayton Rous - VP, Growth & Strategy, Stop Loss, Lockton
  Slayton has been in the employee benefits, precision health, and insurance industries since 2009 and is currently Vice President, Growth & Strategy with Lockton's Stop Loss Practice. Slayton leads a team that provides strategic advice to internal Lockton teams in the procurement and management of stop loss policies and alternative risk solutions for their clients. He collaborates with cross-functional stakeholders to identify continuous improvement opportunities and implement cost containment options. As a leader and creative problem solver, he consistently excess critical business and client needs. While much of Slayton's experience has been in the insurance space, he retains expertise in informatics, data analysis, and business technology solutions. With a diverse background and demonstrated accomplishments, he utilizes his leadership and continuous improvement skill sets to drive growth and increase organizational efficiency on internal data projects and business operations. Slayton resides in Lenexa, KS with his wife of 15 years, Kelli, and his two daughters. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends, gardening, cooking, watching sports, and exercising.
• Melissa Huenefeldt - Consulting Actuary, Milliman
  Melissa is a consulting actuary in the Chicago Casualty practice of Milliman. She joined the firm in 2021. Her area of expertise is commercial casualty reserving with extensive experience in workers' compensation, general liability, professional liability, and auto liability. Prior to joining Milliman, Melissa spent 13 years at a large commercial insurance broker and 2 years at a single-state personal lines insurer. Melissa has a B.S. in Psychology, a B.S. in Mathematics, and a M.S. in Applied Mathematics, all from the University of Central Missouri. She is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society, a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries, a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter, and an Associate in Risk Management from The Institutes. She is the Vice President of Professional Education on the CAS Executive Council.

Tuesday 10/6/26 2:10 pm - 2:20 pm

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Tuesday 10/6/26 2:20 pm - 3:20 pm

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• Van Krueger MD, MBA - MD, MBA, Ortho Missouri
  Dr. Krueger is an orthopedic surgeon specializing in shoulder, elbow, and knee conditions. He is dual-fellowship trained in sports medicine and trauma. He works at Ortho Missouri seeing patients at their convenient Creve Coeur office. He operates at the Orthopedic Surgery Center of Creve Coeur and has privileges at Missouri Baptist Medical Center and SSM Health St. Clare--Fenton.
• Keyla Rhoades - Associate Attorney, MVP Law
  Keyla Rhoades is an associate attorney with MVP Law. She has been practicing workers’ compensation in Missouri for over ten years. Before joining MVP, Keyla served as the Labor Division Unit Leader and Office Manager for the Cape Girardeau location of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. She has successfully argued cases before the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission, Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern and Southern Districts, and the Missouri Supreme Court. Keyla’s current practice is focused on representing employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation matters in Southeast Missouri.

Tuesday 10/6/26 2:20 pm - 3:20 pm

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Speakers

• Peter Simonsen JD - Area VP, Director - Cyber Liability, AJG
• Rory Haynie - President & CEO, LegalNet
  Rory Haynie is the President and CEO of LegalNet Inc., a litigation cost management company that helps Fortune 500 clients monitor and reduce legal expenses through data analytics and AI-powered reporting. With a background in software development, Rory previously led the design of SIMS Claims™ at Systema Software, now part of Insureity. He brings nearly two decades of leadership and technical expertise to the legal risk and insurance industry. Rory holds a B.S. in Computer and Information Sciences from Texas State University and is fluent in Spanish.

Tuesday 10/6/26 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm

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Tuesday 10/6/26 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

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