Executive TeamBoard of Directors
 Cynthia Tidwell
President/CEO
Mrs. Tidwell was appointed Royal Neighbors’ President/CEO in 2005. With more than 25 years in the insurance industry, she is accomplished in all facets of insurance, including sales/marketing, claims, underwriting, change management, agency management, information technology, and human resources. With a passion for leadership, Mrs. Tidwell has built start-up organizations, managed turnarounds, and hired and retained top talent in the industry using a results-oriented philosophy. Prior to joining Royal Neighbors, she led a $900 million personal insurance business for a national property and casualty company. As president, she led the change to regain business fundamentals and sustainability; consulted to the claims organization on multi-year strategy; and was responsible for the overall company direction as part of the senior executive team. Today, Mrs. Tidwell is leading the turnaround at Royal Neighbors through a formal change framework of Recognition, Stabilization, and Revitalization. She is rebuilding the sales force, increasing membership, and enhancing the fraternal arm of the organization. Mrs. Tidwell graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree, and has participated in the Wharton AICPCU Program and Hagberg Executive Development training. In addition to her responsibilities as President/CEO, she serves on the Executive Committee of the Royal Neighbors Board of Directors. She currently is serving on the boards of Junior Achievement of the Heartland and the Illinois Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, and is actively involved with the Western Illinois University Quad Cities Leadership Committee and the United Way Successful Children and Youth Focus team. |
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 Theresa Bonin, CPCU,
Operations Executive
Ms. Bonin was appointed Operations Executive of Royal Neighbors of America in May, 2006, and appointed to the Board of Directors in August, 2007, and serves on its governance committee. With a degree in Business Administration from Creighton University, she is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, a quality and process improvement program. A 25-year veteran of the insurance industry, she has experience in regenerating business units in turnaround situations, with a focus on increasing productivity by leveraging technology and building efficient and effective processes. Prior to coming on board with Royal Neighbors, she had been with Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company in Novato, CA, and had held numerous positions with GE Capital/Coregis Insurance Company.
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 Jeff Pirmann, FLMI
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Pirmann has held the position of Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer for Royal Neighbors of America since October, 2004. Mr. Pirmann has more than 30 years of financial reporting and management experience for insurance enterprises. He has served as an auditor for Ernst and Ernst (now Ernst and Young), corporate accounting manager at Roosevelt National Life Insurance Company, chief financial officer for The Franklin Life Insurance Company, and was responsible for financial condition monitoring of life, property and casualty, and health insurance companies at a state-based insurance regulatory agency. While working as an insurance regulator, Mr. Pirmann served as the state’s representative on various National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Committees and working groups, including the Accounting Practices and Procedures working group, the NAIC/AICPA working group, and the International Accounting Standards working group. Mr. Pirmann has recently been appointed to the Board of Directors for the National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA), holding the position of Secretary/Treasurer. A United States Army veteran, he earned a Bachelor of Science Ddegree in Accounting at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration at the University of Illinois, Springfield. |
 Bruce Peterson, JD, FLMI, ALHC, AAPA
Secretary and General Counsel
Mr. Peterson has been a member of Royal Neighbors’ legal department since 1980 when he joined the Society as assistant general counsel (investments). He has a Bachelor's Degree in History from the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law. Mr. Peterson has served on several committees for the National Fraternal Congress of America and the International Claim Association. He is currently Chairman of the National Fraternal Congress of America Risk Management Committee, and is an active member of the Association of Fraternal Benefit Counsel, Rock Island Police Pension Board, and Rock Island Planning Commission. |
 Chris Seistrup
National Sales Executive
Mr. Seistrup joined Royal Neighbors of America in October, 2007. A 25-year veteran of the insurance industry, he has extensive experience in business development and field sales. Most recently he has been with Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company in California. Prior to that he had held positions with Vik Brothers Insurance and Crum and Forster Insurance. An Illinois native, he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Northern Illinois University. |
 Tonya Carroll
Sales Executive, Austin Division
Ms. Carroll has been a member of the Royal Neighbors of America staff since 2006. A 25-year veteran of the insurance industry, she has experience in leading marketing, agency, and compliance efforts for life insurance and annuity companies. Prior to joining Royal Neighbors, she held positions with Government Personnel Mutual Life, Pan-American Life, Columbia Universal Life, and the Fairlane Financial Corporation. A Texas native, Tonya earned her Fellow, Life Management Institute designation from the Life Office Management Association. |
 Judith Tshibangu
Marketing Executive
Mrs. Tshibangu joined Royal Neighbors of America in February, 2006. She has more than 25 years of senior management experience at such prestigious financial services firms as Prudential, CIGNA, and Allstate and has held high profile positions such as President of Liberty Direct, Chief Marketing Officer of AARP Operations, and Head of Sales and Marketing for a Broker/Dealer. Before joining the Royal Neighbors team, she fulfilled her desire to help the disadvantaged and forgotten of the world by working for a global philanthropic organization. Mrs. Tshibangu is also an adjunct professor at Eastern University in Pennsylvania and St. Ambrose University in Iowa teaching MBA marketing and non-profit management courses. Her expertise in transforming non-profits takes her to places like Thailand and South Africa, where she lectures for Habitat for Humanity and World Vision. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, with a Bachelor's Degree in German and Russian, and a Master's in Marketing Communications. She sits on the boards of various organizations to spread her passion for helping others. |
 Mary Staver, PHR, CEAP
Human Resources Executive
Ms. Staver has been a member of the Royal Neighbors of America staff since 2001. With nearly 20 years of experience in human resources, she previously has been HR manager for a transportation company with a 550 employee base in six locations. She also served as an employee assistance and human resource consultant for Family Resources, Inc., where she provided human resource consulting for over 20 businesses. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a major in communications and a minor in business. In addition, she has taken graduate classes in human resource management at St. Ambrose University, and has earned the designations of Professional in Human Resources and Certified Employee Assistance Professional. Ms. Staver is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and Great River Human Resource Association and is active in the community. She serves on the Royal Neighbors of America Foundation Board, and is the management liaison to the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. She is a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church where she participates in a music ministry and serves on the LAN 29 Board of Directors (Child and Adolescent Local Area Networks, under the auspices of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services). She also serves on the board of The Women’s Connection, a non-profit organization co-sponsored by Royal Neighbors encouraging women to gather, network, connect, and develop leadership skills. She has also volunteered as a Drug and Alcohol Abuse educator and has conducted classes through Rock Island County Council on Addictions in various school systems throughout western Illinois. |
Board of Directors
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