Leadership

Mark Churella, Sr.

Mark entered into the industry in 1984 as an insurance agent in the family owned agency of Financial Designs, Inc. which was founded by his father, Robert G. Churella, Sr. in 1970. Mark was appointed President and CEO of Financial Designs, Inc. in 1988. Under his leadership the FDI Group was established in 1990 to serve as the controlling entity of the growing number of companies. Today, there are ten affiliates thriving under the FDI Group umbrella which exemplifies his commitment of creative business development to bring the best solutions, the best people and the best service to the marketplace.

Mark oversees the strategic direction, development and implementation of the enterprise investment strategy and provides direction to leadership functions and business organizations to meet the enduring needs of our customers. Mark earned a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan in 1979 and is a licensed Property & Casualty, Life & Health Insurance Producer.

Ryan Churella

As a member of the leadership team, Ryan manages a number of organization-wide processes and activities, driving seamless “FDI Group” strategies and execution across the enterprise. As Co-President, he shares in the day-to-day oversight and support of all FDI Group business affiliates and focuses on specific growth enablers, including provision performance, important national relationships, and leadership initiatives. Prior to being appointed to his current position, Ryan served as Vice President of Operations.

Ryan is a member of The FDI Group executive board and has played a leadership role in the expansion of technology engagement and was instrumental in the successful implementation of numerous corporate initiatives to ensure stability and continuity of service to customers.

Ryan is passionate about providing solutions to his clients and building upon the company started by his Grandfather over 50 years ago. Ryan earned a B.A. degree from the University of Michigan. He resides in Ann Arbor with his wife and their three young children.

Bruce Stubbs

Bruce began his career with The FDI Group of companies as Vice President of Sales in 2005. He led efforts in sales and business development and was an integral member in the financial planning, pricing, and cost management activities within the claims management companies. In 2006, Bruce was appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of CompOne, ManageAbility and Startech Software. He holds the same title for two additional FDI Group companies, MAI IME and Rizikon, which were both formed in 2015.

Bruce is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate people, processes and tools are in place to enable delivery of services and for building a culture of continuous improvement within the companies. He integrates work across the core operations and quality assurance operations, and coordinates with other functions including Information Technology, and Risk Management, to support business success and provide value to customers.

Prior to joining FDI Group, Bruce entered into the industry in 1988 as an Account Executive for a rehabilitation and vocational provider. He then took a role with a regional TPA as an Account Executive in 1991. During his fourteen years, he held a number of posts finishing his tenure as Vice President of Sales in 2005. His experience included Claims Administration, Managed Care Products, and Independent Adjusting Services in the P&C Insurance markets.

Bruce is a member of the Knights of Columbus and a veteran of the U.S. Armed Services having served as a Military Police Officer. He firmly believes that God, AA (staying sober 31 years), hard work and helping others was the Key to his success, stating “Faith will move mountains but it is a good Idea to bring a shovel while you wait!”

Jayne Schefke

Jayne is the Executive Vice President of Finance. Jayne is responsible for corporate financial planning, analysis, forecasting, capital commitment planning, and competitive analysis.

Before joining FDI Group on an executive level, Jayne worked with the GBF agency. There, she processed group enrollments for life insurance, performed accounting responsibilities, and was later promoted to office manager. She worked for the GBF Agency from 1983 to 1991 when FDI Group acquired them.

Today, she leads a team of professionals specializing in accounting and finance. Jayne was named to this position in 2003. During her tenure with the FDI Group for over 40 years, Jayne has been an integral part of the growth and development of the FDI Group family of companies.

Jitender Sunke

Jitender Sunke is the Chief Technology Officer for the FDI Group. Jitender oversees all aspects of information technology, information security, data, and analytics. He also supports the growth of FDI’s business by partnering with the internal teams and business units on IT and analytics-related revenue-generating programs.

Before joining the FDI Group, Jitender spent over 15 years at ITC Holdings Inc. as an Enterprise Resource Planning Applications Manager. Before this position, Sunke worked in various industries, including healthcare, utilities, electronics, and automotive.

Jitender first joined The FDI Group as a director of applications & infrastructure, overseeing activities such as client services, product development, cyber security, and operations support.

Sunke attended Osmania University in Hyderabad, India, where he completed a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and a Master’s degree in Computer Applications. Sunke is a PMI Certified Project Management Professional.

Erica Healander

Erica joined the FDI Group of companies in 2021 as the Vice President of People Operations and Enterprise Risk Management and was promoted to Chief People Officer in 2023. Erica’s roots in the risk management and insurance industry run deep with over 25 years of experience. She started her career as a student assistant in the Risk Management & Workers’ Compensation department at Eastern Michigan University where she was promoted to Manager of Risk Management. She later served as the Director of Risk Management at the University of California where she implemented the campus’ enterprise risk management program. Erica also has experience in client services with national third party administrators, specializing in self-insured public entities.

Erica has over 20 years of experience in risk management and insurance functions and holds a Master’s degree of Human Resource Management & Organizational Development from Eastern Michigan University. Erica has held various leadership positions at public universities, including the University of California and Eastern Michigan University, and national third party administrators. The depth and breadth of her experience in the insurance services industry and her human resource management skills make Erica an exceptional Vice President of People Operations for the FDI Group.

Eric Waidelich

Eric started his time at Rizikon as a Business Development professional in June 2017. He was brought on because of his deep knowledge of the field and his ability to identify the best solutions for clients. Due to his exceptional work, he was promoted to Vice President of Operations and Business Development in 2023. In his new role, he is responsible for overseeing project deployment, but he still makes himself available for special projects that require his unique expertise.

Waidelich joined the FDI Group of companies in 2014 as a risk management consultant. In this position, he provided assessments, training, and consultation to all levels of government, tribal nations, healthcare systems, petrochemicals, and manufacturing.

Before joining the FDI Group, Eric served in various local government administrations. His duties included working closely with policymakers, policyholders, brokers, agents, and internal partners. Before that, Eric held an executive position with MERC International, a risk management and regulatory compliance consulting company. He was responsible for managing projects and implementing client-driven objectives performed throughout the United States, West Africa, Eastern Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.

Waidelich earned a bachelor’s degree in public safety administration from Siena Heights University. He is pursuing his master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan, Rackham School of Graduate Studies. He holds over thirty industry-related certifications in risk management, occupational safety, and emergency management.