Who We Are

Chris joined PFS in 2015 as Controller and was promoted to CFO in 2019. Chris brings a wide range of accounting, finance, operations and management experience to PFS. Chris graduated from North Central College with a Bachelors degree in Accounting in 1998, and also earned his CPA license from the State of Illinois at that time. Chris spent the first six years of his career in the corporate audit practice at BDO, a mid-market international public accounting firm, serving a large variety of clients and industries before leaving as an Audit Manager in late 2004. Chris subsequently spent a few years as Financial Reporting Manager at Midway Games, a publicly-held software developer, where he drafted the company's various public filings and oversaw their financial close processes and technical research. From 2007 to 2015, Chris worked on the corporate finance team at Perkins+Will, a large, global architecture firm based in Chicago. He ultimately left in early 2015 as Financial Controller, having managed all financial aspects of the firm, including financial reporting, accounting operations, budgeting and forecasting, and a number of business acquisitions. Chris' responsibilities at PFS over the years have included accounting, treasury, budgeting and forecasting, human resources and employee benefits, as well as oversight of PFS’ website, IT functions and external audits. In 2023, Chris was promoted to President when he took on overall management of PFS’ daily business operations alongside the former CEO and responsibility for material presented to existing or potential clients, the insurance markets and maintaining strong carrier, reinsurance and broker relationships.

Nick began working at PFS in 2015 as the Director of Business Development. He graduated from the prestigious Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management with his MBA in 2015 as well. Before his pursuit of an MBA, Nick played eight seasons in the NFL as an inside linebacker for the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. In 2002, Nick was drafted into the NFL after attending the University of Wisconsin where he received his Bachelors degree in Business Management, was a four year letter winner on the football team, First Team All-Big Ten selection, and team captain. Nick has brought his extensive knowledge of the sports industry to his role as Director of Business Development. In his time at PFS, Nick has helped to create and design new products to better fit the needs of athletes, agents and teams today. Also, his network with current players, agents, and teams leads the movement to open doors, creating new strategic partnerships for PFS to better serve and grow in the sports disability insurance industry and beyond. Nick was promoted to the title of Managing Director in 2023 and oversees the growth and success of PFS’ individual sports programs and many other key initiatives and relationships.

Jill Bartnick began working for Pro Financial Services, Inc. in 1998, after graduating from Iowa State University. She began her employment in the policy administration department.  In 1999, she began underwriting prospective cases. She was the Senior Medical Underwriter’s understudy in which he would review her underwriting recommendations and advise if he would agree with her decisions or if changes were needed. In 2000, she was granted limited authority. Then in 2003, Jill’s underwriting authority was expanded to the full limits of the sports facility, white collar facility, and doctor’s facility, and she was promoted to Underwriting Manager at that time. She continued to work side by side with the Senior Medical Underwriter until 2005 when she gained sole responsibility for underwriting and was promoted to Director of Underwriting. Since then, Jill has helped manage PFS’ account manager team, develop ongoing training programs and evaluate/maximize employee performance while also managing various client files and PFS’ surplus lines filings. Jill also has created numerous procedural and operations manuals, along with helping PFS manage its numerous state agency and carrier audit responsibilities. Jill was promoted to the title of Chief Underwriting Officer in 2023 and has taken on oversight of PFS’ non-sports programs and many other important roles within the company. 

Todd is currently the Executive Vice President of PFS. Todd enlisted in the United States Air Force for four years and earned an Associates degree equivalent in Computer Science Technology. From 1983 to 1989, Todd was employed as a Regional Computer Technical Specialist covering the majority of the United States and Canada for a Fortune 500 computer-aided design company. Todd joined PFS in March of 1989 with the primary responsibility of indicating Personal PTD coverage to independent insurance brokers. Shortly thereafter, he started to work closely with sports teams and their insurance representatives, indicating Team Aggregate/Stop Loss and Excess TTD coverage. He was also originally responsible for the initial computerization of PFS, including the team injury tracking and claims payment procedures. Currently, Todd is responsible for all facets of Team sports coverage. In addition to coordinating indications to fit the desired requirement of the individual teams, he organizes the tracking of injuries and gathers injury claims information by working with the team doctors and trainers along with the Everest claims department.

In 1983, Steven entered the insurance industry as an Assistant Manager of the Multi-Peril/Crop Hail Division of Old Republic Insurance Company. In 1985, he was promoted to Manager of the Crop Hail Division, overseeing seven branch offices and coordinating the placement of facultative reinsurance for insuring crops against hail/weather damage. While a nationwide drought eventually closed the division, he was offered and took a position at CNA Insurance as a Division Supervisor in the Policy/Claim Administration Division. After working for three years at CNA Insurance, Steve decided to pursue a career that utilized both his insurance background and sports knowledge and eventually joined PFS in 1989. Steve began his career at PFS assisting the President in the evaluation and quoting of PTD sports risks. He soon gained a strong working knowledge of sports insurance and developed a solid relationship with brokers. As a result, in 1991 Steve was named Manager of the Sports Risk department and in 2002 was promoted to Director. His duties include the evaluating, rating and quoting of individual PTD sports risks as well as acting as liaison between brokers, PFS and Underwriters. His duties and areas of expertise have expanded to include the rating and quoting of TTD risks for Team coverage. Steve was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2023.

Joanna is the Controller for PFS, bringing over 20 years of accounting experience. She began her career at PFS as Premium Trust accountant. She is responsible for overseeing the company’s financial operations, with a focus on premium trust accounting and comprehensive financial reporting to insurance carriers and reinsurers. As Controller, Joanna ensures accuracy, compliance, and efficiency in all financial processes. She also manages the company’s IT systems, working closely with external consultants to support operational needs. Joanna holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management with a major in Accounting from the University of Economics in Krakow, Poland, and earned a second Bachelor of Science in Management with a concentration in Finance from National Louis University in 2008.

Caitlin Shiga is the Senior Vice President for PFS. She began her career at PFS as an Account Manager, working closely with brokers and underwriters to provide exceptional customer service to our elite clientele. With over ten years of industry experience, she now specializes in white collar, doctor, and group business, as well as supporting the team and individual sports classes. She also manages PFS’ account manager team and oversees many of PFS’ ongoing office and parent company needs. Caitlin earned a Bachelor degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in International Studies.

John began working at PFS in 2019 as an Insurance Analyst. He brings an extensive quantitative background to PFS. In 2017, John graduated with honors from the University of St. Thomas with a Bachelors degree in Mathematics & Philosophy. During this time John also earned his Computer Programming Professional Certificate and founded a successful web development company. The next two years John spent obtaining his Masters in Finance from the University of Minnesota and working as a Loan Portfolio Analyst at NorthMarq Capital. John leads PFS analytics efforts, doing research and providing statistical and financial analysis to our executive team. John has helped develop PFS’ injury database and is responsible for identifying trends within our core classes to help drive appropriate rating and risk selection. John is in the process of studying for and completing his actuarial exams, having passed the first two sections. John was promoted to Director of Analytics in 2022 and has since helped automate much of PFS’ rating tools and also taken an active role in PFS’ annual renewal efforts and preparing external presentations.

Rich joined PFS as the Director of Sales in 2023. Rich focuses on PFS’ white-collar, entertainment and physician practices and oversees all group and individual product sales, including product design. Rich supports retail producers, agents, wealth and corporate benefits advisors, and the insureds to deliver customized individual and group policies that most effectively provide the insurance needs of the client. Before joining PFS, Rich accumulated 30 years of experience in executive leadership and sales positions with several large manufacturing and software providers, developing a unique ability to understand client needs and identify practical solutions to help increase clients’ odds of success which translates directly into finding the optimal coverage for PFS’ clientele and agents/brokers. After miraculously surviving his own nearly fatal car accident, and taking many months to recover, Rich brings a personal view to the disability insurance world that helps high-net-worth individuals see the need and value for maintaining adequate disability insurance coverage.