Thomas J. Phelan, CPA President and Chief Executive Officer Biography	Paige Beck, CPA Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Biography	Dennis W. Carroll, Esq. Executive Vice President and General Counsel Biography
Robert E. Merritt, CFA Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer Biography	George H. Matthews, AAI Executive Vice President, Insurance Operations Biography	Timothy K. Michels, Esq. Executive Vice President, Claims Biography
Rona S. Finkelstein, Esq. Chief Compliance Officer and SVP of Legal Services Biography	Donna C. Wilson Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning and Communications Biography	Rial R. Simons, FCAS, MAAA Chief Actuary Biography
Elbert Danquah Vice President, Internal Audit Biography	Kama Kolbe Vice President, Underwriting Biography	Frank Linardi, Jr., CPA Vice President, Finance and Controller Biography
Robert Marshall Vice President, Information Systems Biography

Thomas Phelan, CPA, President and CEO
Thomas J. Phelan, CPA, was selected by the IWIF Board to serve as President and CEO in April 2007. Previously, Mr. Phelan held the position of Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance for IWIF where he was responsible for budgeting, forecasting, modeling, variance analysis and reporting IWIF's financial results. In addition, Mr. Phelan was responsible for the underwriting, loss control, premium auditing and information systems departments at IWIF. Mr. Phelan joined IWIF in 1990 as Actuarial Coordinator and Internal Auditor.

Prior to his career with IWIF, Mr. Phelan worked as a Legislative Auditor for the state of Maryland auditing agencies with up to $1 billion in annual appropriations. A cum laude graduate of Towson University, Mr. Phelan is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

He serves on the boards of the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Educational Association and the Maryland Self-Insureds’ and Employers’ Compensation Association. He also serves on the boards of the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland and Kids' Chance of Maryland, and is involved in his church’s Habitat for Humanity ministry. Back to top of page

Paige Beck, CPA – Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Paige Beck, CPA, became Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in August 2007. In this position, Ms. Beck oversees all financial activities for the organization including preparing financial reports, summaries and forecasts for business growth, and tracks the general economic outlook for Maryland business as it relates to IWIF. She also provides strategic leadership to help ensure the continued financial strength of the organization.

During her 17-year tenure with the Towson-based insurer, Ms. Beck has served as head of IWIF’s Internal Audit department and as Assistant Vice President of Finance. Prior to joining IWIF, she was employed with the Office of Legislative Audits.

She is a member of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants and a graduate of Towson University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Back to top of page

Dennis Carroll, Esq., - Executive Vice President -General Counsel
Dennis Carroll, Esquire, General Counsel, joined IWIF in May 2001. Mr. Carroll serves as IWIF’s chief legal officer, providing legal counsel and advice to the Board and to the management team.

Previously, Mr. Carroll worked for the Maryland Insurance Administration where he served as Deputy Insurance Commissioner and helped manage and direct the operations of the 260-employee regulatory agency. He also served as Assistant Attorney General and Principal Counsel to the agency, and as Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Counsel and Chief of Litigation for the Maryland Department of Licensing and Regulation. Earlier, he worked for the Legal Aid Bureau, the National Senior Citizens Law Center, and the Micronesian Legal Services Corporation. A graduate of Guilford College, Mr. Carroll possesses a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law. Back to top of page

Elbert B. Danquah – Vice President of Internal Audit
Elbert Danquah joined IWIF in September 2008 as Vice President of Internal Audit.  In this position, Mr. Danquah oversees IWIF’s internal audit functions by coordinating internal audit activities and plans with the organization’s management team, the Board of Directors and external auditors to ensure proper coverage of risks to the organization and to monitor fraud exposure within operating processes.

Prior to joining IWIF, Mr. Danquah spent 15 years as Associate Director and Director of Internal Audit at Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund.  In all, Mr. Danquah has more than 30 years of insurance internal audit experience.

Mr. Danquah is a graduate of University of Baltimore with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.  He is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, and its affiliated Baltimore chapter.  He is also a member of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. Back to top of page

Rona S. Finkelstein, Esq., - Chief Compliance Officer and SVP of Legal Services
Rona S. Finkelstein, Esquire, is Senior Vice President of Legal Services and the Compliance Department for IWIF. In this dual role, she oversees all aspects of the IWIF Legal Department as well as corporate regulatory compliance. Since joining the company in 1988, Ms. Finkelstein has held various management positions in the Legal Department. Prior to working at IWIF, she spent five years in private practice where she specialized in litigation.

Ms. Finkelstein graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law, cum laude, in 1983 and was admitted to the Maryland Bar that same year. While at the University of Baltimore, she received the American Jurisprudence award for civil litigation and was a member of the law school's National Moot Court Team. Ms. Finkelstein has made presentations on workers' compensation topics on behalf of The Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers, Inc. and the Safety Council of Maryland. In addition, she has published articles on workers' compensation for the Maryland Trial Lawyers' newsletter and the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds (AASCIF). Currently, Ms. Finkelstein serves on the board of directors for Kids' Chance of Maryland and the Women’s Bar Association. Back to top of page

Kama Kolbe, Vice President, Underwriting
Kama Kolbe, Vice President of Underwriting, joined IWIF in May 1998. Ms. Kolbe is responsible for developing and implementing underwriting strategies to achieve targeted results for the company and oversees the loss control operations in support of IWIF’s focus on safety.

Previously, Ms. Kolbe served in various management capacities in IWIF’s Underwriting department. Prior to joining the company, she served as Branch Manager for Continental Insurance’s Custom Markets Center in Richmond, Va. Ms. Kolbe has held a variety of underwriting management positions with CNA, Continental Insurance, Fireman’s Fund and Royal Insurance.

Ms. Kolbe is an active member of the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds and serves on the association’s Health and Safety Committee. Back to top of page

Frank Linardi, Jr., CPA, Vice President, Finance and Controller
Frank Linardi, CPA, is Vice President of Finance and Controller. In this position, Mr. Linardi is responsible for reporting the company’s financial results to the Board of Directors, the Governor and the Insurance Department. He reviews IWIF’s annual financial forecast and budget and is involved in reinsurance negotiations, including review of pricing, alternative coverage and contracts. He oversees financial audits and regulatory examinations, general accounting, payroll, purchasing and accounts payable.

Prior to joining IWIF in August 2001, Mr. Linardi was employed with Blackboard, Inc. as a Manager of Financial Reporting and Zurich Insurance as Assistant Controller for more than 16 years.

Mr. Linardi possesses a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Loyola College in Baltimore. He is a member of the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants, is on the Board of the Maryland Self-Insurers’ and Employers’ Compensation Association, and is currently the treasurer for St. Stephen Soccer Council. Back to top of page

Robert Marshall - Vice President, Information Systems
Robert Marshall joined IWIF in 1993 as Senior Database Administrator. He was appointed Vice President of Information Systems in March 1997. His responsibilities include integrating information needs for all IWIF departments, as well as providing information support for new programs and initiatives. Mr. Marshall was previously employed at Nova Pharmaceutical Corporation for eight years as Manager of Information Systems.

A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Mr. Marshall is currently working toward a master's degree in information and telecommunications systems for business at Johns Hopkins University. He is a member of the International Oracle Users Group and the Digital Equipment Corporation User Society. Back to top of page

George H. Matthews, AAI, Executive Vice President, Insurance Operations
Appointed Executive Vice President for IWIF in 2004, George H. Matthews oversees Marketing, Underwriting, Loss Control, Corporate Communications and Corporate Services.

Previously, Mr. Matthews was Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, which involved sales and marketing activities including research and product development. He joined IWIF in September 1995 as Vice President, Policyholder Services.

Prior to joining IWIF, Mr. Matthews served in numerous management positions at USF&G. He has more than 30 years of insurance experience in the marketing and underwriting arenas. Mr. Matthews graduated from Fisk University and was honored as the 1993 "Insurance Person of the Year" in Tennessee. He holds the Accredited Advisor in Insurance from the Insurance Institute of America. Mr. Matthews is Past President of the Insurance Roundtable of Baltimore. Back to top of page

Robert E. Merritt, CFA, - Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer
Since 1991, Mr. Robert E. Merritt has been an astute member of the IWIF Executive Team. As Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer, Mr. Merritt is charged with managing the company's investment portfolio, which impacts the overall financial operations of IWIF. Before joining IWIF, Mr. Merritt was employed with the Bank of Baltimore, where he was also responsible for portfolio management.

He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from Loyola College in Maryland. A Chartered Financial Analyst, Mr. Merritt served as the past Vice President of the Baltimore Security Analysts Society. He also served as Chairman of the Finance and Investment Committee for the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds (AASCIF). In addition, he serves on the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust. Back to top of page

Timothy K. Michels, Esq., - Executive Vice President, Claims
Timothy Michels, Esquire, was appointed Executive Vice President of Claims in 2004. In this leadership position, Mr. Michels oversees the entire claims operation for both private and State claims, manages the relationship between IWIF and the State Employee Risk Management Association (SERMA), Fraud Operations and Subrogation efforts. Previously,

Mr. Michels was Vice President of claims for IWIF. Mr. Michels began his IWIF career in 1992. He first served a five-year stint in the Legal department as an attorney and then worked as a Claims Director for five years. Back to top of page

Rial R. Simons, FCAS, MAAA, Chief Actuary
Rial R. Simons joined IWIF in 2000 as Chief Actuary. His actuarial function at IWIF includes advising senior management on matters such as premium pricing structures, profitability, market opportunities, annual forecasts, reserves, as well as reinsurance and surplus level needs.

Mr. Simons' actuarial career spans more than 25 years. Prior to joining IWIF, he was Chief Actuary for the Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation. He has held actuarial positions at Maryland Insurance Group, a division of Zurich Insurance Group; Royal Insurance Group and Utica Mutual Insurance Company. He is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Mr. Simons graduated cum laude from Syracuse University with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He also earned a master’s degree in applied and computational mathematics from Johns Hopkins University. Back to top of page

Donna C. Wilson, Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning and Communications
Donna C. Wilson joined IWIF in 1996 as a business consultant and was instrumental in creating IWIF’s strategic plan. In her current capacity, Ms. Wilson is responsible for corporate communications, public and community relations, strategic planning, as well as the Call Center, Document Management and Distribution departments.

Prior to her employment with IWIF, she spent 16 years at Avon Products, Inc. in various management and executive positions. Previously, she was a consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton, specializing in property/casualty insurance, and a Management Associate in the Office of Management & Budget in the Executive Office of the President of the United States.

A graduate of Western College for Women, Ms. Wilson holds masters degrees from Simmons College School of Social Work, Harvard University School of Government and Columbia University Graduate School of Business. In 1989, she was featured as one of the Top Ten Black Female Corporate Executives by Essence magazine. Ms. Wilson serves on several community non-profit boards of directors. She is an Adjunct Professor of Strategic Management at the Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business. Back to top of page