John Rasmussen, Senior Vice President

John has been with MRS since its inception, and works with approximately 500 physician clients throughout Illinois and Indiana. He utilizes his vast knowledge of the marketplace and business savvy to design out of the box solutions for his clients.

Prior to joining MRS, John spent three years at Marsh & McLennan, where he handled and brought in multiple client accounts, including both hospital and physician business. His deep knowledge of the insurer marketplace was gained when he worked for ISMIE Mutual from 1997 to 2003. During his time at ISMIE, John underwrote physician professional liability insurance, and was quickly promoted to Underwriting Manager, where he was responsible for the Underwriters and Underwriting Technicians.

Ken Epple, Vice President of Physician Services

Ken provides his physician clients with "one-stop shopping", saving them time and money on their insurance premiums. Ken began his insurance career in 1969, and has insured health care providers since 1980. He spent 10 years at the American Hospital Association before moving onto Classic Insurance Services, Ltd., where he developed new business for another 10 years. He then went to work for Gallagher Healthcare for three years before landing with Medical Risk Services, Inc. Ken lives in Naperville, Illinois with his wife Judy. They have been married 40 years, have two children, and four grandchildren. He enjoys golfing, fishing, and playing tennis.

Laura Ulaszek, Director of Physician Services

Laura has been with MRS since its inception in 2007. She consults regularly with executives from the professional liability insurance markets to help create solutions for her physicians. She also  works as an advocate for physicians of all specialties, and with her close relationships to the markets, she is able to find the malpractice insurance coverage that is most appropriate for their needs. Laura has been serving Illinois physicians for over ten years, having spent most of her career with Classic Insurance Services, Ltd. before the merger acquisition with Gallagher Healthcare in 2005.

Laura currently resides with her husband, Jeff, and their three children in Naperville, Illinois. She enjoys reading a good book, and watching her children do well in sports and in their studies.

Ryan Sample, Vice President of Physician Services

Ryan Sample has joined Medical Risk Services as of January 15, 2010. He was formerly with Classic Insurance Services, Ltd. and Gallagher Healthcare. Ryan has spent the past 13 years developing new business and building lasting relationships by providing physicians and health care clients exceptional choices and service for their professional liability insurance needs. Ryan has worked with physicians in Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan.

                                                                      
Libby Salerno Romano, Director of Marketing

Libby joined Medical Risk Services, bringing to the team her creative vision and desire to propel sales and marketing efforts for the firm. She works with the sales force and management team to develop messaging, and creates and implements a broad range of marketing communications to further the client acquisition and retention goals and processes. Prior to joining MRS, Libby spent her career working her way up the corporate marketing ladder and also worked for another multi-line insurance brokerage in Chicago. Her original insurance experience was gained through her four-year internship with the Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies in her hometown of Omaha, while she attended the University of Nebraska. She currently resides in Chicago and enjoys traveling, working, networking, and spending time with her husband, their golden retriever, family, and friends.

Sean Sullivan, Vice President of Key Accounts

Sean Sullivan joined MRS in September 2010. Sean started his insurance career at PHICO Insurance in 1998 as an underwriter writing physician business. During his time at PHICO, Sean helped to expand PHICO's national book of business in all 50 states.

In 2002, Sean left PHICO and joined ISMIE Mutual as an underwriter and has been underwriting Illinois physician malpractice coverage. Since then, Sean has been utilizing his knowledge in the area of medical malpractice to provide personalized coverage solutions to the physicians of Illinois. This type of dedication also helped Sean to be promoted to senior underwriter.

Sean enjoys spending time with his wife and newborn son, as well as several sporting activities including golf, hockey, and bike riding.

Mike Sebens, Vice President of Physician Services

Mike grew up in Atwood, Illinois and earned an undergraduate degree in Agricultural Economics, and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Illinois.

Mike started in the insurance business in a multiple lines agency in 1984 and worked primarily with business and professional liability coverages. He also developed the group benefits business department at the agency. In 1996, he founded Integrated Benefits Group. The company specializes in group benefits plans and cost efficiencies for small firms.

In 2003, Mike founded Physician Advocates Group. PAG has been dedicated to serving the needs of physicians in all areas of professional risk. Mike has used his extensive experience in Risk Management to develop better risk profiles for all the practices he works with.

Mike and his wife, Judy, live in Champaign. His son, Matt, is an ER physician in Madison, Wisconsin. In his free time, Mike enjoys golfing and traveling.

Marty Flanagan, Vice President of Physician Services

Marty joined Medical Risk Services, Inc. in March of 2011, and considers his main focus to be one of physician advocacy. He currently represents many physicians throughout both Illinois and Indiana, and constantly strives to educate his clients on the many intricacies of the medical professional liability market. His daily efforts ensure that each physician client has the most proactive representation, allowing for the best coverage options at the most efficient pricing.

Prior to joining MRS, Marty spend 18 years in the medical device field working for Johnson & Johnson as well as some highly successful startup medical device companies. Subsequently, Marty was recruited in October of 2009 to join Assurance in Schaumburg, Illinois to be the Strategic Director of their new Healthcare Advisory division to lead and develop their medical professional liability initiative.

Marty grew up in New Lenox, and graduated college with honors from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a Minor in Economics. Marty and his wife, Karla, have been married 24 years and reside in Winfield. They enjoy spending their free time with their children, MaryPat, Blaine, and Bryce, and their Golden Retriever, Callie.

Joe Balice, Assistant Vice President of Physician Services

Joe was born in Chicago and raised in Elmhurst, Illinois. He entered the insurance marketplace in 2005 with Innovative Risk Services (a division of Arthur J. Gallagher) to help establish an alternative solution for the difficult marketplace Illinois physicians were facing. Working with every major professional liability insurance broker in the State as his clients, Joe was on the fast-track in understanding the current environment.

He established a working relationship with the Cunningham Group, where he spent the next five years working directly with Illinois physicians and their respective insurance carriers. Joe also founded a medical professional networking group, which allowed medical practice administrators to come together and grow their knowledge through expert speakers and fellow colleagues.

Joe is now part of the MRS team, and continues to grow, service, and support his clients with his vast knowledge of the marketplace. His aim is to facilitate the best possible risk solution for his physician clients.

Joe currently resides in Elmhurst with his wife and children. He enjoys spending free time with his family, and watching his boys develop their skills in various sports and activities.