NewsVGM Group Welcomes Two New Board Members

WATERLOO, Iowa—VGM Group is excited to announce its board of directors recently elected two new members: Steve Ryan, senior vice president of client services at GreatBanc in Chicago, and Dr. Rebecca Ehretsman, president of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. These two new members replace VGM co-founders John Deery, Jr., who resigned from his position on the board at the end of 2023, and the late Jim Walsh, who passed away on Oct. 12, 2023.    

“We are fortunate to add two exceptional leaders to our board of directors,” said Mike Mallaro, who serves as the VGM executive chairman of the board. “VGM Group has become an increasingly sophisticated organization and a leader in the industries it serves. I’m excited to welcome their insights as we move the company forward.”  

Ehretsman brings a unique perspective to VGM as president of a large organization, including leadership development and succession planning expertise. And, having a background in healthcare from her time as an occupational therapist and certified hand specialist, she also understands one of the core industries VGM serves. Ehretsman became president of Wartburg College in 2022, the first woman president in the institution’s history, and she is also the first woman to be elected to VGM’s board.  

In his role at GreatBanc, Ryan specializes in serving employee-owned companies like VGM Group, which has been 100% employee owned since 2008. Ryan also serves as chair of the ESOP Committee of Private Directors Association, a national organization for professionals serving on boards.  

"I’m honored to be able to work with Mr. Ryan and Dr. Ehretsman,” said VGM CEO Jeremy Stolz. “Their depth of executive and leadership knowledge make them ideally suited to help guide VGM toward our ambitious goals and usher in the bright future we’re all building here.”    

To learn more about VGM Group, the industries it serves, and its involvement within the Cedar Valley community, visit vgmgroup.com.   

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About VGM Group, Inc. 

Headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa, VGM is a 100% employee-owned company providing business and professional services to thousands of business customers across North America. Services include group purchasing, commercial insurance, management of healthcare services and networks in post-acute cases, healthcare distribution direct to patient homes, specialty consulting, online education, digital, print, and traditional marketing and more. VGM employs approximately 1,500 people across 36 states and Canada. Nearly 600 people work in the Waterloo offices and the remainder work in one of VGM’s eight offices outside of Waterloo or work from home. VGM has been named the Top Workplace in Iowa on multiple occasions and is proud of its role in the communities in which it serves. For more information, visit www.vgmgroup.com.