Profiles

Ben Salzmann has led Sheboygan-based property and casualty insurer Acuity since 1999, growing it from under $250 million to nearly $2 billion in written premium (revenue) during his tenure.

Born and raised in the Beaujolais region of France, Philippe Coquard joined Wollersheim Winery in Sauk County in 1984.

Josh Jeffers founded Milwaukee-based real estate development firm J. Jeffers & Co in 2012, following his earlier career in the private equity real estate industry. His firm has been involved in several prominent developments in southeastern Wisconsin.

Ken Riesch co-founded R&R Insurance with his father in 1975 and has helped grow it into one of the state’s largest independently owned insurance agencies, with about 200 employees.

Deborah Carey and her husband, Dan, founded New Glarus Brewing Co. nearly 30 years ago. As a gift to Dan, Deb raised the capital for the startup brewery.

Richard Poirier is prepared to close out his career in 2024 after eight years at the helm of Church Mutual Insurance Co., credited as the largest insurer of religious organizations in the country.

Gerry Behan has worked for over 35 years for Kerry Group, an Ireland-based international food corporation with operations in Beloit.

Fourth-generation cheesemaker Errico Auricchio founded BelGioioso Cheese Inc. in Brown County in 1979 after having moved from Italy.

John Schmidt has led Appleton-based U.S. Venture as its president and chief executive officer since 2007. Previously, Schmidt was president of CMD Corp.

Paul Nobile, who has been president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Wisconsin since 2015, oversees all aspects of its commercial business in the state, including sales, marketing and underwriting, cost of care, provider relations and network development and clinical management functions.