Our Leadership Team

Dan McCarthy

Chief Executive Officer

Daniel F. McCarthy serves as the Chief Executive Officer of ISU Steadfast Insurance Agency Network, where he brings over 37 years of experience in the insurance and financial services sectors. Dan is recognized for his strategic leadership and his ability to drive innovation within the industry, particularly through the integration of technology into insurance operations.

Prior to his current role, Dan held senior executive positions where he was instrumental in building underwriting systems, advancing claims processing, risk management, and operational efficiencies. He also founded Insurex, a successful national commercial insurance brokerage that was later acquired by NSM Insurance Group.

Dan’s expertise is widely acknowledged across the industry, and he actively contributes to various boards and councils, shaping the future of insurance. His leadership at ISU Insurance Agency Network reflects his commitment to excellence and forward-thinking strategies.

Doug Penley

President

With over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry, Doug’s career spans both insurance carrier and agency roles including the owner of an agency and leader in risk placement and carrier relations for a top 75 insurance agency in the U.S. He also spent significant time with a national carrier, where he held a range of roles in sales and distribution, and claims. Doug holds an undergraduate degree in Risk and Insurance from Appalachian State University and has achieved professional designations including CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter) and ARM (Associate in Risk Management). 

Steven C. Pearson CIC

President Emeritus

Steve began his insurance career in 1984 as Principal of Pearson Insurance Agency, an independent agency in San Francisco. Steve’s 40 years in the insurance industry include working as an expert witness on agency responsibilities and teaching advanced insurance courses for various organizations primarily The National Alliance for Education and Research Certified Insurance Counselor and Certified Insurance Service Representative curriculum. Steve also served on the National Alliance Board of Governors CISR Program in each officer position including as Chair for over 6 years, and Board of Governors CIC Program in each officer position including Chair for 7 years. Steve also earned Certified Insurance Counselor and Certified Risk Manager Designations.  

Grace Ryan

Chief Financial Officer

With over 25 years of experience in financial services, Grace has experience in both international commercial banking and investment banking. Her career began in London with Midland Bank of England. She later transitioned to investment banking with Bandwidth Capital in San Francisco. During her tenure at ISU, Grace played a pivotal role in establishing ISU’s retail insurance agency operations. Currently, she serves as the CFO of ISU. Grace holds a BA in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, an MBA from UCLA, the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation, and was a Name at Lloyds,  

Javier Hernandez

Chief Information Officer

Javier joined ISU Steadfast in October 2012 and today, continues to apply his strong aptitude for data engineering and IT infrastructure. In 2017, Javier spearheaded the remodeling of ISU's central data processing system, significantly enhancing its efficiency and capabilities. His expertise also encompasses analyzing carrier and ISU member data to identify and leverage new partnership opportunities. Javier's innovative approach continues to drive ISU Steadfast's success and technological advancements. 

Curt Vondrasek

Executive Vice President, New Member Development

Curt leads the New Business Development Team at ISU and has over 30 years’ experience in the insurance industry, specializing in recruiting and sales leadership.   Previous roles include SVP at MarshBerry, SVP at AIG and VP at HUB International. Curt has served on several boards including ABIA, CIMRO and RRHOA. He is also the past President of the Chicago Chapter for the American Association of Inside Sales Professionals