For Immediate Release: September 30, 2020
United Way of the Midlands Welcomes New Board Members
United Way of the Midlands (UWM) is proud to announce the addition of four community leaders to its Board of Directors: Avi Atholi, Jamie Gutierrez, Dr. Pam Kayl and Jim Richardson. With their diverse backgrounds and expertise, these individuals will help guide the work of UWM, ensuring it is investing dollars wisely in nonprofit programs that impact poverty and form a circle of support for those in need.
Atholi is the Vice President, Enterprise Data Management at First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO). In his 12+ years at FNBO, Atholi has taken on increasingly influential roles in Finance, Risk and Data, leading to currently being the VP of Data Strategy, Governance & Management. In his current role, Atholi is accountable for developing data as a strategic asset for the long-term viability of the company and its customers. He is a certified Financial Risk Manager (FRM) with Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), has a Diploma in Financial Management from American Institute of Banking (AIB) and also has a Data Governance Certification.
Gutierrez is the CEO and Owner of Midwest Maintenance Companies, Inc. She started her career with Midwest Maintenance Company, working in the operations department, in 1989. Guiterrez rose to become the company’s president by 1995 and owner in 1997, taking the once small cleaning business started by her parents, Paul and Alice Gutierrez in 1965, and transforming it into the multimillion-dollar business it is today. Midwest Maintenance Company is now a leader in the building service provider industry, serving clients throughout Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and recently expanding into Texas, St. Louis, Missouri and Kansas.
Kayl is the Vice President, Nursing at CHI Health. She has a demonstrated history of excellence in the hospital, healthcare industry and healthcare systems. She has been in her current role at CHI Health since 2017. Prior to that, she held positions with Children’s Hospital as their Director of Advanced Practice Nursing and a Director of Orthopedics at Creighton University Medical Center. Kayl is highly skilled in nursing education, nursing practice, physician relations, acute care, quality improvement and patient experience.
Richardson is a Partner and Nebraska Audit Leader at RSM US LLP. He is a financial services leader serving insurance companies, financial institutions and investment companies. Richardson’s insurance experience includes statutory accounting, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP), SEC and National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) regulatory compliance. He is active with the NAIC/AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) insurance task force, a group that discusses and provides input to the NAIC on new and proposed changes to existing statutory accounting policies.
Atholi, Gutierrez, Kayl and Richardson join the 16 other returning members of the UWM Board of Directors, which is chaired by Gail DeBoer, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cobalt Credit Union.
- Gail DeBoer, Board Chair
President & CEO
Cobalt Credit Union - Mickey Anderson
President & CEO
Baxter Auto Group - Tim Burke
President & CEO
Omaha Public Power District - Susan Courtney
Executive Vice President Operations and Clinical Effectiveness
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska - Jerry Crouse
CEO and Vice Chairman
Tenaska, Inc. - Nate Dodge
President
NP Dodge Company - Joel Falk, Board Treasurer
Regional President
UMB Bank - Bob Gunia
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs Group
Physicians Mutual - Ia Hagan, Women United Board Liaison
Financial Advisor
Wells Fargo Advisors - Alison Ingunza, Emerging Leaders Board Liaison
Landscape Architect
HDR, Inc. - Steve Kaniewski
President & CEO
Valmont Industries - Dr. Cheryl Logan
Superintendent
Omaha Public Schools - Clark Ponthier
Senior Vice President, Supply Chain and Continuous Improvement
Union Pacific Railroad - Cory Shaw
Executive Vice President & COO
Nebraska Medicine - Dan Waters, Board Secretary
Partner
Lamson, Dugan & Murray LLP - Brian Woolfolk
Head of Institutional Division
Pacific Life
About United Way of the Midlands
United Way of the Midlands (UWM) has served the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro for more than 95 years. Guided by best practices and community input, it approaches poverty in a specific way – a “united” way. With the support of volunteers, community partners and donors, UWM invests donor dollars efficiently and effectively in our local community. These dollars fund basic needs, education and financial stability programs at local nonprofits, creating a circle of support for people in need. Please visit unitedwaymidlands.org for more information.