Leadership
Foundation Leadership
Cynthia Tidwell
President, Rock Island, IL
Cynthia Tidwell was appointed President of Royal Neighbors in 2005. She has spent many years turning around and reinventing organizations. She is accomplished in all facets of insurance, including sales, marketing, claims, underwriting, change management, agency management, information technology, and human resources. With a passion for leadership, Ms. Tidwell has built start-up organizations, managed turnarounds, and hired and retained top talent by using a results-oriented and team philosophy. Prior to joining Royal Neighbors, she led a $900M national property and casualty insurance business, part of the Allianz family of companies. As president, she led change initiatives to regain business fundamentals and achieved record results.
Today, Ms. Tidwell has led the turnaround at Royal Neighbors through a formal change framework of identification, stabilization, and strengthen. She is rebuilding the sales capability, increasing membership, and enhancing the philanthropic arm of the organization. In recognition of her keen business acumen and her leadership abilities, she won the prestigious Stevie Award as Turnaround Executive of the Year in The 2009 American Business Awards. She also was the recipient of a 2010 Athena Business Women’s Award from the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce and The Women’s Connection for excellence in her profession and for the significant difference she makes in her community.
She is a graduate of Arizona State University and was a participant in the Wharton AICPU and LLIF Programs and Hagberg Executive Development. In addition to her President/CEO responsibilities, she serves on the executive committee of the Royal Neighbors Board of Directors. Married for 30 years to her husband, Don, they have raised two wonderful sons.
She serves on the Illinois Quad City Chamber board and its finance committee; is a member of the ACLI Forum 500; has been a member of the Board of Junior Achievement and the Western Illinois Leadership Committee; and has been involved with the United Way. She also volunteers extensively on behalf of Royal Neighbors. In addition, she is a member of the American Fraternal Alliance, Executive Women’s Golf League, and the National Association of Professional Women. She is a sought-after speaker on leadership and the improvement of women’s health and financial security. She was featured in American Executive magazine for her turnaround strategies; listed in the Global Directory of Who’s Who, the foremost network of worldwide leadership; and has been a guest on numerous TV talk shows and news channels.
Bruce Peterson, JD, FLMI, ALHC, AAPA
Director
Mr. Peterson has been a member of the Royal Neighbors Foundation board since 2007. He also has been a part of Royal Neighbors’ legal department since 1980 when he joined the Society as assistant general counsel (investments). He has a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law. Mr. Peterson has served on several committees for the International Claim Association, and is currently Chairman of the American Fraternal Alliance Risk Management Committee and a member of its Law Committee. He also is an active member of the Association of Fraternal Benefit Counsel, Rock Island Police Pension Board, and Rock Island Planning Commission.
Mary Staver, PHR, CEAP
Vice President
Ms. Staver has been a member of the Royal Neighbors of America staff since 2001 and a member of the Royal Neighbors Foundation Board since 2008. With more than 20 years experience in human resources, she previously has been HR manager for a transportation company with a 550 employee base in six locations. She also served as an employee assistance and human resource consultant for Family Resources, Inc., where she provided human resource consulting for over 20 businesses. She graduated from Northern Illinois University with a major in communications and a minor in business. In addition, she has taken graduate classes in human resource management at St. Ambrose University, and has earned the designations of Professional in Human Resources and Certified Employee Assistance Professional. Ms. Staver serves as a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and Great River Human Resource Association, and is the management liaison to the Compensation Committee of the Royal Neighbors Board of Directors. She is a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church where she participates in a music ministry and serves on the LAN 29 Board of Directors (Child and Adolescent Local Area Networks, under the auspices of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services). She also serves on the board of The Women’s Connection, a non-profit organization co-sponsored by Royal Neighbors encouraging women to gather, network, connect, and develop leadership skills. She has also volunteered as a Drug and Alcohol Abuse educator and has conducted classes through Rock Island County Council on Addictions in various school systems throughout western Illinois.
Patsy Kneller
Director
As executive director of Habitat for Humanity of San Angelo, Ms. Kneller established a partnership with Royal Neighbors in 1997 to assist Habitat families with financial education. A strong advocate for volunteerism, she has served on the boards and committees of many community organizations including the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, the Better Business Bureau, the American Heart Association, Chamber of Commerce, Social and Health Resource Coalition, the American Cancer Society, Grant Center of Concho Valley, San Angelo Nature Center, San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, and St. Paul Presbyterian Church. She was named a “Woman to Watch” by the Business and Professional Women; named co-citizen of the year by the NAACP; received the Civic Leaders Award from the Chamber of Commerce - Leadership San Angelo Alumni; served as a mentor through the Juvenile Justice/SAISD program; and has played an active role in the Girl Scouts. Earning a bachelor of science degree from Mansfield University, Ms. Kneller has strong skills in fund-raising, human resources, grant-writing, public speaking, media-marketing, and project management. She has been a member of the Royal Neighbors Board of Directors since September 2004, and serves on its governance and investment committees. Ms. Kneller joined the Royal Neighbors Foundation board in 2007.
Kristin McDaniel
Director
Kristin McDaniel became Chief Marketing Executive of Royal Neighbors on Jan. 17, 2011. She is responsible for helping articulate Royal Neighbors’ vision and mission; establishing goals, objectives, plans, and policies for the marketing division; directing and executing corporate marketing plans; and expanding the membership of Royal Neighbors. Graduating from DePaul University with a bachelor of arts degree in communications/media, she earned her master’s degree in integrated marketing from Northwestern University. While working at such companies as Allstate Insurance, Bank of America, and DraftFCB, Ms. McDaniel has gained experience in insurance, home loans, packaged goods and retail, advertising, budgeting, agency management, strategic development, and market planning, research, and communications. She is a member of the Royal Neighbors Foundation Board of Directors; has been Vice Chair of the Parent Board of Blessed Sacrament School for the past two years; is involved with the Catholic Charities of Phoenix, AZ, and Chicago, IL; is a member of the American Marketing Association; and is a published author in Medill’s “Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications.”
John Friederich
Secretary
Mr. Friederich became assistant general counsel in Royal Neighbors’ investment department in 1992. He currently serves as senior assistant general counsel. Graduating from Iowa State University, Ames, with a bachelor of arts degree, he earned his Juris Doctorate at the University of Iowa. He is a member of the Iowa/Illinois Bar Association and serves on the board of directors of St. Joseph the Worker House and RNA Real Estate Holdings, Inc.
Steve Norberg, CPA, FLMI
Treasurer
Mr. Norberg has been part of the Royal Neighbors Home Office staff since 1992, and is currently serving as controller. He is responsible for the production and filing of financial reports and for accurate maintenance of the Society’s financial data and accounting records. In addition, he develops, analyzes, and interprets statistical and accounting information to appraise profitability, capital expenditures, and performance against budget. Earning his bachelor’s degree from Western Illinois University, he also is a Certified Public Accountant and a Fellow, Life Management Institute. He has been a member of the AlWood School Board; a Trustee for the Oxford Township Fire District; treasurer of the Village of Alpha; and Teens Encounter Christ board member.