Meet the People Behind Ertel - Ertel and Company

X

Mike Ertel, MBA
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- S. Degree in Marketing from Butler University; MBA from Butler University; Started Ertel & Company in 1995.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Faith, Family and growing Ertel & Company into the premier independently owned employee benefits and health risk management company.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “You never fail until you stop trying.” – Albert Einstein
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- The people. All the people including our Ertel & Company family and the great folks at our clients and insurance carriers. We are blessed!

X

Chris Burton
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- B.S. in Business Administration from Butler University; Indiana Life and Health, and Property and Casualty licensed, Chris has worked with Ertel and Company since 2006 and has been servicing accounts in Indiana as a Benefits Advisor since 1984.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Chris enjoys spending time with family. He also enjoys biking, fishing, boating, visits to Ft. Collins, CO and spending time with his two granddaughters.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “Failure to prepare is preparing to fail” – John Wooden
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- The client relationships we have developed at Ertel and Company has been the key to our success. We have such a dedicated experienced team that always puts our clients and their employees first- which is such a key component to our overall company philosophy. The uniqueness of our complete medical team and our Mobile Medical Units that go directly to our clients is something no other benefit firm offers. The improvement of overall health with our client’s employees has provided significant reduction in claim cost along with reducing their cost for medical insurance and increasing employee productivity. We truly feel we are making Indiana healthier one employer at a time.

X

Marianne Lambert
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- BA in Business Management from Xavier University; Indiana Life and Health Licensed; 18 years working with Ertel & Company with a background of 22 years in Corporate Business & Finance.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Marianne enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and family, riding bikes, pickleball, exercising, concerts and listening to music.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind.” —Mister Rogers
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Marianne enjoys partnering with our clients to help them navigate through the insurance world and bring the best insurance solutions to their employees.
- Community Engagement:
- Marianne enjoys participating in local 5K walks and runs in support of community fundraisers.
- What our clients think about you:
- Marianne is my go to person for insurance related questions. She is quick to respond with accurate information.

X

Susan Boyle
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Indiana Life and Health licensed; Susan has worked with Ertel & Company since 2015 and has been in the insurance industry since 1984. Susan’s background includes working with an insurance carrier and with a large broker agency before moving to Ertel & Company.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Spending time with my family! I also enjoy spending time bike riding.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- Susan enjoys anything written by Nicolas Sparks! She is a fan of Italian Food.
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Working with great people and friends, love to help our clients, we have great clients.

X

Sherri Rhodes
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Indiana Life and Health Licensed agent with 37 years of experience in the industry; Certified Agent for Individual Plans and Medicare Supplements and Medicare Advantage Plans along with Part D-RX Plans. Experience in claims and enrollment procedures. Has been employed with Ertel & Company since 2005.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Sherri enjoys volunteering, exercising, Bible Studies, reading, concerts and loves dogs and horses.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “In a World where You can be anything, be Kind” / seafood and chicken dishes/
  
  Fiction and non-fiction novels.
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Client satisfaction is ingrained in the Ertel work ethic. Employees are skillful and work together as a team in all aspects. Taking extra steps and developing trust is important.

X

Jennifer Puckett
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- B.S. in Psychology with a concentration in Human Resource Management, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA. I have worked in various aspects of the health care industry for 25 plus years within various settings: hospitals, outpatient clinics, autism spectrum clinics, managing operations and patient care.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Hiking…I enjoy visiting our National Park System and various state parks, to wonder at the creation we are allowed to inhabit. I have two grown children who teach me more each day, I enjoy supporting them in their new endeavors as young adults.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “Life was meant to be lived, and curiosity must be kept alive. One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.” Eleanor Roosevelt
  –I LOVE Mexican Food. Currently I enjoy reading historical fiction.
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Ertel and Company has set themselves apart as a broker and employer by doing what is always right, which isn’t the easiest thing to do. The team at Ertel, and their genuine desire to exceed expectations for their clients, patients, and employees is evident in every decision they make.

X

Emma Ertel
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Associate’s Degree, majoring in Fashion Business Management – Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC)
  
  Bachelor’s Degree, majoring in Business Management – Kelley School of Business at Indiana University (Indianapolis)
- Hobbies/ interests:
- I am a dance teacher at Momentum Dance Company in Greenfield, IN. I have been dancing since I was two years old, and I adore teaching all my students!
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “If you stumble, make it part of your dance.” – My grandma showed me this quote in elementary school, and it will always remind me of her.
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- The warm, family-like atmosphere makes this a truly special place to work. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of such a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone is a joy to collaborate with!

X

Michael Ertel
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Bachelor’s in Risk Management and Insurance from University of Louisiana at Monroe, and Master’s in Communication at University of Alabama at Birmingham.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Enjoy watching sports and spending quality time with family and friends.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- My mom’s gooey butter cake.
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- The family atmosphere and overall support.

X

Stacie Hannaford
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Ball State University; has worked with Ertel & Company since February, 2015
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Enjoys hiking, watching movies, live music and spending time with family.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Teresa
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Stacie enjoys providing great service to make sure every client feels just how important they are to Ertel & Company

X

Amy Kiley Ertel, MD
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Bachelor of Science Degree from Butler University in 1993, received Doctor of Medicine degree from Indiana University School of Medicine in 1997. Has provided preventative medical care and routine medical services to patients all over Indiana since 1999. Has served as Health Risk Management Medical Director of Ertel & Company since 2008.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Amy enjoys spending time with her family and especially enjoys watching sports and dancing activities between her 5 children. Amy also loves spending time with Lila and Lacey, the family dogs.
  
  Amy also loves crafting and home improvements (even though her husband Michael usually must come in and help her finish the job!)
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- Amy enjoys the book “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”; and her favorite dish is any Italian food.
  
  Amy’s favorite quote is from Mother Theresa,
  
  “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Amy especially enjoys the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives through truly listening to their concerns and helping them navigate change in their lifestyle choices. Her mission with patients is to identify unknown health issues and then educate them on ways to improve those issues through realistic tasks and obtainable goals.
  
  The other FAVORITE part of Amy’s job is working with her medical team on the Medical Unit. They have so much fun exploring all the “nooks and crannies” of Indiana and enjoy bringing medical care to communities both big and small. Amy always says her work family is the BEST!

X

Sandi Carter
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Sandi spent 2 years at Holy Cross Junior College, transferred to Indiana University with a B.A. in Elementary Education. She has worked with Ertel & Company since 2010 and is Welcoa Faculty Certified. She has a background in Property Management where she spent 12 years as a Corporate Trainer. She also spent time in the classroom and taught at Mosaics School for 2 years and then several years as the Director of Fall Creek Baptist Preschool before coming to Ertel.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Sandi values stepping away for vacations and enjoys spending time at the beach and/or hiking in the mountains with family and friends. Hobbies include incorporating daily exercise for the mind and body as well as attending and/or watching sporting events – particularly basketball and football. As a mom of 2 adult boys, she particularly treasures the time when her entire family can be together.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and thanksgiving, make your requests be known to God. And the peace of God that rules all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ.” Philippians 4: 6-7
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Working for a company that places high value in the health and wellbeing of others is a blessing. Being a part of positively impacting a company’s culture and seeing concrete improvement in employee health is incredibly rewarding. Our ability to bring prevention to the forefront of health has truly changed and saved lives. It’s a joy to witness and a pleasure to work hand in hand with our clients developing the well-being strategies that truly affect their bottom line.

X

Jana Baker
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- B.S. in Psychology, minor in Sociology from Taylor University; 18 years of experience in psychology and medical fields; Has worked with Ertel & Company since 2012.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Jana enjoys singing, reading, gardening, walking, cooking and spending time with family & friends
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Jana loves working with people, being a problem solver and creating an inviting and comfortable atmosphere on the Mobile Medical Center. “It is an absolute joy to work with everyone at Ertel & Company. We have an amazing work environment, work ethic and way of collaborating that makes me proud to be a part of this company.”
- Community Engagement:
- Jana is very involved at her church – She is a worship leader, women’s Bible study small group leader, and in a care community for a foster family. She loves volunteering for school activities, especially show choir and marching band! She also enjoys volunteering at Gleaners Food Bank.
- What our clients think about you:
- Jana is reliable, detail-oriented and always on top of things, eager to jump in and tackle any project that is thrown her way.

X

Lindsay Arellano, MPAS, PA-C
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- B.S. in Accounting from Azusa Pacific University, MS, Physician Assistant Studies – Western University of Health Sciences, NCCPA certified.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Lindsay enjoys spending time with family and organic farming in her free time.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- Lindsay’s favorite Books include To Kill a Mockingbird and Persuasion.
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Lindsay and the team love working together and especially enjoy working hard to encourage and provide tools to each one of the patients to take steps to being healthier every day.
- Community Engagement:
- Lindsay serves as a Small Group Leader as well as a Nursery Team Leader at her local church. She and her family also volunteer with the YMCA.

X

Taryn Bolton, APN-FNP-BC
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- BS in Psychology from Vanderbilt University; BS/MS in Nursing from Columbia University; Taryn has been working as a Family Nurse Practitioner since 2003 and joined Ertel & Company in 2021.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Taryn enjoys gardening, walking, and spending time with her family and pets.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things” – Robert Brault
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Taryn enjoys the opportunity to meet and get to know so many different people from all over the state of Indiana; she especially enjoys hearing their stories, helping her patients learn about their health, and encouraging them to take small steps to improve their health every day.

X

Chris Williams, APN- FNP-BC
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Chris received her Bachelors in Nursing from Purdue University and her Masters in Nursing from Indiana University. She also did post masters work at Indiana State University. Chris is dual certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She has been with Ertel and Company since 2015.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Chris loves to work-out, enjoying Orange Theory, tennis and pickleball the most. Chris loves a good novel, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love”. Mother Teresa
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Chris enjoys the time she gets to spend with her patients in education and motivational support. She loves getting to know her patients, and to offer support and empathy to those in need. Chris also loves her Ertel co-workers and considers them some of her dearest friends.

X

Ruth Conner
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Indiana State University
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Outdoors – Hiking, camping, biking; kayaking, Deep sea fishing; Fishing – Crafting-Knitting, Crocheting, Sewing
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- Quote – I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize that He is able to carry out His will for me. It does not matter where He places me, or how. That is for Him to consider, not me, for in the easiest positions He will give me grace, and in the most difficult ones His grace is sufficient. ~ Hudson Taylor
  
  Food – Coffee and tea
  
  Book – Too many to list…..Sensible Shoes by Sharon Garlough Brown; Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan; Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper; The Gift of Imperfection by Brene’ Brown; Ghost Boy by Martin Pistorius; Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Helping and caring for others. Making a difference.

X

Katie Kolbus
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
  Xavier University
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Reading, pickleball, traveling, anything crafty, volunteering for Indiana’s chapter of A Kid Again, time spent with husband and 4 young adult children
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell: A Novel by Robert Dugoni
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Enjoy meeting the various Ertel clients and helping them on their health journey. Love the wonderful HRM coworkers and the positive work environment.

X

Roxanne Mattox
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Roxanne earned her bachelor’s degree in business and fashion merchandising from Ball State University. She has been a part of the Ertel & Company since 2014.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- In her free time, Roxanne loves vacationing with her family, being with her grandchildren, spending time with her friends, working out/playing pickleball, listening to music and traveling around the country attending concerts.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- I truly enjoy getting to know all of our patients and being part of their wellness journey. And, as a bonus, Ertel employees are the best! They are the most awesome group of people I’ve had the pleasure of working with throughout my career. They are not only my co-workers but my friends.

X

Sarah Smalligan, BSN, RN
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Anderson University
  
  Registered Nurse
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Cheering with my husband for our girls out on the basketball court. Fun fellowship with family and friends. Taking walks. Crafting.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- Blessed to be a part of a terrific team. Thankful for the opportunity to come to wonderful work places to provide the opportunity for employers/employees to learn more about their health and wellness.

X

Nicole Thomas, BSN, RN
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Nicole received her BSN from Indiana University. Her nursing career started in the Cardiac and Cardiovascular ICU until she chose to stay home and raise her 3 children. She then became a School Nurse and PRN/Flu Shot Nurse for Ertel and Company. Nicole has been with Ertel and Company for 5 years.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Nicole enjoys fitness and yoga and is a Personal Trainer and Yoga instructor. She also enjoys cooking, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- “Every day is an opportunity to start over.”
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- “I enjoy meeting patients and hearing their unique stories. Preventative care is very important to me and working with a company that makes that a priority aligns with my other work. My co-workers are what make this job so enjoyable. And, the opportunity to visit all of the communities in Indiana has been fun.

X

Amy Lilly
- Schooling/ experience/ licenses:
- Amy has worked for Ertel and Company since January, 2020. She actively supports the HRM Team, preparing client and patient exam charts, billing and administrative duties.
- Hobbies/ interests:
- Amy and her husband have two grown children, and enjoy following college sports; both watching and attending games. She loves to cook, and stays fit with healthy recipes and various fitness activities.
- Favorite Quote/food/book:
- People say; “I would die for my child”. I believe you, but would you LIVE for them? Would you get yourself healthy? Would you eliminate distractions? Would you lead them more intentionally? You only have to die once. You get to LIVE every day. Do that.
- Favorite Part About Ertel:
- “We all just ‘fit’ together. I have known Michael and Amy for many years, and they run their business like it is an extension of their family. That’s how they make you feel…. like you belong.”

Meet the Team

Employee Benefits

Health Risk Management

Meet the Team

Employee Benefits

Health Risk Management

Mike Ertel, MBA

Chris Burton

Marianne Lambert

Susan Boyle

Sherri Rhodes

Jennifer Puckett

Emma Ertel

Michael Ertel

Stacie Hannaford

Amy Kiley Ertel, MD

Sandi Carter

Jana Baker

Lindsay Arellano, MPAS, PA-C

Taryn Bolton, APN-FNP-BC

Chris Williams, APN- FNP-BC

Ruth Conner

Katie Kolbus

Roxanne Mattox

Sarah Smalligan, BSN, RN

Nicole Thomas, BSN, RN

Amy Lilly