OUR LEADERSHIP
Our founders and leaders Stanley Sussman and John C. Schmitt, II formed The Family Security Plan® and pursued their niche in the credit union market. The Family Security Plan® continues to thrive under the direction of the second generation, who have been working in the movement for over 20 years.
The executive leadership group brings extensive knowledge in both the credit union and insurance industries collectively, and they direct our team in Sales, IT, Business Development, Marketing, Training, Quality Assurance, Business Analysis and more. The teams operate in a collaborative effort to deliver on the promises made to each one of our clients.
MEET OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM
David Sussman
Chief Executive Officer
David has technically been with The Family Security Plan® since he was five; that’s because David’s father, Stanley Sussman, is one...
David Sussman, Esq., CLU – Chief Executive Officer
David has technically been with PFP | The Family Security Plan® since he was five; that’s because David’s father, Stanley Sussman, is one of our founders. A better title for David would be Chief Evolution Officer. He loves the process of gaining buy-in that leads to change, and he loves seeing the inspiration, motivation, and success that result from effective communication. David believes vision plus execution equals greatness, and you must innovate or perish. In his spare time he enjoys fitness, executive coaching, writing, public speaking, and involving himself in community service. David participates on multiple volunteer boards ranging from University Boards to local Charitable Boards. A fun fact about David: his favorite movies are Rocky (all of them) and My Cousin Vinny.
Tim Schmitt
President
Tim has been with The Family Security Plan® since its inception, as his father, John Schmitt II, is one of our founders. Tim’s favorite part of his job...
Tim Schmitt – President
Tim has been with PFP | The Family Security Plan® since its inception, as his father, John Schmitt II, is one of our founders. Tim’s favorite part of his job is the ability to motivate, innovate, lead, and spread the “PFP” culture. One of the things that is most satisfying to Tim is being able to watch people grow into their positions. He stands by the three T’s (Teamwork, Trust and Transparency), a PFP | The Family Security Plan® business philosophy. In his free time he enjoys reading, coaching, cooking, and golfing. He coaches football and is passionate about raising money for the Cancer Center for Kids. His favorite movies are The Shawshank Redemption and Goodfellas.
John Schmitt
Chief Development Officer
John “Schmitty” Schmitt, one of two sons of founder John Schmitt II, has been with The Family Security Plan® for 30 years. He primarily...
John Schmitt – Chief Development Officer
John "Schmitty" Schmitt, one of two sons of founder John Schmitt II, has been with PFP |The Family Security Plan® for 30 years. He primarily focuses on finding new opportunities around the country to engage with credit unions and their members. What John loves most about his job is having the ability to connect with new people and build new relationships with credit union executives in the industry. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his family at the beach and playing tennis and golf. John is heavily involved in Charlie’s Champions Foundation (charlieschampions.com), an organization created with his wife, Tara, in honor of their son, Charlie, who was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 6. (Charlie is now 20 and cancer free!)
Julie Knuff
Chief Operations Officer
Julie has been a driver, influencer and mentor at The Family Security Plan® for 36 years. She served as the National Sales Director for...
Julie Knuff – Chief Operations Officer
Julie has been a driver, influencer and mentor at PFP | The Family Security Plan® for 36 years. She served as the National Sales Director for the majority of that time, before assuming the role of COO in 2015. Julie believes people are your most valuable asset; to her, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing others climb to new levels of success. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga and gardening. Every summer her co-workers look forward to the jarred cucumbers (known as "Jul’s Pickles") that she brings in to share! Above all else, Julie is committed to her family.
Sean McGinley
Chief Strategy Officer
"Leaders don’t do what was, but do what is… what is possible or even impossible." That’s the motto Sean has lived by for his 33 years with...
Sean McGinley, CLU, CHFC, CASL – Chief Strategy Officer
"Leaders don’t do what was, but do what is… what is possible or even impossible." That’s the motto Sean has lived by for his 33 years with the company. Sean strives to find cool, fun innovations to implement into our sales model and he then leads our teams to attain their sales goals. Strong leadership and coaching make this possible. Speaking of coaching, Sean is a huge mentor within the organization, and he also coaches youth lacrosse. In his free time he enjoys fitness, gardening, and traveling with friends.
Dustin Riedel
Sr. VP – MBC, CAT, CC, IT
Dustin has been with The Family Security Plan® for 22 years. He oversees and is the Biggest Fan of our Sales, IT and Business...
Dustin Riedel – Sr. VP – Member Benefit Communications, Customer Acquisition Team, Customer Connect, Information Technology, Business Analysis
Dustin has been with PFP | The Family Security Plan® for 22 years. He oversees and is the Biggest Fan of our Sales, IT and Business Analysis departments. Dustin loves working with others to tackle opportunities and finding new ways to protect families. He believes we spend way too much of our lives at work to not enjoy what we do and who we do it with. In his spare time, Dustin enjoys hiking, working out, volunteering, and he is also an avid supporter of his sons’ activities. Fun fact: Dustin juggles.
James Ahrens
Sr. VP – Sales, Business Development
Jim is celebrating 25 years with us! Jim feels most fulfilled by exceeding the expectations of our...
James Ahrens – Sr. VP – Sales, Business Development
Jim is celebrating 25 years with us! Jim feels most fulfilled by exceeding the expectations of our credit unions and their members through our leadership and sales team. He believes our people have always been our most valuable asset, and the relationships they build are lasting and impactful. Outside of work, Jim is a regular CrossFit junkie who enjoys practicing Bikram yoga. A few things you may not know about Jim: he is a foodie, he is great at throwing parties, he is a loving dad to two Chihuahuas (Sammy and Simon), and he has 15 nieces and nephews!
Ken Colgan
Sr. VP – Carrier Integration, Customer Care, Payment Support Services, Quality Assurance, Training
A better title for Ken would be Paradox Solution Architect. He...
Ken Colgan – Sr. VP – Carrier Integration, Customer Care, Payment Support Services, Quality Assurance, Training
A better title for Ken would be Paradox Solution Architect. He builds flexible organizational structures and implements change while maintaining stability. What Ken loves most about his job is developing and empowering people, increasing productivity, and executing innovative solutions. Some of Ken’s hobbies include family travel, reading, puzzles, card games, golf, sailing, and swimming. Fun fact: His favorite movie is The Princess Bride!
Harold Holmes
Sr. VP - PFP National Director, Project Boost4U
Harold has been with us for 33 years, which makes him a perfect company Ambassador. He truly enjoys connecting with...
Harold Holmes – Sr. VP, PFP Ambassador, New Business Executive
Harold has been with us for 33 years, which makes him a perfect National Director for Project Boost4U. He truly enjoys connecting with people and sharing our story, and he loves having the opportunity to build strong relationships and discover what more we can do to enhance our partnerships and move them to the next level. Harold has been volunteering with the Boy Scouts for over 15 years. In 2016, he was honored as the recipient of the 2016 Pete Crear "Lifetime Achievement Award" from the AACUC (African American Credit Union Coalition). He also loves ballroom dancing, roller skating, and jogging. Harold’s motto is "the best is yet to come" and his theme song is "Ain’t no stopping us now."
Nancy Sylvester
Sr. VP – Recruiting, Human Resources, Organizational Development
Nancy has been helping connect top talent to our organization for the last 20 years, so a better...
Nancy Sylvester, ODCP – Sr. VP – Recruiting, Human Resources, Organizational Development
Nancy has been helping connect top talent to our organization for the last 20 years, so a better title for her would be Chief Talent Officer. The biggest reward she gets from her job is helping her co-workers to see their full potential and making their career dreams come true. She believes that if you offer products and services that fill a genuine need like we do, employ the right people, and stay ahead of the curve, success will come. Nancy loves to travel. Some of her favorite things are handbags, shoes and wine!
Johnnette White
Sr. VP, Regional Manager – MCU, MD, DC
Johnnette, or Johnnie as she prefers to be called, enjoys helping develop and drive her teams goals. She considers herself...
Johnnette White – Sr. VP, Regional Manager – MCU (Municipal Credit Union), MD, DC
Johnnette, or Johnnie as she prefers to be called, enjoys helping develop and drive her teams’ goals. She considers herself a family protector and educator. Her favorite part of her job is the people, the credit union relationships she has made, the credit union members, and her co-workers. In her spare time she is a praise dancer, a basketball mom, and she spends time visiting with the sick at her church. Johnnette also loves all of the Rocky movies, even the new generation CREED.