Moraine Park Technical College has announced Dave Ertmer, chief operating officer at West Bend Mutual Insurance, as the keynote speaker for the College’s 2023 Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 20 at Fond du Lac High School.
Ertmer is a graduate of Western Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree and has almost 30 years of experience in the insurance industry.
He joined West Bend Mutual Insurance in 2009 after working for General Casualty Insurance for 15 years in various leadership roles. He is currently chief operating officer for West Bend Mutual Insurance, a top 100 property casualty insurance carrier with over $1.8 billion in written premium and approximately 1,600 associates.
As COO, Ertmer oversees the business operations and spearheads the company’s long-term initiatives such as emerging technology and innovation.
“My advice for students is to be open and embrace learning as it is a life-long journey and critical for success,” Ertmer said. “You continually need to learn new skills to thrive in an ever-changing world.”
Dave is passionate about giving back to the community and serves in various nonprofit leadership roles. He serves on the West Bend Mutual Charitable Fund, Family Promise of Washington County, the American Red Cross of Southeast Wisconsin and the West Bend Police and Fire Commission.