St. John’s Jesuit has never had a shortage of strong leadership. For nearly 60 years, the Jesuits have educated young men at SJJ to be compassionate critical thinkers. Alumni and many in the community closely tied to the school have dedicated themselves to advocating the mission of Men for Others in northwest Ohio.
In February 2024, the Board of Trustees was approached by V. Rev. Karl J. Keiser, S.J., Provincial of the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus. He was recommending the formation of an ad hoc committee to review governance practices, policies, and membership of the St. John’s Jesuit Board and make recommendations for the future. A small committee of current Trustees was selected for this critical work. The Board of Trustees continued their work focused on identifying a new President for the school while the ad hoc committee completed their assessment.
By May, the self-evaluation was complete and recommendations for the future governance structure of the Board were presented to the Province. Blessed by the Jesuit Members, the Trustees were informed in May that St. John’s Jesuit would embark on a process to reconstitute its Board of Trustees. The goal was to reduce the number of seats and implement necessary governance changes that would better position the school for its future.
To complete this work, a Transition Committee was established. This group, along with Jesuit members, carried out the process while ensuring that St. John’s Jesuit continued to operate at its high standards of excellence.
With the stage set in April by the Board of Trustees, in July, the Midwest Provincial approved assignment of Karl Ertle as the new President. Ertle’s extensive background in strategic planning has provided a fresh perspective and valuable expertise. A graduate of Cleveland St. Ignatius and John Carroll University, he brings 41 years of experience in Jesuit education. Ertle has held numerous roles, including theology teacher, service director, admissions director, assistant principal, principal, and president. Most recently, he served as the president of Walsh Jesuit, where he completed a highly successful 13-year tenure.
Ertle quickly rolled up his sleeves, joined the Transition Committee and guided efforts in identifying a leaner Board with officers and trustees officially in place in December. This highly motivated and well-rounded group is ready to stand on the shoulders of the many talented trustees who came before.
LUKE NACHTRAB ’98
Chair
Nachtrab has extensive experience in accounting, finance, business development, and operational oversight, successfully leading organizations to profitability and fostering growth across industries. As President and Co-Owner of Vista Living Care, he has expanded services to complement and diversify the company’s memory care homes. Nachtrab has served the SJJ Board in various capacities since 2013, including the Finance Committee Treasurer and the Executive Committee. Most recently, he served as Chair and Vice Treasurer of the Transition Board Committee.
SARAH ZIBBEL
Vice Chair
Zibbel has significant experience in integrating strategy with talent. She recently joined The Andersons, Inc., as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Prior to her current position, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Libbey and the Vice President of Global Talent, Culture, and Organizational Effectiveness at Owens-Illinois, Inc. Zibbel formerly served the SJJ Board, the SJJ Marketing and Enrollment Board Committee, and the SJJ Transition Board Committee.
KEVIN BRENNAN ’77
Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair
Brennan is a Certified Public Accountant and began his career at Ernst and Young before moving into the commercial insurance industry more than 30 years ago. Brennan brings expertise in risk management, employee benefits, marketing, and sales. Since 2017, he has held the position of President and Commercial Property & Casualty Practice Leader at USI Insurance Services, LLC. Brennan has served on many local non-profit boards, including St. John’s Jesuit, the YMCA, and Ronald McDonald House.
JEFFREY WISNIEWSKI ’92
Secretary, Nomination and Governance Committee Chair
Wisniewski is an attorney and executive healthcare leader with extensive experience in non-profit governance and strategic planning. In addition to extensive experience as a Board member for Notre Dame Academy, Wisniewski served as the president of the Toledo Diocesan Education Council from 2010- 2021. In his current position as Vice-President, Compliance and General Counsel with Gift of Life Michigan, Wisnieski provides executive leadership over regulatory compliance and information technology, and he leads several strategic initiatives to increase organ and tissue donation.
WES BEHAM ’99
Advancement Committee Chair
Beham is a Certified Public Accountant and Principal at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) in Maumee. He has invaluable experience as the current Board Chair of the Employers Association, current Advisory Board Member of the UT Center for Family & Privately-Held Businesses, current Board Member of Engaging People Inspiring Change (EPIC), and past Board Member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
ERIK DUNBAR ’96
Jesuit Identity Committee Co-Chair
As President and Owner of Dunbar Mechanical, Dunbar brings experience in construction, human resources, and sales. He was a practicing attorney in Cleveland before returning to Toledo to join the family business. Dunbar has been involved with the Mechanical Contractors Association as a member of the Executive Board and is past Chairman of the Joint Apprenticeship Training Center.
JAMIE HELDT
Marketing and Enrollment Committee Chair
Heldt is President of Employee Benefits at Hylant, with expertise in strategic planning, board leadership, and organizational leadership. She has worked in education and served educational clients while working as a consultant.
DANIEL KENNEDY, SJ ’08
Fr. Kennedy is Executive Vice President at University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy, where he has gained experience in institutional strategic planning, stakeholder communications, and school technology. He also has served on several board committees at U of D High School. His Jesuit formation has given him formal training in Jesuit Identity and Ignatian Spirituality.
PAUL KWAPICH ’09
Building and Grounds Committee Chair
As President of the development, management and investment firm River Asset Management, Kwapich brings expertise in construction management and real estate. He has previously served on the SJJ Board of Trustees.
AMBREA MIKOLAJCZYK
Mikolajczyk is Owner of ARK Companies. Her passion is transforming “undesirable properties” in underserved communities, paying close attention to quality and detail. She has expertise in facilities management, real estate, real estate development, and construction management. Mikolajczyk has served on multiple non-profit boards, including the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, University of Toledo Alumni Association, and the Toledo Metroparks.
DAN REIM, SJ
Jesuit Identity Committee Co-Chair
Fr. Reim is Campus Chaplain at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland. In that role, he supports the character development and spiritual formation of students. He believes the aim of Jesuit education is to develop students in every dimension of the person so that they will become men of character, ready to serve God, capable of making a great difference in the lives of others. Fr. Reim also serves on the SJJ Board of Members.
SEAN SAVAGE ’88
Savage, a Certified Financial Planner, brings expertise in strategic planning and non-profit education, having previously served as co-chair of the SJJ Marketing and Enrollment Board Committee and a board member of West Side Montessori; he also currently serves on the board of Lourdes University.
ANDREW SCHAETZKE ’08
As a senior investment advisor with SJS Investment Services, Schaetzke brings expertise in investments, banking, and strategic planning for non-profit organizations. Schaetzke has served in multiple volunteer roles at SJJ, including the Board of Trustees, intern and senior project host, and academy basketball coach. In 2024, Schaetzke was named Young Alum of the Year.
