GreatAmerica Financial Services has announced the retirement of Marty Klees, senior vice president of risk and operations - corporate strategy, following a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades. Klees, the 25th employee of GreatAmerica, has been a cornerstone of the company's success through his visionary leadership, business acumen and unwavering dedication.

He joined GreatAmerica in September 1995 in an accounting role and has ascended into various senior-level positions, including senior vice president (SVP) and general manager of the Communications and Data business unit, SVP of corporate operations and SVP and chief risk officer (CRO). Klees' contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Achiever award in 1999 and 2002, the highest recognition for GreatAmerica team members.

"I am grateful for all the opportunities I was given at GreatAmerica and for the trust to help build this special company alongside Tony and Martin Golobic and the rest of the team," Klees said. "Most importantly, I am thankful for the amazing colleagues and friends who made this experience unforgettable."

CEO Martin Golobic praised Marty's GreatAmerica career.

"Marty has made outstanding contributions to our organization and has proven himself to be a strong and dependable leader," Golobic said. "His hard work, well-rounded, informed judgment, appreciation for balancing growth and quality, and his proven track record have earned the confidence of our team members and customers alike. We are fortunate to have had his dedication to mentoring our team, especially in the past couple of years, making this transition a little easier."

Marty has worked closely with Jared Hanlin, SVP and CRO, to ensure a smooth transition. Hanlin's successful leadership is a testament to not only his capabilities, but to Klees's mentoring and the company's commitment to succession planning.

"GreatAmerica does an amazing job focusing on succession planning and preparing leaders to take GreatAmerica to the next level," Klees said. "I have the utmost confidence in the future of GreatAmerica."

Before joining GreatAmerica, Klees was a Certified Public Accountant in the audit practice of Ernst & Young LLP. He earned his MBA from the University of Iowa and his bachelor of arts in accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. Klees also serves on the advisory board of the Better Business Bureau and has served on the ELFA Small Ticket Steering Committee and the YMCA Board of Directors.

Klees plans to travel and spend more time with his wife and three children.