Larry G. Swets, Jr. has served as our Chief Executive Officer since November 2020 and as a member of our board of directors since November 2013. Mr. Swets has over 25 years of experience within financial services encompassing both non-executive and executive roles. Mr. Swets founded Itasca Financial LLC, an advisory and investment firm, in 2005 and has served as its managing member since inception. Mr. Swets also founded and is the President of Itasca Golf Managers, Inc., a management services and advisory firm focused on the real estate and hospitality industries, in August 2018. From April 2021 to December 2021, Mr. Swets served as Senior Advisor to Aldel Financial Inc. (NYSE: ADF), a special purpose acquisition company co-sponsored by Fundamental Global, which merged with Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY), a leading specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market. Since February 2022, Mr. Swets has served as the Chairman of FG Merger Corp. (Nasdaq: FGMCU), a United States special purpose acquisition company focused on merging with one or more companies in the financial services sector and has served as Chief Executive Officer and director of FG Acquisition Corp. (TSX: FGAA.U), a Canadian special purpose acquisition company, since October 2021. Mr. Swets is a member of the board of directors of GreenFirst Forest Products Inc. (TSX: GFP), a public company focused on investments in the forest products industry since June 2016; Harbor Custom Development, Inc. (Nasdaq: HCDI) since February 2020; FG Group Holdings Inc. (NYSE American: FGH), formerly Ballantyne Strong, Inc., since October 2021; Ascension Illinois Foundation since March 2018; and Unbounded Media Corporation since June 2019.
Previously, Mr. Swets served as a Director and Chief Executive Officer of FG New America Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FGNA), a special purpose acquisition company which merged with OppFi Inc. (NYSE: OPFI), a leading financial technology platform that powers banks to help everyday consumers gain access to credit, from July 2020 to July 2021. Mr. Swets served as Chief Executive Officer of GreenFirst Forest Products Inc. (TSX: GFP) (formerly Itasca Capital Ltd.) from June 2016 to June 2021. Mr. Swets served as the Chief Executive Officer of Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (NYSE: KFS) from July 2010 to September 2018, including as its President from July 2010 to March 2017. He served as Chief Executive Officer and a director of 1347 Capital Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, from April 2014 to July 2016 when the company completed its initial business combination to form Limbach Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: LMB). He also previously served as a member of the board of directors of Limbach Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: LMB) from July 2016 to August 2021; Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (NYSE: KFS) from September 2013 to December 2018; Atlas Financial Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: AFH) from December 2010 to January 2018; FMG Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: FMGQ) from May 2007 to September 2008; United Insurance Holdings Corp. from 2008 to March 2012; and Risk Enterprise Management Ltd. from November 2007 to May 2012. Mr. Swets served as director of Insurance Income Strategies Ltd. from October 2017 to December 2021.
Prior to founding Itasca Financial LLC, Mr. Swets served as an insurance company executive and advisor, including the role of director of investments and fixed income portfolio manager for Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company, formerly known as Kemper Insurance Companies. Mr. Swets began his career in insurance as an intern in the Kemper Scholar program in 1994. Mr. Swets earned a Master’s Degree in Finance from DePaul University in 1999 and a Bachelor’s Degree from Valparaiso University in 1997. He is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.