Ameritas Leadership Team

William Lester is a Seward, Nebraska, native with a business degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Lester holds the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute) designations.

Lester began his career with Ameritas in 1983 as a securities analyst with Ameritas Investment Advisors and has held key positions throughout the organization. He was elected president & chief executive officer of Ameritas in January 2020.

He serves on the board of directors of the Ameritas Mutual Holding Company and Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. Lester is a member of the Ameritas Executive and Ameritas Finance committees.

Among his many activities in the community, Lester serves on the board of directors for the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI). He is chair of the Bryan Health board of trustees, a trustee of the University of Nebraska Foundation, serves on the board of advisors for the Nebraska Safety Council and is a board member serving on the executive committee for the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

Lester also serves on the board of directors of Universal Surety Company/Inland Insurance Company and the advisory board of U.S. Bank of Lincoln. He also is a member of the CFA Institute.

Ryan Beasley was born in San Antonio, Texas, and grew up in Savannah, Georgia. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in business administration management from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, and a Master of Science in financial services from the American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

Beasley holds the professional designations Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant, and LIMRA Leadership Institute Fellow, among other professional designations and licenses.

Beasley began his career with Ameritas in 2015 as senior vice president – shared distribution. He has worked in the insurance and financial services industry for over 20 years.

Beasley is a member of the NAIFA, Financial Planning Association and GAMA International.

Bob Jurgensmeier is a Hastings, Nebraska, native. He earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Jurgensmeier holds the professional designation Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

He has worked in the insurance and financial services industry for over 25 years. He began his career with Ameritas in 2012 as senior vice president and chief actuary – individual division.

Jurgensmeier serves on the boards of CHI Health St. Elizabeth Hospital and CHI Nebraska Heart Hospital. He is also a member and past president of the Nebraska Actuaries Club.

Kurt Shallow is a Boston, Massachusetts, native. He earned a Bachelor of Science in public communication and journalism from Boston University. Shallow holds the FINRA Series 7 and 24 securities licenses.

Shallow serves on the distribution committee of the American Council of Life Insurers. He also serves on the board of directors and the president’s advisory committee for the American College of Financial Services. He is also a member of the Industry Association Alignment committee and LIMRA’s Distribution Leaders Roundtable committee.

Shallow joined Ameritas in 2019. He has worked in the insurance and financial services industry for over 30 years.

Steven Valerius is a Cincinnati, Ohio, native. He earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Cincinnati. Valerius holds the FLMI (Fellow, Life Management Institute) designation.

Valerius began his career with Union Central in 1986 as an assistant controller and held positions throughout the organization, including president of The Union Central Life Insurance Company. Union Central merged with Ameritas in 2015.

Valerius serves on the president’s advisory council for The American College and is a University of Cincinnati College of Business advisory council member.

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ohio Society of CPAs, NAIFA (National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors), and LOMA (Life Office Management Association).