Ron Ransom is Senior Vice President of Nationwide Financial’s Strategic Partnerships. A team of professionals who take on the task of developing and nurturing external relationships with many of the world’s largest financial institutions as well as driving internal performance throughout Nationwide Financial by leveraging their best-in-class thought leadership, strong sales process, and culture of coaching.

Ron has more than two decades of experience in the financial services industry, with expertise in leading teams and relationship management. Before joining Nationwide in 2014, he held executive leadership positions with Prudential, Merrill Lynch and UBS Financial.

Ron earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Colgate University and a master of science in management from The American College. He holds the following: Series 7, 9, 10, 63, and 65 and is also Insurance Licensed, a Six Sigma Green Belt, and a “Leadership Through People Skills” trained facilitator.

Ron has a passion for mentoring future organizational leaders and is an active member of the Colgate Maroon Council and Handshake America. Sharing Nationwide’s values of giving back, Ron serves on the Boards of The American College, The Ohio State University Early Head Start Program and the King Arts Complex.

In his free time, Ron enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Robyn, and two beautiful children, Ryann and Trey.

Kathleen Zemaitis is senior vice president of Advisor Diversity and Inclusion for LPL Financial. She is responsible for defining the firm’s vision for diversity and inclusion through thought leadership, change management, and strategic programs that drive business growth. In her role, Ms. Zemaitis leads the integration of diversity practices at the enterprise level, identifies trends to shape LPL’s inclusion goals, builds strong relationships with clients and communities, and executes programs at scale to enable financial advisors to grow their practices and support their investors.

Ms. Zemaitis has held positions of increasing responsibility and led a variety of different strategicefforts within LPL Financial. Most recently, she served as senior vice president, Corporate Communication, where under her leadership, the team evolved into a consultative, business-aligned unit that successfully led communications for a number of key business, technology, and human capital projects and initiatives. Ms. Zemaitis also developed the firm’s overarching social responsibility strategy, which included launching the company’s first diversity and inclusion program.

She joined LPL Financial in 2011 as vice president, community relations, where she oversaw the launch and management of the LPL Foundation. Before coming to LPL Financial, she worked as community relations director at TIAA-CREF, and previously served as a public relations and advertising consultant.

An advocate and champion for community service and philanthropy Ms. Zemaitis has served as a board member and volunteer leader with several organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, the University of Illinois Alumni Association, and the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Zemaitis has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, IL.