Our Office
Location: 41396 State Hwy 13, Marengo WI 54855
Business Hours: Monday through Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday 7:30 a.m. to noon.
Meet Our Employees
The team at Northern Finnish Mutual Insurance is strong and dedicated — Kathy Beach, Manager, Elizabeth Lipske, Underwriter, and Heather Reader, Administrative Assistant. Each brings unique skills and talents.
Kathy Beach, Manager
Email: kbeach@northernfinnishmutual.com
Kathy Beach, Manager, deals with tough issues, within and outside the Northern Finnish Mutual Insurance doors, with patience, style and determination. She brings a passion for helping others.
Kathy joined Northern Finnish Mutual in September 1992. She was named co-manager in May 1999 and the sole manager in April 2006.
Kathy is patient, persistent and prepared – great qualities for managing personnel and agents; handling Small Claims; overseeing bookkeeping; providing quotes; managing the NFM Auto Agency; assisting agents in the writing of auto policies; and coordinating public relations, marketing and advertising. Kathy makes it a priority to stay abreast of federal and state laws and changes within the insurance industry.
A native of Mellen, Wisconsin, Kathy initially joined the company because it was a challenging job close to home. After 17 years in the field and countless seminars and workshops, Kathy has become an expert and the go-to person for insurance-related advice. She says it’s satisfying to be able to provide information and coverage that ensures peace of mind.
Kathy holds the Professional Farm Mutual Manager Certificate, is President of District 5, and serves as a board member for the Wisconsin Association of Mutual Insurance Companies located in Madison, Wisconsin.
Kathy enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, exploring family history, and traveling.
Elizabeth Lipske, Underwriter
Email: elipske@northernfinnishmutual.com
Ever wonder who is behind the telephone voice that welcomes you when you call the Northern Finnish Mutual Insurance office? Often-times it’s Elizabeth Lipske, an employee since 1997 and Underwriter since 2006.
Elizabeth, an Ashland High School and WITC graduate, grew up on a dairy farm in the Marengo area and was destined to join the company. How could she not with such strong family ties with NFM?
Elizabeth’s great uncle, Richard Utala, was one of the founders of Northern Finnish Mutual Insurance. Her grandmother, Yvonne Clevette, was office manager and agent, and her grandfather, Jerome Clevette, was an agent. Elizabeth’s mother, Deborah Schutte, was previously co-manager and accountant for the company.
Elizabeth joined the NFM team in 1997 after earning an Associates Degree in Accounting with High Honors (who was able to balance the demands of school and her position as a gymnastics coach and still earn a 4.0 grade point average).
Elizabeth reviews insurance policies to ensure they meet guidelines, handles the company’s accounting, sends renewal notices, and happily researches insurance options for customers. Known for her organized, likeable style, Elizabeth places high priority on developing loyal relationships with customers.
Elizabeth and her husband are building a new house to share with their two sons and daughter.
Heather Reader, Administrative Assistant
Email: hreader@northernfinnishmutual.com
Heather Reader, Administrative Assistant, hails from Mellen, Wisconsin, with a background as colorful as her personality. A UW-River Falls graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree, Heather joined the NFM team in 2009 bringing a wealth of experience and exuberance to her new position as Administrative Assistant.
Heather knows how to manage the workflow of just about anything including office administration duties and marketing and communicating with agents, customers, and staff. Her optimism and enthusiasm makes for productive communication and positive relationships with everyone she comes in contact with.
When Heather left home to study at UW-River Falls, she balanced education with adventure and travel as she lived and studied in Guadalajara, Mexico; worked on a dairy farm in Finnoy, Norway; and visited Guam, Australia, England, France and Alaska for the fun of it.
Heather loves the great outdoors and is Wildland Firefighter Certified. While she delighted in her former job fighting fires in Wisconsin, California, Colorado and South Dakota, and in seeing different parts of the country, she welcomed the opportunity to work close to home with the dedicated NFM team.
When she’s not helping customers at Northern Finnish Mutual, Heather enjoys spending time with her husband, son and daughter.
We love her enthusiasm and know you will too!
