Executive Team

Cara Byrne
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Companies Cara has been a valued member of the BancInsure team since the inception of the company in 1985, holding a number of positions in marketing, corporate operations, and underwriting. Prior to her appointment as President and CEO of the Companies, Cara held the position of Vice President of Property and Casualty Underwriting for BancInsure. In addition, Ms. Byrne's background includes significant professional experience in all aspects of insurance agency operations and management.

Lisa G. Bays
Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary Lisa comes to BancInsure with over 17 years of experience, with 14 years dedicated to the insurance industry. Prior to joining BancInsure, Inc., Ms. Bays served as an Assistant Attorney General for Oklahoma and counsel for the Oklahoma Insurance Department and Mid-Continent Life Insurance Company. Ms. Bays is a graduate of Oklahoma City University School of Law (Magna Cum Laude) with a Bachelors from the University of Oklahoma. She is admitted to The Oklahoma Supreme Court, All United States District Courts in Oklahoma (Eastern, Northern and Western Districts), United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth District and the United States Supreme Court.

James N. (Jim) Cross
Vice President, Claims Jim joined BancInsure in 1998. Prior to joining the company, he held claims leadership positions with the USF&G and St. Paul Insurance companies in branch, regional and home offices. He holds a B.A degree from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and is a Casualty Claim Law Associate.

William H. (Bill) Funk
Vice President, Marketing Bill has served in senior management roles in both the Sales and Marketing divisions of BancInsure. Prior to joining the company in 1998, he held several leadership positions with national and regional carriers in the Midwest. Mr. Funk's background includes extensive experience in marketing, sales, association / affinity group programs, underwriting and the management of captive and independent agents. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa College of Business and a Certified Insurance Counselor designation.

Mark A. Krienke
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer Mark’s background includes extensive experience in business technology, accounting/finance, analysis, and leadership across a diverse range of industries including insurance, financial services and banking. Mark joined the company in 2008 as Director of Accounting and was promoted to Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer in 2009. Prior to joining BancInsure, Mr. Krienke served as the Director of Business Applications at Claimetrics (formerly Hallmark Management), where he implemented software applications and technology infrastructure. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Midwestern State University where he majored in Accounting and Business Management.

Lynette L. Parmley
Vice President, Human Resources Lynette accepted her role with BancInsure in 1996 and continues to provide Human Resource Management leadership and expertise to company operations. Prior to joining BancInsure, Ms. Parmley held the top Corporate HRM position for a wholly owned subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Corporation and managed multiple corporate departments. She has more than 20 years leadership experience in this field. Ms. Parmley holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation.

Joe Perkowski
Assistant Vice President, BMSI Marketing Joe was appointed Assistant Vice President of BMSI Marketing, Inc., the sales and marketing arm of the Companies, in May 2011. Mr. Perkowski has represented BancInsure products in the marketplace for 13 years, as an independent insurance agent prior to 2003 and most recently serving as National Sales Director for BancInsure, Inc.

A graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, Mr. Perkowski has spent over 30 years working with some of the most successful insurance companies and brokerage houses in the country. His insurance career ultimately led to a specialty in Professional Liability, Errors & Omissions, and Financial Institutions. Mr. Perkowski’s primary focus in his new role as Assistant Vice President, BMSI Marketing will be to use the expert knowledge he has gained in the industry to provide leadership to BancInsure’s nationwide sales team and network of independent insurance agents.