We are proud to add three new members to our board of directors. Jona, Adam, and Matthew each bring fresh perspectives, their own areas of expertise, and a commitment to Nelnet's values, goals, and services.
Mike Dunlap
executive chairman of Nelnet
With an extensive background in politics and public affairs, Van Deun formerly served as the vice president of small business coalitions and engagement for the United States Chamber of Commerce and the director of coalitions for Koch Companies Public Sector. Over the course of her career, Van Deun has provided strategic expertise to several trade associations and Fortune 500 companies including 3M, DCI Group, Pillsbury, and the Property Casualty Insurers Association (PCI). She is currently the president of Nebraska Tech Collaborative. Van Deun will serve on the People Development and Compensation committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance committee, and the Compliance committee.
Peterson is the managing member of The Magnolia Group, which is the general partner of Magnolia Capital Fund, and he is also co-chairman, co-CEO, and co-president of Boston Omaha, a public holding company with businesses engaged in several sectors including advertising, insurance, telecommunications, and real estate. Since June 2017, Peterson has also served as a director for Nicholas Financial, a publicly-traded company on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. Peterson will serve on the People Development and Compensation committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance committee, and the Compliance committee.
Matt Dunlap is chief business development officer for Nelnet. He also serves on the board of directors of ALLO Communications, BankFirst, First Northeast Bank of Nebraska, and Lighthouse, a Lincoln, Neb.-based nonprofit. Dunlap will serve on the Risk and Finance committee and the Compliance committee.
Additionally, the board of directors’ longest-serving member, Jim Abel, retired as of March 17, 2022. As chairman and CEO of NEBCO, one of Nebraska’s largest employers, Abel has brought guidance and expertise to the board since August 2003.