Michael Toelle elected Nationwide Board Chair; Jeffrey Zellers concludes term after years of distinguished service

Michael Toelle elected Nationwide Board Chair; Jeffrey Zellers concludes term after years of distinguished service

Columbus, OH - Long-time Nationwide board member Michael Toelle has been elected chair of the board for Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. He succeeds Jeffrey Zellers, who is stepping down from the board as part of a planned succession. Toelle assumed the role following the completion of Zellers' term on April 2, 2026.

Dan Schurr was elected to fill the vacancy created by Zellers' retirement. Schurr previously served as the board chair of CHS, Inc., the largest cooperative business in the United States.

Zellers was elected to the Nationwide board in 2007 and has served as board chair since 2020. During his tenure, he provided steady, mission-driven leadership focused on Nationwide's long-term strength, its mutual heritage and its commitment to its members. He helped guide the company and the board through a period of record growth, capital fortification and strategic evolution, ensuring Nationwide remained financially strong and well-positioned to serve its customers and communities.

"Jeff has been an exceptional leader and steward of Nationwide," said Nationwide Chief Executive Officer Kirt Walker. "He brought a thoughtful, principled approach to the role of board chair, modernized our governance practices and consistently challenged us to lean into new opportunities as a modern mutual. Jeff's guidance and collaborative leadership have had a lasting impact on our organization, and I am grateful for his service and partnership."

Toelle is owner of T & T Farms, a diversified farming company based in Browns Valley, Minn. He has served on the Nationwide board since 2013 and brings deep experience in finance, governance and business planning - qualities that will advance Nationwide's mission to protect people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care.

"We congratulate Michael on his election as board chair," said Walker. "He understands what it means to serve members for the long term, and his board expertise, industry perspective and dedicated leadership will be invaluable as Nationwide continues to evolve."

Later this year, Toelle will be one of five 2026 inductees into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. Established in 1974 by the National Cooperative Business Association and administered by the Cooperative Development Foundation, the Cooperative Hall of Fame is the highest honor that the U.S. cooperative community bestows on extraordinary individuals who have made "genuinely heroic contributions" in support of cooperatives.

In addition to his service on the Nationwide board, Toelle is a board member of CF Industries Holdings, Inc., Grey Eagle Pork and CIBO, and a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and World 50.

He is a former board chair and long-time board member of CHS, Inc., and past chair of the CHS Foundation. He was a board member of Cenex, Inc., prior to its merger with Harvest States Cooperatives to form CHS in 1998, and he served as chair of the governance unification committee during the merger. He also served as governance committee chair, corporate responsibility committee chair, and as a member of the audit and capital committees.

Toelle has also served as a director of the Agricultural Council of America and Country Partners Cooperative.

Toelle earned his bachelor's degree in administration and industrial technology at Minnesota State Moorhead.