Board of Directors

The Member Insurance Ltd. Board of Directors is a strong, balanced blend of store owners and corporate executives whose exceptional knowledge and considerable experience strategically guide and support the delivery of long-term value to the Company.  The Board currently consists of 8 directors who oversee the sound and prudent management of the Company through the development and implementation of sound corporate governance policies and procedures. The Board meets at least three times a year to discuss the Company’s underwriting, claims management, investments, general risk management, strategy and financial performance.  To ensure that the Board members act in the best interest of the Company, each director is required to sign an Annual Statement of Business Ethics at the beginning of each year and to promptly declare any actual or apparent conflicts of interests.

Steve De Nault 

De Nault’s True Value Hardware, California

 Steve DeNault was elected as a board member in 2008.  He currently owns and operates De Nault’s True Value Hardware in California.

The De Nault family has been a co-op member with True Value since the 1970s.  De Nault’s Hardware was founded by Steve’s parents, Jim and Ruth De Nault, in 1955.  Steve, his three brothers, and co-founder Ruth De Nault, are all active in the day-to-day operations of  the family business. De Nault’s currently has six retail location and one commercial operation.

Steve holds a degree in business management from San Diego State University and has served on the board of governors for the YMCA.

Rob Gardiner

Damariscotta Hardware and Randolph Hardware, Maine

Rob Gardiner was elected as a board member in 2016. He currently owns and operates Damariscotta Hardware and Randolph Hardware in Maine.

Damariscotta Hardware was founded in 1955 by Rob’s mother and father, Rob started working there in 1976, at the age of 12, gradually taking on more responsibility and then becoming President when his father semi-retired in 1996. After joining Do It Best in 2000, Rob moved the business further up Main Street, building a brand new larger building in order to expand the business. He added additional lines and products, as well as a rental department. In 2015, he added a second location in Randolph, Maine.

In addition to his duties at the store, Rob was a basketball coach for eleven years for the local High School. He also had over twenty years of volunteer service as a firefighter and Second Assistant Chief for the Damariscotta Fire Department. He and his wife Roxann have three children.

Barron Harbin

Harbin Lumber Company, Inc., Georgia 

Barron Harbin was elected as a board member in 2014. He is President and Chairman of the Board of Harbin Lumber Company, Inc.

After serving four years with the US Navy Seabees, Barron began his employment with Harbin’s in 1972. He assumed the role of CEO in 1985 and retired in 2009. Harbin Lumber Company, Inc. was founded in 1917 by Barron’s grandfather.

Harbin Lumber currently operates three lumber and building material distribution centers and two manufacturing facilities: one focused primarily on truss manufacturing and engineered wood products and the other focused on the assembly of prehung door units and other specialty millwork. The three building material centers are located in Lavonia, Athens, and Milledgeville.

Barron served on the board of Do it Best Corp. and was a founding member and board member of Peoples Bank of Lavonia for many years. He has also served as a board member and President of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, as a trustee of the Construction Suppliers Association Self Insurers Fund, and as President of the Construction Suppliers Association. Currently, he serves as a board member of Penfield Christian Homes and as chairperson for the Hospitality Team with Lavonia First Baptist Church.

Barron and his wife Debby have two children. Their oldest son, Westley, is the fourth generation family member involved in the business as manager of the truss manufacturing operation.

Linda Johnson

Village True Value Hardware, Western Springs, IL

Linda currently owns Village True Value Hardware in downtown Western Springs, Illinois, twenty miles southwest of Chicago. Founded in 1954 by her parents, Ed and Audrey Johnson and business partner Tony Longo, the store has expanded over the years from one to four store fronts in this bedroom community of Western Springs. In 1962 the Johnsons became sole owners of Village True Value, incorporated, and have since been proudly serving the western suburbs.

After spending eight years in international marketing and sales, Linda determined that working with her family in the hardware business was an exciting opportunity and in 1989 it became her full time occupation and since then she has been involved in every aspect of running the hardware store. Linda now runs the hardware store with the support of her competent managers since her father passed away in 2002. Her mother, Audrey still comes in one day of the week to keep everyone in line. The same founding principle of “the customer comes first” is followed today as it was in 1954 when the store was founded.

Linda has served on True Value’s Marketing Council, True Value Rewards Loyalty Council, Illinois Retail Merchants Association Board and served as its’ Chairman two years, North American Retail Hardware Association Board and served as its’ Chairman in 2011-12 and the Midwest Hardware Association Board of Directors. Locally, Linda has served her community as President of her local Business Association, Chairman of the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, board member and Chairman of the LaGrange Memorial Hospital Foundation, and has been named Citizen of the Year for Western Springs as well as a recipient of the State of Illinois Volunteerism Award and the West Suburban Chamber Woman of the Year. In addition, Linda is an active member of the Rotary Club of Western Springs and has held the job of President twice. She has also served on the Economic Development Commission for the Village of Western Springs.

Roger Mahieu Jr.

True Value of Litchfield, Litchfield, Connecticut

Roger Mahieu Jr. is our newest board member, elected in 2015. Roger currently co-owns and operates True Value of Litchfield, located in Litchfield, Connecticut.

True Value of Litchfield was started by his father in November of 1985. After graduating with a degree in Finance from Central Ct. State University, Roger joined the family business in May of 1986. The location, which was once strictly hardware, now includes a large Just Ask Rental and power equipment department. True Value of Litchfield was a 2012 winner of True Value Company’s “ Best Hardware Store in Town”.

Roger has over 20 years of volunteer experience, including serving as past president of Litchfield Vol. Ambulance, and an EMT and lieutenant in the Goshen Vol. Fire Dept. He currently serves as an advisory board member to Litchfield Bancorp. Roger has two children who work at the family hardware store.

Steve Hawkinson

People’s Do it Center, Galesburg, IL

Steve Hawkinson was elected as a board member in 2017. He is the owner of People’s Do it Center in Galesburg, IL. Steve manages the store in Galesburg and also operates a Do it Center in Monmouth IL. These stores are full line hardware stores along with Home Center, lumber, Stihl power equipment and Rental departments.

Steve joined the family business in 1974 after graduating from Cornell College where he majored in math and physics. He says his greatest honor in business was being able to work with his Father for 25 years

Steve has been active in his local church, the Covenant Church, where he has served on the diaconate, trustees, and was church chairman. He has served on the Galesburg YMCA board and served as it’s chairman. He has also been involved with his local Rotary club, hosted a foreign exchange student and served as club president. Steve served on the Do it Best board from 1994 to 2003 and served as board chairman in 2003.

Scott Reynolds

President of Member Insurance Ltd. and CEO of Member Insurance Agency, Inc.

Scott joined Member Insurance and was elected to the Board in 2011.   He is responsible for the overall operations of Member Insurance Limited and Member Insurance Agency.

Scott brings over 25 years of insurance industry experience in numerous senior level roles.  Prior to Member Insurance, Scott was the President of United National Group, a specialty insurance company that focuses exclusively on the program market.

Prior to United National, Scott served as President of the Specialty Underwriting Division of AmWINS Group, Inc., where he oversaw their program business from 2006 to 2008. Scott also served as AmWINS Chief Actuary from 2002 to 2006. Prior to AmWINS, Scott was at Royal & SunAlliance USA where he managed the finance and actuarial departments.

Scott has a Bachelor of Sciences degree from Appalachian State University in Statistics.  Scott is an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society, a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries and is a licensed insurance producer and surplus lines agent throughout most of the United States.

Doug Roth

Director of Financial Reporting, Do it Best Corp.

Doug Roth was elected as a board member in 2012.  He is the Director of Financial Reporting of Do it Best Corp.  His responsibilities include general accounting, treasury and cash management,  investment activities, tax affairs, oversight of company’s retirement and health/welfare plans, and the Accounts Payables (inventory and drop ship invoicing) and Accounts Receivables (member-owner accounts) departments.  Effective June 1, 2012, Doug will assume responsibilities as CFO/Vice President of Finance.  As such, he will oversee and direct the co-op’s future financial operations and strategies.

With a background in bank management and public accounting, Doug joined Do it Best Corp. in 1999, as internal auditor and instituted a variety of protocols to ensure continued financial stability. He managed major initiatives in safety, and identified areas of risk and potential exposure, as well.

He’s served on the boards of the American Heart Association (2008-2011), the Indiana CPA Society (2006 – 2010; Chairman 2010; Leadership Cabinet 2010-present), Associated Churches (2011-present), and the City of Fort Wayne Audit Committee.  He also participates in Leadership Fort Wayne.

Doug is a graduate of Indiana University and holds a baccalaureate degree in Political Science and certification in Accounting, along with a CPA designation.

Tim Mills

Senior Vice President, Growth, True Value Company

Tim Mills joined True Value Company on Nov. 6, 2013 from leading distributor HD Supply, one of the largest diversified industrial distributors in North America. Mills has held executive roles in operations, sales, and mergers and acquisitions and most recently was vice president and general manager in their Power Solutions division.

His leadership experience includes serving as vice president of distribution operations, process excellence and customer service for Bankers Life and Casualty. Mills also held the role of vice president at Information Resources Inc., the leading market information firm that provides the analytics, business intelligence solutions, and subject matter expertise to the world’s leading consumer packaged goods and retail companies. Mills also holds his Six Sigma Master Black Belt from GE Capital.

Mills earned a master’s in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University’s College of Business and his bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management, from the United States Air Force Academy.