Jeff Stewart is passionate about helping financial institutions create Remarkable Experiences for their members and customers.

He started his career as a Regional Sales Manager at Stewart Associates, Incorporated (SAI) in 1994. When LSI was formed, Jeff helped sell the Loan by Phone product to Illinois accounts. In 1998, SAI was sold to a major insurance company and Jeff stayed on as a Regional Manager – Collateral Protection Specialist. In 2002, he left SAI to start his own company, The Stewart Group, Inc. For the next 13 years he built and grew that company as their President and CEO, developing 8 product lines and serving 54 clients.

In 2015, he joined LSI as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Jeff was responsible for all sales, service, marketing, and business development efforts. Today, Jeff serves as President and CEO of LSI.

Andrew Deferville graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from DePaul University in 2006. He joined the accounting firm of Borhart, Spellmeyer, & Co. in Elgin, Illinois and earned his Certified Public Accountant License in August 2012. After seven years at Borhart, he joined LSI in August 2013 overseeing the Accounting Department and serving on several internal committees. Andrew served as the Director of Finance at LSI and today is Vice President of Finance and Accounting. He is a Member of the Illinois CPA Society.

Benny Johnson graduated from Bradley University in 2009 with a double concentration in Finance and Entrepreneurship. He joined LSI in 2009 as an Account Executive specializing in managing a unique sales tax recovery program offered to LSI’s credit union clients. In 2012, Benny co-founded LSI’s sister company, Financial Abatement Services Inc. (FASI), the R&D arm of LSI. Over the next five years, Benny opened new markets for LSI and launched new products. Starting in 2017, he became a Regional Vice President of Sales for LSI, managing a 10-state territory. He continued in that role until assuming the role of Vice President of Lending and Business Services in April 2020.

Christiann Jakresky serves as Vice President of Customer Service and Training at LSI, bringing nearly three decades of experience in financial services, operations, and leadership development. She joined LSI in 1996 as a Loan Agent, quickly earning recognition for her commitment to exceptional client service. Within a year, she expanded her expertise to include loan underwriting, combining analytical precision with a strong focus on customer needs.

In 1999, Christiann was selected to build and lead LSI’s Mortgage Division from the ground up. Under her leadership, the division earned a reputation for innovation, efficiency, and world class service delivery. As LSI continued to grow, Christiann assumed broader leadership responsibilities within the Financial Services Division, culminating in her promotion to Director of Financial Service and Mortgage Operations in 2016. She was later appointed Vice President of Customer Service and Branch Operations in 2020, overseeing four branches nationwide.

In October 2024, Christiann transitioned to her current role as Vice President of Customer Service and Training, where she channels her passion for professional development, customer experience, and organizational growth. Through her leadership, LSI continues to strengthen its operational excellence and culture of service.

Dan Boutin graduated from Western Illinois University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Business degree. From 1991 to 2008, Dan worked for several organizations, working primarily on application development projects, and later managing teams of developers. He joined LSI in 2008 as a Senior Applications Developer and Project Lead on the rewrite of LSI’s proprietary lending platform, LENDER. In 2010, Dan became Manager of Software Development, overseeing a team of developers for LENDER and LSI’s customer service platform, ServiceLink. Dan became Director of IT in 2015 and was elevated to his current role, Vice President of Systems and Technology, in 2016.

Luke Kolquist graduated from the Lacy School of Business at Butler University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. He joined Member Assist, LLC in 2012 and spent two years designing, selling, and implementing interactive and omnichannel marketing campaigns for Financial Institutions. Luke joined LSI’s sister company, Financial Abatement Services Inc. (FASI) in 2013 as Director of Sales & Marketing, helping with product development in building and selling unique solutions to the credit union space: Alternative Auto Lending for turndowns, Compliance Management, Small Business Lending, and representing LSI in the community banking space. Luke officially joined LSI as a Regional Vice President of Sales in 2017. Luke managed a sales territory of over 60 clients across 9 states until assuming the role of Vice President of Sales and Marketing in April 2020.

Thomas Zak started his career in the financial services industry in 1986 holding various positions in accounting, operations, sales, security/investigations, and HR management. Tom joined LSI in 1999 as the first Manager of HR & Recruiting, officially establishing the HR department. He was promoted to Director in 2002 and has served as Vice President since 2009. He provides leadership and strategic direction to all Human Resources functions, including Talent Acquisition, HR Legal Compliance, and Total Rewards. In addition, Tom oversees Facilities/Branch Operations and Security Administration. Tom is a graduate of Concordia University Chicago and has earned the SHRM – Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designations from the Society for Human Resource Management and the HR Certification Institute.