American Fraternal Alliance Introduces 2026–2027 Board Leadership, Appoints John Sharp as Chair
The American Fraternal Alliance introduced its 2026–2027 Board leadership during the Executive Summit and Annual Business Meeting on September 18, naming John Sharp of WoodmenLife as Chair of the Alliance Board of Directors.
Sharp serves as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at WoodmenLife in Omaha, Nebraska, where his work spans governance, legal strategy, compliance, and enterprise risk. He steps into the Chair role with a practical understanding of the opportunities facing fraternal benefit societies and a commitment to helping the sector remain strong, relevant, and deeply connected to the communities it serves.
In this role, Sharp will help guide the Alliance’s work to advance advocacy priorities, strengthen member education, and create opportunities for fraternal leaders to collaborate around shared challenges and emerging opportunities. His leadership comes at a pivotal time as member societies continue to demonstrate the unique value of combining financial protection with service, volunteerism, and community impact.
Allison Koppel, CEO, American Fraternal Alliance, added, “John brings thoughtful leadership, strong governance experience, and a clear appreciation for the distinctive role fraternal benefit societies play in American life. As our members navigate change across the insurance, policy, and member engagement landscape, his perspective will help ensure the Alliance remains focused on the issues that matter most to our sector. We are grateful for his service and look forward to working with him to strengthen the fraternal voice and advance the impact of our member societies nationwide.”
In addition to Sharp’s appointment as Chair, the Alliance also announced its new board officers:
- Vice Chair: John Borgen, President and CEO, Trusted Fraternal Life
- Secretary-Treasurer: René Zanin, Global Chief Legal, Compliance and Membership Officer, Foresters Financial
The officers will serve one-year terms following the Alliance’s Executive Summit and Annual Business Meeting.
Serving alongside the officers are the following members of the American Fraternal Alliance Board of Directors:
- Christopher Belz, President and CEO, Catholic Life Insurance
- Lisa Bickus, CEO, 1891 Financial Life
- Lester L. Bohnert, General Counsel, Modern Woodmen of America
- Sharon Brosnan, Vice President of Government Affairs, Thrivent
- Chris Campbell, CEO and President, BetterLife
- Tim Saccoccia, Assistant Supreme Secretary and Vice President for Public Policy, Knights of Columbus
- Greg Temple, President and CEO, Catholic Order of Foresters
The Alliance also announced the election of three first-term directors: Michael Agan, CEO at FCSLA; Antoinette Blair, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer at GBU Life; and John Payerchin, CFO and Secretary/Treasurer at NSS Life.
About the American Fraternal Alliance
The American Fraternal Alliance unites nearly 50 fraternal benefit societies operating in the United States and Canada. Alliance member societies provide life insurance protection to more than seven million individuals, making it one of the nation’s largest member-volunteer networks. The Alliance works to support the fraternal life insurance sector through advocacy, education, and networking. To learn more, visit https://www.fraternalalliance.org/.