Jennifer Salm
September 16, 1973 – June 12, 2024

It is with great sadness that NASBP announces the passing of cherished NASBP activist and leader Jennifer Salm, 50, who bravely battled cancer. Jennifer was Surety Director of NASBP member Marsh & McLennan Agency, LLC (MMA) of Dayton, OH and was responsible for the surety operations of MMA’s offices located in Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus.

Jennifer was dedicated to improving the surety industry throughout her 29-year career. She served in many NASBP leadership roles, including on the NASBP Board of Directors as a Director-At-Large, Regional Director, and Ex Officio representing Regional Directors on the Executive Committee. She was a member of the NASBP William J. Angell Surety School Faculty, teaching Level II and Level III classes. She participated in the NASBP Legislative Fly-in to which she brought her sons on several occasions.

She served as a volunteer and leader on numerous NASBP Committees, including the Annual Meeting Program, Membership, Finance, 5-15 Leadership, Nominating, Government Relations, and Professional Development. She was a past Chair of the Membership Committee and the present Chair of the Finance Committee. She also served on productive annual meeting program committees, including as Co-Chair of the Annual Meeting Program Committee for the 2023 Annual Meeting in Marco Island, FL. In 2023 Jennifer was awarded the NASBP John J. “Jack” Curtin President’s Award from then NASBP President Nick Newton.

In 1995 Jennifer obtained a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Wright State University, and in 2004 she obtained her CPA designation. She obtained her Associate in Fidelity & Surety Bonding (AFSB) designation in 2007.

Jennifer also was actively involved in other professional organizations, serving as a Board Member of the Miami Valley Chapter of the Construction Financial Managers Association and a member of the Ohio Society of Certified Public Accountants. She was a member of the National Association of Women in Construction (Cincinnati Chapter) and had previously served as the Dayton Chapter’s Treasurer and Vice President.

Jennifer was born on September 16, 1973, in Coldwater, Ohio. It was in high school where she met her sweetheart, Greg Salm, whom she married in 1995. Their two sons are Ayden and Rielly Salm.

“Jennifer was a consummate leader, benefitting her community and her industry and serving as a shining light to all surety professionals,” related current NASBP President Zach Mendelson of EPIC. “I deeply admire Jennifer’s legacy of selfless dedication and resolute professional engagement, and I will especially miss her radiant warmth and her ready smile for all with whom she came in contact.”

NASBP Second Vice President Monica Donatelli of IMA, Inc. stated: “Jennifer Salm was beautiful, inside and out, and the world is forever changed with her passing, just as my world is forever brighter having been able to call her friend. There are many lifelong friendships made through NASBP. Jennifer Salm was one of mine. I always looked forward to stealing away for a happy hour–just the two of us, a lunch or dinner with our husbands, a bar crawl to sing karaoke (her favorite), or an afternoon kayak adventure on a downtown river. She is part of the fabric of my life and of the fabric of NASBP. That river, that is the memory that keeps coming back to me–constant, steady, brimming with life, always pressing forward, marking all it touches and somehow growing stronger than you could ever imagine. That river was Jennifer. She left an indelible mark on anyone she met and on our Association. Whether you knew her personally or are just learning about her now, know that your world, our world, has been impacted for the better by Jennifer.”

We had the pleasure of co-chairing Nick Newton’s Annual Meeting together, all the while she fought recurring cancer. She had made a commitment and was bound and determined to see it through and she did. I am still in disbelief that my friend is gone. When I saw her two months ago in Austin, she looked healthy and happy, even though she was still undergoing chemo. She was a wonderful, caring friend, but more importantly, she was a great mom and wife. There are no words to describe how much her husband Greg and sons Ayden and Rielly miss her. She wasn’t ready to go, and we weren’t ready to say goodbye. She will be deeply missed by everyone that knew her and will never be forgotten.”

NASBP Board of Director Courtney DeCroes of AssuredPartners said, “I am heartbroken and in shock to hear the news about Jennifer’s passing. It is hard for me to imagine NASBP and the surety industry without her in it. When I first started to get involved with NASBP, Jennifer was always the first person to reach out or make me feel included and show me the ropes. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to get closer with her over the years and call her my friend. No matter what she was battling personally or had on her plate at work and in life, she was always available to give advice, share her knowledge, or ask how everything was going on my end.

Her strength was so courageous, never wanting anyone to feel sorry for her or know of her battles. The surety industry has lost a remarkable leader and advocate. Her knowledge, passion, and dedication are unmatched. I will forever miss the warmth of her smile and the calmness of her presence. I will forever cherish all of the lunches, dinners, meetings, and time I was so lucky enough to share with her. I am at a loss for words when I think about Greg and her boys. They meant the world to her, and Greg is one of the most supportive, selfless souls I have ever met. She will be so deeply missed by everyone that knew her. She will never be forgotten, and I know all of us at NASBP will make it a purpose to carry on her legacy.”

NASBP Past President Todd Loehnert of L A Surety Solutions provided: “Our industry lost a true leader and advocate of the surety product when Jennifer Salm passed last week on June 12. I was fortunate to have known Jennifer for the majority of her 29-year career at the Brower Insurance Agency/MMA and watched her grow into a dynamic surety professional. Her quiet confidence and loving smile always lit up the room at our NASBP meetings and will be missed by all. Although Jennifer passed away at too young of an age, she leaves behind a legacy of passion, trust, and friendship that will never be forgotten.”

A viewing will be held Monday, June 24 from 4 to 7 pm at the NJ Hogenkamp Funeral Home, 715 E. Main Street, Coldwater, OH 45828. A service is scheduled for Tuesday, June 25 at 10 am at Holy Trinity Church, 120 E. Main Street, Coldwater, OH 45828. A burial at St. Elizabeth Cemetery will be held immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Pink Ribbon Good, an organization dedicated to supporting those affected by breast cancer.

For more information view the obituary at the NJ Hogenkamp Funeral Home website.

The NASBP Leadership and Staff extend their deepest condolences to Jennifer’s family, colleagues, and friends.