Joe Lacher, Chair

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Joe Lacher is a longtime Breakthrough T1D volunteer leader who has served on Breakthrough T1D’s International Board of Directors (IBOD) for 9 years, including 2 years as Chair, and on the Compensation, Funding, Nominating and Governance, and Audit Committees. He has also served as President of the Illinois Chapter Board of Directors. He received the 2024 Breakthrough T1D Jim Tyree Award for his longstanding service, exemplary leadership as IBOD Chair during the height of the global pandemic, and his contributions as a member of the Illinois Chapter Board. His family remains very involved with the Illinois Chapter, with both sons having served as previous Children’s Congress Delegates and their family walk team raising more than $150,000 since 2006. Joe has served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and member of the Board of Directors of Kemper Corporation since November 2015 before retiring in the 4th quarter of 2026. He has a long and successful history of helping insurance businesses achieve their full potential. Prior to joining Kemper, he was President of Allstate Protection, where he led the company’s property and casualty offerings, serving more than 17 million American households. Before Allstate, Joe spent 18 years in various leadership roles at the Travelers Companies, one of the nation’s leading independent agency franchises, ultimately leading their Personal Lines and Small Commercial businesses. Joe was diagnosed with T1D while in college, and his two adult sons were diagnosed as children. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Chicago’s Field Museum.