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Laurie Benson

CEO, LSB Unlimited

About

Laurie Benson embraces opportunities to elevate ideas, people, and organizations to realize their highest potential. Her skill sets and passion align with innovative, high-performance organizations with visionary, principled leadership, strong culture and values and high expectations for sustainable results and impact.

As Co-founder and CEO of Inacom Information Systems, Ms. Benson led this IT company from inception to time of sale with strong results and sustainability. She is a pragmatic risk taker, successfully migrating to a service-based technology model as early adopter. Her demonstrated skills include having a clear vision amidst complexity, conducting strategic planning based on customer insights, creating a strong corporate culture with empowered employees, long term loyal customers and positive community engagement, and creating and implementing succession plans.

After the sale of Inacom, she formed LSB Unlimited, a business consulting firm, working with CEO’s, Presidents and Entrepreneurs sharing her high performance, growth focused business leadership and expertise. In addition, she currently serves as ICEO Senior Advisor, as part of LHH's boutique leadership transition practice.

She is Executive Director Emeritus of the Nurses on Boards Coalition, (NOBC), whose mission is to improve health in communities across through the service of nurses on boards. Additionally, she has expertise and active engagement in healthcare.

Board Profile

She has served as an independent director on 8 corporate Boards in the technology, finance, insurance, engineering, manufacturing, and professional services industries.

Current corporate board service:

First Business Financial Services (NASDAQ: FBIZ) December 2018-present

Governance and Nominating Committee, Chair, Compensation Committee, Member

Directors Trust Committee 2018-present

First Business Bank Madison, Director 2009-present

Bassett Mechanical, Director 2012-present

MIG Commercial Real Estate, Director 2013-present

NACD Cyber Risk Oversight Certificate

CERT Certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight is issued by the CERT Division of the Software

Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University

Professional Summary

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

LSB UNLIMITED, CEO Madison, WI 2009–present Business consulting firm

C-Suite Advisor to CEOs, Presidents, and Entrepreneurs on complex issues including board governance, strategy, business growth, innovation, high performance teams, human resources and succession planning
Serves as an active, engaged member of corporate boards

ICEO, LHH's boutique leadership transition practice, Senior Advisor 2025-present

Advises global clients at the highest levels across industries
Serves as trusted advisor and thought partner to CEOs and other C-Suite leaders as they explore new career options

NURSES ON BOARDS COALITION, Executive Director 2016-2024, Executive Director Emeritus 2025

Created in 2014, nationwide non-profit improving health in communities across the nation through the service of nurses on boards

Hired as first Executive Director March 2016
Coalition became independent, 501 (c) (3) public charity June 2017
Created and successfully implemented fundraising strategy to support and sustain the organization
Built nationwide infrastructure, including network of volunteers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia
Engaged diverse stakeholders including 28 national nursing association members, 50+ strategic partners/sponsors
Achieved founders' key strategy of 10,000 board seats filled by nurses, outside the nursing profession
Transitioned to Emeritus status coinciding with NOBC's 10-year anniversary milestone

INACOM INFORMATIONS SYSTEMS, Co-Founder and CEO Madison, WI 1984-2009

Business solutions provider specializing in technology consulting, education and procurement

Co-founded and led statewide IT systems integrator from inception to time of sale
Developed the enterprise-wide business strategy and grew revenues from start up to $80M with 150+ employees across 3 offices
Created a focused vision for organizational growth leveraging organic and M&A strategies
Developed business optimization strategies resulting in the evolution from a commodity-based solution to a service-centric solution.
As part of the evolution, built one of largest Microsoft Education Centers in the US; recognized as Microsoft’s Worldwide Education Partner of the Year for client-centered implementations
Achieved high level national industry strategic partner rankings with Cisco, Microsoft, HP, and EMC
Selected by Ingram Micro executives to chair VentureTech Network Council, an industry peer group representing aggregate revenues of $1.2B
Served on Hewlett-Packard Small and Medium Size Business (SMB) Advisory Council, 2002 -2008 and US Microsoft Value Added Reseller (VAR) Leadership Council, 2002–2004
Developed a corporate board of directors, created the board charter vetted board candidates
Created and implemented organizational plans to ensure a successful transition post sale of the company

XEROX – Sales/Sales Manager 1976–1984

AMERICAN RED CROSS – Nurse 1975–1976

Recognition & Awards

Ms. Benson has received honors and awards including WAA (University of Wisconsin Alumni Association) Distinguished Alumni Award 2013, University of Wisconsin Madison Chancellor’s Entrepreneurial Achievement Award 2013, induction

“”In Business” 2011 Executive Hall of Fame, ATHENA Award 2010, National SBA Women Business Champion 2009, and “Top 25 Most Influential IT Executives-U.S.” Computer Reseller News 2004.

Personal

Ms. Benson enjoys diverse business opportunities, working with leaders to bring about great outcomes. She thrives on new ideas, recognizes and acts on opportunities and pursues adventures. She views all people as equal, with different roles and responsibilities, each making a contribution in unique ways. She finds inspiration in giving her full attention to everyone she meets by hearing their stories, supporting their life journeys and exploring ways to make a collective impact.

Additional Info

Which Public BOD do you serve on? : First Business Financial Services Inc., Nasdaq: FBIZ First Business Bank

Which private board do you serve on? : MIG Commercial Real Estate, Bassett Mechanical

Do you serve on any nonprofit boards? : University of Wisconsin Research Park, University of WI-Madison School of Nursing

Skills : Corporate Governance, Human Resources, Manufacturing, Sales, Technology/Digital/Cybersecurity, Risk & Compliance

P&L Responsibility : $50-100M

Leadership on Board : Director, Committee Chair

Level of Experience : CEO, Consultant

Company Revenue : $50M to $250M, $1B - 3B, $3B+

Industry : Financial Services, Healthcare/Pharma/Med Devices, Industrial/Manufacturing, Non-for-Profit/Education, Private Equity, Professional Services, Real Estate, Technology/Digital

Committees : Compensation, Nominating & Governance

Board Experience : Public, Private Equity, Private, Family-Owned, Non-for-Profit