Meet Our Staff

Mike Hrdlicka is a proud veteran of the U.S. Army and a committed businessman who believes strongly in the constant and proud service of others. Whether helping veterans of all ages have their service recognized or taking care of the national agent community Mike takes pride in helping people succeed and working for the benefit of others even when it takes going against the stream. As one of the first visionaries to sense the changes that would come to the insurance industry in the 1970s and 1980s, along with his partner David Aronson, Mike helped blaze a new trail with the kinds of products and services that have become industry standards. Together they headed NIDA in the direction of serving as a broker interfacing between independent agents/agencies and insurance carriers. Since Aronson tragically lost his life in 1985 Hrdlicka has carried on building the kind of team and proud business that is dedicated to outstanding service. NIDA Marketing now ranks as one of the nation’s premiere insurance marketing entities.

Tom O’Brien has worked in the life insurance industry for more than thirty years and has enjoyed a wide range of experiences over those three decades. He brings to the table long-term relationships with our carriers and their home office staff. Having worked in positions from independent agent to home office to executive management Tom is dedicated to great service and a philosophy of uncompromising support for his reps. He believes in the motto “you can get into this business, but you’ll only be successful when the business gets into you.” Tom has enjoyed a long established relationship with NIDA Marketing and became a member of the team in 2007. He has helped establish key contracts for NIDA’s annuities division and is a driving force of growth for NIDA.

Lou brings a hard hitting marketing analysis and implementation capability to NIDA Marketing. With over 40 years in computers, beginning with mainframes in Europe in the 60’s to today’s technical marvels, he is a technologist with an ever vigilant eye on new marketing trends. Lou has started several companies and turned a few around while running his own computer networking consulting business since 1988. He graduated from high school in Germany and attended the University of Munich studying electrical engineering while servicing mainframe computers. He is a rare find in combining marketing savvy with technical vision.

Amy Hrdlicka joined NIDA as an advisor on the Board of Directors, though she spends her days as a consultant and project manager to the US Navy, working on 911 and emergency response modernization.   Having earned degrees from the University of St. Thomas, University of Minnesota, and Old Dominion University, Amy’s real passion has always been maps and geographic information systems.  Her goal is to apply that experience to help NIDA move forward, grow, and remain the family business she has always known.

Mike is a driving force behind NIDA Marketing’s enduring efforts to lead as a service-oriented, efficient, and professional organization. In the role of Office Manager, Mike has streamlined internal processes to ensure that everyone within our organization is operating effectively in full support of our agent community. While agents do not always get the direct benefit of Mike’s positive influence they enjoy the benefits of his hard work with quick turn-around times and dependable results every day.

Jeff joined the NIDA team in 2014 to become part of the uplifting “can do” spirit of a company that is always trying to find ways to offer their agents the best service and expertise in the industry. He has over 20 years of experience in the Life Insurance business that started in the substandard risk market and has grown into a well-rounded knowledge of case design for any situation. Jeff has seen every type of case there is and matching your client with the right product the first time is his goal. We feel Jeff is a great addition and will help NIDA achieve its goal of continuing to provide courteous, insightful service to the national independent agent community.

Calvin Ambrose is a dedicated member of the NIDA team, focused on supporting agents in their day-to-day success. He assists with quotes, illustrations, product knowledge, and all aspects of life insurance and annuities. With a background in blue-collar work, Calvin brings a strong work ethic and commitment to service. Inspired by his father, he pursued his life insurance and annuities license and credits both his father and the NIDA team as key influences in his professional growth. Outside of work, Calvin enjoys fishing, hunting, and spending time outdoors. He is passionate about helping agents achieve their goals and grow within the industry.

Michaela is a dedicated professional in the life insurance industry, passionate about helping individuals and families protect what matters most. As a proud mother, she understands the importance of planning for the future and creating financial security for the people we love. Michaela takes great pride in being hardworking, personable, and always eager to continue learning and growing both personally and professionally. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, staying active through exercise and walks, reading, music, and relaxing by the beach. Her goal is to make every client feel comfortable, supported, and confident throughout their journey.