Our Team Is Your Team

Justin Berning

Another team member in our multitude of UNI graduates, Justin specializes in PHP programming. Having earned his BA in Management Information Systems, Justin uses his familiarity with various programming languages to create and maintain websites as well as support and lead the VGM Forbin development team. Justin feels most accomplished when he's created an online solution that helps a client connect with their customer. A sports lover, Justin stays active outside of work by trying to keep up with his young son, wife and pup.

Mike Mallaro

Mike Mallaro is VGM's chief executive officer. As CEO, Mike provides a strategic and financial perspective to decisions made at VGM. His day-to-day focus is working on projects to strategically position VGM for growth and success in the future. Mike has been with VGM since 2001 and served as the lead on the development of the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), which included a transition to a 100 percent employee ownership in 2008.

Amanda Morris

Amanda Morris brings the client’s vision to life as the UX Designer at VGM Forbin. Amanda has an Associate of Applied Science degree in Graphic Design from Kirkwood Community College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design from the University of Northern Iowa. If you would ask her coworkers, they would say that Amanda knows a bit about a lot of different things, and they see her as the “utility” player which enables her to switch between different types of tasks. Before finding her home at VGM Forbin, Amanda worked as a graphic designer for sign shops for 18 years, worked at an advertising agency for 10 years, and ran a design and custom apparel business from her home for over 12 years. When she is not at work, you can find her spending time with her family, running her boys around, enjoying the outdoors while finding new places to hike. Along with her children, she has a full house with three dogs; a 15-year-old Pitbull, Chance, and two German Shepards, Ellie and Zoey; two cats, Smalls and Mamma; along with Jeffery, her painter turtle.

Al Strain

Google Certifications: AdWords, Mobile, Shopping & Video. Al joined Forbin after gaining extensive experience in journalism. Originally from St. Charles, MN, Al graduated from Wartburg College with a communication arts major and history minor. His journalism experience includes writing for the college student newspaper, acting as the editor-in-chief for the newspaper, and being a reporter for the Owatonna People’s Press newspaper for over two years. His experiences in writing on a number of different topics (including going up in the air in a stunt airplane twice) prepared Al for the writing-intensive work he does at Forbin. Al is greatly interested in the ever-changing nature of marketing on the web and the rapidly expanding skill set it requires. He is an avid Minnesota sports fan, as well as a Grammy-award-winning singer when driving in his car. He also has a passion for making people laugh and for theater. His upbringing as an only child with no imaginary friends has made Al a very personable and friendly member of our team.

Jessica Veren

Jess graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Marketing. Jess does an INCREDIBLE job at Forbin and when asked how she does it, she says, “A little progress each day adds up to big results, or one of my favorite quotes by Benjamin Franklin – ‘For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.’” She consistently answers any and all questions regarding the development and works with clients on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to understand what they bought with their new web solution. If anything falls outside of the current contract, she works with the production team to properly scope and provide that quote to the Account Executive to formalize and quote. She is complimented most on her organizational skills as well as understanding where all of her projects sit in the development process. Being compassionate and listening to our customers’ needs as well as guiding production team members through the development process is another amazing quality Jess possesses. She is most passionate about helping people. Jess's favorite part of the job is working with the production team and the customer to create a site that they love! In her personal life, she enjoys spending time with her husband and family, as well as crafting her newfound love for woodwork.

Dan Whitmer

Dan Whitmer is an important part of the Forbin IT Team as a System Admin 1! In this position, he uses his impressive interpersonal skills to assist with troubleshooting, researching, and resolving unforeseen complications throughout the day for various clients. After graduating with his AA degree from Hawkeye Community College, Dan went on to work at Geek Squad in Best Buy and later at Cognizant, providing IT services for John Deere. Being a stand-out team player, Dan utilizes his skills and knowledge from studying network administration and engineering to tackle any challenge thrown his way by team members or clients. He enjoys exercising, training Capoeira, and finding his way to good live music events. Don't let his photo fool you! Dan has made the decision to shave his head after first testing how he would look by using photo editing features on Snapchat and receiving raving reviews from his two beloved cats, Dale and Julian. Lookin' good, Dan! 

Donny Wilson

Donny Wilson is VGM Forbin’s Manager of Financial Sales and is known for his professionalism as well as his transparency. It may come as a surprise that he actually has his bachelor's degree in Zoology, so his career is a complete 180 in comparison to his education! At Forbin, Donny helps devise modern and effective solutions using web technology that drive business and profits for financial institutions. Not only is Donny a big dog-lover, but he also pursues many hobbies outside of work including cooking and woodworking. If he’s going to pick a vacation spot, you'd find him somewhere along the gulf or relaxing in the Caribbean. Donny is a vital part of what VGM Forbin does and we are lucky to have him on the team!

Ana Dobrilovic

Certifications: Google Analytics & Google Ads. As a Web Marketer, Ana keeps herself busy by problem-solving and using her extensive and diverse knowledge to write compelling content for all of her clients. To say Ana aims to please would be an understatement as she is known to go above and beyond to help clients reach their goals. Whether it's through social media, blogs, site content or anything in between, Ana can put a creative twist on anything through strategy and collaboration. Before VGM Forbin, Ana was getting her BA in both English and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at the University of Northern Iowa. In her free time, Ana enjoys reading, appreciating nature and spending time with family and her cat! She'll also throw anyone down in a mean game of tennis. Ana is always learning about different cultures and becoming a better, more informed citizen. Fun fact: Ana can speak multiple languages! How cool is that!?

Brett Schwickerath

It’s all in the details for VGM Forbin’s Brett Schwickerath. At Forbin, Brett uses his talents in UI development and UX design to make sure that the choices of our clients and our designers not only look great, but also function well in all situations. No matter the project, Brett is up for the challenge and is known for his passion for learning new things. While earning his bachelor’s degree in Digital Cinema Production at Wartburg College, Brett became fluent in just about every Adobe product and developed a passion for design. Brett is truly motivated by solving problems for our clients and by streamlining processes within website production. Outside of VGM Forbin, you’ll find Brett watching a wide variety of TV shows and movies, listening to music and playing video games so that he may express his greatest passion, sharing those experiences with others so that they may enjoy them as well. 

Heather Seevell

As a University of Northern Iowa graduate, with a BS in Marketing and an emphasis in Advertising and Sales, Heather is a master of online advertising and providing a great customer experience. With her extensive background in business development and opportunity analysis, Heather knows how to identify opportunities and competitive advantages to ensure her clients gain an edge in the digital marketplace. Before joining Forbin, Heather worked for a national advertising agency for 13 years as a National Account and Business Development Director. While at the agency, she worked with national automotive manufacturers to develop strategies and execute advertising campaigns. On the VGM Forbin team, Heather specializes in helping healthcare and non-healthcare clients locally and nationwide. Through years of organizing event volunteers, coaching young athletes and managing teams at work, Heather has a knack for identifying different strengths and motivations to make sure each project is a success. Heather says, “I truly enjoy helping others see their potential role in the team – because together we can all achieve more.”

Nick Dideriksen

Hailing from the University of Northern Iowa with a BA in Graphic Design, Nick offers quite a bit of charisma to the Forbin family. Nick says, “Even though I don’t do much design anymore, it introduced me to the technology business world that wasn’t readily available in small-town Iowa.” He has since used those skills to become a killer Senior IT Analyst. He believes any task is possible if you listen to your clients and provide a solution they need. Nick has an amazing ability to relate to customers and for creating efficiencies in their workplace. He’s passionate about getting to know as many of his co-workers and clients as possible. He feels strongly that the more people you know, the easier it is to find help when you need it most. Nick says, “Being a dad to my three kids has been the best thing to ever happen in my life. Other than my family, I’m one of the biggest golf fans you will ever meet. Golfers always talk about their ideal foursome if they could pick anyone in the world. Mine would be Bill Murray, Tiger Woods and my Dad. That would be the perfect day on the golf course!”

Courtney Ott

Courtney Ott is the master at taking clients’ big ideas and bringing them to life on the computer screen! She’s often complimented on her attention to detail and focus on the big picture of projects as well as understanding exactly what the client needs. Courtney studied at the University of Northern Iowa, earning her degree in Interactive Digital Studies as well as playing on the golf team. After working for Scratch Cupcakery as a Senior Manager/Brand Manager for a few years, she found her way to VGM Forbin as a UX/UI Developer and has since gained a brand-new family. Outside of work, she loves going on adventures with her wife and kid and takes part in all sorts of activities such as slow pitch softball, golf, volleyball and pool league. Courtney is a hardworking, skilled and valued member of the Forbin team! 

Cassi Price

Specializing in social media campaigns, search and social advertising and writing optimized content for websites, Cassi plays a vital role in Forbin’s web marketing. Before joining Forbin, Cassi bolstered her skills as Director of Communications for the Orthotic and Prosthetic Group of America, and has attended conferences and completed the 7 Step Sales Process Training for Emerge Sales. A lover of music and anything outdoors, Cassi finds satisfaction in finding a client’s unique target audience through search and social advertising, as well as creating interactions through social media. Most nights find Cassi spending time outside with her husband and two daughters, then enjoying a glass of cheap-ish wine. She is also available as a wedding singer should you need one.

Taylor Rettig

Taylor hails from Simpson College where he received a degree in Math (he’s pretty smart). Taylor says, “In math, there is always a right answer and a wrong answer, but there is more than one way to get to the right answer. In serving our clients, there is a right answer in their minds, but there is more than one way for us to get there. Finding the path to the right answer in the most efficient manner possible keeps me going.” How Mr. Miyagi of you, Taylor. He is passionate about assisting the team and the client in any way he can to produce a quality product as efficiently as possible. His favorite part of his job is interacting with internal and external partners in order to meet the needs of clients. Being a Process Lead at Forbin allows him to do that on a daily basis. Taylor helps our clients solve problems. He says, “Clients don’t always know exactly what they need in order to meet their goals. I connect clients with the right people on our team in order to solve their problems and meet their goals.” In his personal life, he enjoys running, biking, kayaking and camping, and he prefers to do any combination of those things with family and friends. 

Bailey Ronnebaum

Certifications: Google Analytics, Google Ads Display, Mobile, Search, Video & Shopping. It is proven that laughter is contagious, and that is true with Bailey Ronnebaum and her bubbly personality. Bailey is the definition of efficient as she provides quality work in a timely manner. She is the lead in a slew of things as a web marketer including Social Media, Reputation Management, Reputation Plus+, and Search Engine Optimization programs. Bailey enjoys helping clients better their online presence and reputation by reaching the right customers who are searching for their products or services. Prior to her expertise in social media at VGM Forbin, Bailey was at the University of Northern Iowa getting her degree in Public Relations and minoring in Marketing. There she learned about writing and marketing strategies along with SEM and SEO strategies, although she credits Forbin for teaching her everything she needed to know to help her clients with their marketing needs. Bailey is a traveler at heart and always enjoys going to new places.

Hillary Reents

Hillary Reents is the perfect example of a highly organized employee who produces quality work in a timely manner. As a Web Marketer/Social Media Strategist at VGM Forbin, Hillary works with customers on issues they have with Facebook, improves their engagements, posts about their business, does email marketing and much more to help her clients create greater brand awareness and presence on social media. She found her way to Forbin after earning her Business Degree with a concentration in Marketing from Wartburg College, and always knew she wanted to work in the social media and web marketing sphere. Outside of work, Hillary enjoys boating with family and friends, spending time with her daughter and doing just about anything involving her family.

Jade Richards

Jade Richards brings new ideas to the Forbin realm, as well as cute pictures of her fur babies. Graduating from Hawkeye Community College, Jade received a degree in Web Development and Programming. She also received a Business Administration degree from DMACC. So how did Jade make it here? She says, “I worked in retail before this so my past work decisions just made me realize I wanted something different. I started going to school for something I wasn’t sure I was going to like but ended up loving it.” She is great at solving problems, such as if something on a client’s site isn’t working properly, she’s the one to help fix it! Jade loves to learn new things and apply those skills to her career. She is extremely valued here at Forbin and has a passion for photography, biking, video games, and taking care of her fur babies.

Mark Wubbena

Having a background in a smorgasbord of old-school art techniques and modern design and web applications, Mark brings both knowledge and varied experience to his work. A designer, drummer and daddy to his daughter, Mark has experience in working with drawing, painting, video post-production, web and print design, video integration and Flash animation. In short, he knows a lot of useful stuff. While he loves design, Mark is infatuated with branding and helping companies develop a visually expressive exterior that reflects the interior values and inner workings of that company. Mark also takes his creativity and mind for design and applies it to his home, which he is usually renovating or remodeling in some way.

Philipp Hoeltermann

Philipp joined the Forbin team having completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Information Management from the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Hannover, Germany. Working with the programming team is Philipp’s first work experience in the United States, and he has proven to be a valuable addition. Tasked with quality assurance and security, Philipp combs sites that are being developed to find possible bugs, errors or security issues to be corrected before they go live. Philipp has a love for basketball, baseball and football that is “more than all other Germans combined.”

Joseph Nikas

Joe Nikas, our valued Web Developer, holds an abundance of skills in programming and development! Joe is Forbin's go-to Web Developer for e-commerce, bank, and custom projects. He earned his AAS in Web Programming and Development from Hawkeye Community College before joining the Forbin family. His amazing code quality and problem-solving abilities have made him an undeniable asset to the team. When he discovers a bug or is working on creating a custom feature, he utilizes his attention to detail in order to fully understand the innerworkings of the program or website he is working on. Joe spends the majority of his time outside of Forbin reading and playing video games. He is also a fan of nature, has hiked through numerous places throughout Iowa, and is a cat lover.

Jamie Swart

Jamie Swart, our Brand Marketing Lead, comes to Forbin with over 12 years of marketing experience! She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Northern Iowa, where she discovered her love of all things public relations and marketing. Jamie started out as a MARCOM Specialist in the debt collection/global business process outsourcer industry which led her to being a Digital Marketing Specialist at an automotive dealership for years following that. She was interested in joining Forbin after hearing about our great work culture!  A team player who is passionate about helping people, this marketing guru crafts content for all digital mediums for Forbin’s own marketing efforts. When she’s not at work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, kids, and cats named Jack and Frank. Whether she’s traveling the world (her favorite spot she’s been to is Jamaica!), sipping on coffee or hard at work as a marketing specialist, Jamie brings energy to everything she does. 

John Friel

John is unique because he actually started Forbin as an Internet Service Provider in Cedar Falls, the first ISP in the Cedar Valley which he later sold to the VGM Group, Inc. In his second run with Forbin, John works with our I.T. Services team to support them with new technology, as well as assisting networking and computer clients in addition to Forbin’s programming staff. John’s programming career started in 8th grade when his teacher introduced him to FORTRAN programming. Since then, he has mastered numerous programming and SQL languages and that allow him to provide great insight into various aspects of Forbin’s products. When he’s not coding or providing excellent network support, John likes to work on and drive his race car at the drag strip and restore old Mustangs for cruising. John is also a member of the Shareware Hall of Fame for writing the DOS Qmodem Telecommunications program.

Joshua Schneiderman

Joshua Schneiderman has nearly 20 years of marketing experience, working both within agencies and on in-house marketing teams. At Forbin, Joshua’s main role as a Senior Marketing Strategist is to keep Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and other Pay Per Click (PPC) efforts running well and continually improving. He does this through extensive work with data. Joshua enjoys introducing clients to the tools he uses to run ads, spot patterns, and gain insights. He loves SEM and other search engine strategies because they allow businesses to educate searchers into better buying decisions. Joshua is also obsessed with spreadsheets and tracking. His work is guided by three beliefs: There can be positives or negatives to nearly any metric. Focus your energy where you can make an important impact. And you should build your marketing strategy on the authentic and unique ways you improve customers’ lives.  He likes to read books on behavior, business and economics as well as stories about how people from other cultures and backgrounds live. He is almost always listening to news on public radio or music. Joshua, his wife Sue, two teenage daughters and a couple of moody cats live in Waverly, Iowa. He and his family enjoy traveling, bicycling, kayaking, community service projects, live music and sporting events. 

Josh Tanberg

Having worked at other area web development companies, Josh Tanberg brings many fresh, new ideas to our team to help us refine our production process. One of his favorite parts as a Senior Developer at Forbin is collaborating between developers and clients to come up with innovative ways in which to solve a problem. At the time he joined Forbin, Josh had a mix of real-world and in-classroom web development experience. His passionate approach to being on the cutting edge of web development and design trends means Josh is always an asset in idea generation meetings regardless of which type of project is being discussed. He is by no means your cookie-cutter web developer: Josh loves old cars (he drives a 1950 Mercury, a 1964 Galaxie 500 convertible, and a 1964 Lincoln Continental), and is an Army Infantry Veteran, having completed three tours with the 101st Airborne Division in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Josh also enjoys spending time with his family at their favorite vacation spot in Eastern Tennessee and playing the guitar - rock on!

Kelly Herbert

Kelly comes to us from sunny Georgia and brings her creativity and drive. Kelly attended Georgia State University where she got her degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Her numerous years of experience in sales and marketing have translated into the career in web marketing she holds now! As a Social Media Strategist, Kelly gets her clients the brand awareness they may not currently have. She’s always thinking about how else she can make her clients’ social media successful. “Whether it’s a new campaign or some specialized ads, there’s always a way to take the next step and up their game.” In her personal life, Kelly loves spending time with her husband, baby girl and pup! “Whether it’s caring for my family or a client, I always try to give them my best.” Kelly is a valued member of the Forbin team and is loved by coworkers and clients alike for her puns, wittiness and hard work.

Taylor Palmer

Taylor Palmer is a Web Marketer here at VGM Forbin, who initially started out as a Web Marketing intern. Taylor graduated from the University of Northern Iowa majoring in Digital Media Production and minoring in Marketing. She is passionate about content creation and is very grateful to be learning so many new skills as part of the Forbin team. Taylor loves all things social media and promotion, which is why she says the time she spends at Forbin doesn’t feel like work at all. Outside of work, Taylor enjoys hanging out with friends, going to coffee shops, watching The Bachelor on Monday nights and staying active at the gym. Her close-knit family members double as her best friends, so she loves spending time with them as much as possible. Taylor is so excited to continue learning and gaining more wonderful experience in her position here at Forbin!

Cheyenne Newman

When it comes to unique branding projects, we turn to Cheyenne Newman. After providing a custom Rubix cube business card following a student visit, we knew Cheyenne would produce equally innovative work for our clients, and she quickly became Forbin’s design intern. Now a UX designer, Cheyenne is charged with a wide variety of responsibilities including serving both VGM Forbin’s marketing design needs as well as the design needs of our ongoing web marketing programs such as social media, search engine optimization and search engine marketing. She is truly motivated by her client work at VGM Forbin because it connects customers to products or services that improve their lives. Cheyenne graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. When Cheyenne is not helping clients connect with their customers, she lives for weekends with her friends, family and dog Cooper, as well as completing amazing crafting projects.