Cedar Rapids, IA (April 2, 2025) – GreatAmerica Financial Services today announced the retirement of Marty Klees, senior vice president of risk and operations – corporate strategy, following a distinguished career spanning nearly three decades. The 25th employee of GreatAmerica, Klees has been a cornerstone of the company’s success through his visionary leadership, business acumen and unwavering dedication.
Klees joined GreatAmerica in September 1995 in an accounting role and has ascended into various senior-level positions, including senior vice president and general manager of the Communications and Data business unit, SVP of corporate operations, and SVP and chief risk officer. His contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Achiever award in 1999 and 2002, the highest recognition by GreatAmerica team members.
Reflecting on his career, Klees said, “I am grateful for all the opportunities I was given at GreatAmerica and for the trust to help build this special company alongside Tony and Martin Golobic and the rest of the team. Most importantly, I am thankful for the amazing colleagues and friends who made this experience unforgettable.”
CEO Martin Golobic praised Klees’ GreatAmerica career, saying, “Marty has made outstanding contributions to our organization and has proven himself to be a strong and dependable leader. His hard work, well-rounded informed judgment, appreciation for balancing growth and quality, and his proven track record have earned the confidence of our team members and customers alike. We are fortunate to have had his dedication to mentoring our team, especially in the past couple of years, making this transition a little easier.”
He has worked closely with Jared Hanlin, SVP and CRO, to ensure a smooth transition. Hanlin’s successful leadership is a testament to not only his capabilities, but to Klees’ mentoring and the company’s commitment to succession planning.
“GreatAmerica does an amazing job focusing on succession planning and preparing leaders to take GreatAmerica to the next level. I have the utmost confidence in the future of GreatAmerica,” Klees added.
Before joining GreatAmerica, Klees was a Certified Public Accountant in the audit practice of Ernst & Young LLP. He earned his MBA from the University of Iowa and his BA in accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. He also serves on the Advisory Board of the Better Business Bureau and has served on the ELFA Small Ticket Steering Committee and the YMCA Board of Directors.
He plans to travel and spend more time with his wife and three children.
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About GreatAmerica Financial Services
GreatAmerica is the largest, family-owned national commercial equipment finance company in the United States. A $3.3+ billion company with life-to-date finance originations of $18 billion, GreatAmerica was established in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1992. Dedicated to helping manufacturers, distributors, resellers, and franchisees be more successful and keep their customers for a lifetime, GreatAmerica offers innovative, complementary services in addition to financing. GreatAmerica is committed to the communities it serves and donates more than $1.1 million annually through a GreatAmerica Donor Advised Fund and an Employee Advised Fund, giving team members a say in where funds are allocated.
