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Diocese welcomes new risk manager

By MICHELLE DELANEY, Globe staff reporter

Central Catholic Offices recently welcomed a new addition to their building on Jan. 23. Mark Wetz is the new claims/risk manager representing the Diocese of Sioux City through Catholic Mutual Insurance.

As the claims/risk manager, Wetz will be responsible for administering all claims, safety and risk management functions for the Diocese of Sioux City. Wetz, while an employee of Catholic Mutual, will work exclusively for the diocese and his office is located in the Central Catholic Offices in Sioux City.

Wetz explains that he will be going to each location the Sioux City Diocese handles and he will be giving them ideas on prevention loss and things of that nature.

“There’s plenty to do here, I’ve hit the ground running,” said Wetz. “So far, I’ve been welcomed with open arms. It’s been great.”

Wetz is looking forward to working at the diocese because it will give him the opportunity to do different things within his job. He will be able to get out of the office and connect with people.

“I look forward to working with the people. I like meeting new people and making the necessary visits. Hopefully, I can lend an eye and ear to people when they do have claims and help them to solve them quickly,” said Wetz.

Born and raised in Sioux City, Wetz is a product of the Sioux City Catholic schools. Wetz attended Saint Joseph’s Catholic School, Bishop Heelan High School and Briar Cliff University. While at Briar Cliff he earned his B.A. in business administration.

After college, he worked for a life insurance company for four years before switching over to the property casualty side of insurance. He has been working for over 32 years in this specialty.

Wetz worked for Joe Morten and Son from 1980-2000. In 2000 Grandy Pratt Co. bought Joe Morten and Son and eventually Arthur J. Gallagher and Co. bought Grandy Pratt Co. out in 2005. Wetz stayed with the business through the ownership changes. Ultimately, in 2008 he left and worked for a different independent insurance agency in South Dakota before accepting the position with Catholic Mutual.

Wetz is a member of Blessed Sacrament Church in Sioux City. He is also a chairman of the Siouxland Senior Open Golf Tournament, an event that helps raise money for people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and First Tee, a local youth golf program that instills character-building values.

Golf and riding his motorcycle are two of Wetz’s favorite pastimes.

Wetz and his wife, Jenny, have four children and three grandchildren.