Board Members

With a strong desire to give back, Chris looks forward to assisting those that deserve a helping hand during their time in need. He is passionate about causes specifically related to animals and has been involved with the Keys to Happiness Dog Rescue for many years. In fact, Chris and his wife have adopted several dogs from them over the years! A Corporate Legal Advisor for VIP Mortgage, Chris has been at VIP since 2014 and is based in their Madison, WI office. And, according to Chris, he is “one of the strangest people he knows.”
Email: Chris Janssen

Veronica has been in the mortgage business for close to 15 years and currently holds the position of Director of Sales Services for VIP Mortgage. She is a committed “softball mom” and is involved with many nonprofit organizations related to youth sports. A believer in giving back, she is thrilled to be a part of the VIP Foundation! In her spare time, she loves attending youth sports with her family, traveling, and the LA Dodgers. 
Email: Veronica Caro

Eric has spent a lifetime donating his time and money to charitable causes so becoming a board member for the VIP Foundation is a natural fit. When Eric’s son was 18 months old, his life was saved by doctors at Phoenix Children’s Hospital which is what motivated him to start his own 501c3, We Care Anthem. Over the past 20 years, Eric’s organization has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to donate to children and families with life threatening illnesses or who have experienced the sudden loss of a child. Eric is a Branch Manager at VIP Mortgage and loves to play basketball, participate with CrossFit, and play golf.
Email: Eric Kilstrom

A veteran of the industry, VIP Mortgage would truly be lost without Karen! Her knowledge within the world of mortgages is unmatched and so many people rely on her and her expertise. Karen is a strong believer in giving back and loves to donate both her time and resources to improving the lives of others. When not working, Karen loves to spend time in the outdoors. She especially loves to hike and explore the beautiful wild spaces of Arizona. Unknown fact about Karen, most of her work family refers to her as K Hoff!
Email: Karen Hoffman

Mike loves engaging with the community and enjoys working with like-minded people that are committed to making a difference. He recently served in Class 33 of Scottsdale Leadership and is on the board of Keep Scottsdale Beautiful, a passion project that he is extremely proud of. In addition, he is involved with the Desert Botanical Gardens, the PTSD Foundation, and Partners for Paiute. A few interesting facts about Mike are that he is left-handed, was taught by Charles Schulz himself to draw Snoopy, prefers his coffee black, and tries to read at least one book every week. 
Email: Mike Metz

Having a high care factor, Jay has a passion for helping people in any way that he can. He is particularly passionate about anything veteran related, having several close friends that have served. In addition, Jay has an affinity for children and volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for many years. On a personal level, Jay has spent countless hours of his time coaching track and field at the high school level. In his spare time, Jay enjoys spending time with his wife and kids and working on Brazilian jiu-jitsu. 
Email: Jay Ray

Having a passion for giving back and being able to provide opportunities, Kent jumped at the chance to join the board of the VIP Foundation. Kent has been involved with many nonprofits over the years, most recently serving on the board of Betting on a Cure, an organization that donates to diabetes related causes. Only being a high school graduate, Kent is passionate about providing guidance and road maps to others looking to achieve the American dream. Through hard work and perseverance, Kent made his own American dream a reality and wants to make sure everyone has the opportunity! When asked about one unique fact about himself, Kent shared that he broke his femur, which prevented him from playing college football, and instead served a 2-year mission. The mission taught him about service, giving back, gratitude, and being humble. Best 2-years of his life.
Email: Kent Neilson

Mike joined the board at the VIP Foundation to give back, support the community, and make a difference to those in need. Throughout the year, he supports a variety of causes including the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the 100 Club, and other organizations related to children’s causes. A career mortgage industry veteran, Mike is currently a Branch Manager at the Tempe Branch as well as being a producing loan officer. In his spare time, Mike is an outdoor enthusiast and takes every opportunity he can to hunt. 
Email: Mike Jones