Michael VanAcker, Executive Vice President of RT Specialty, has direct leadership responsibilities over RT Specialty’s operations and digital offerings, including The Connector, RT’s digital marketplace for micro commercial business, Stetson, the firm’s premium finance company, and Ryan Specialty University, the firm’s enterprise-wide learning and development platform, among other services. Michael also works closely with RT’s valued clients, markets and internal brokers and underwriters to provide best-in-class solutions.

Michael has been with Ryan Specialty since 2011, most recently as Chief Operating Officer of Ryan Specialty. In this role, he ensured the firm’s successful transition to a public company and oversaw more than 1,200 teammates across the operations, technology and service teams. He also helped launch Ryan’s Specialty’s Accelerate 2025 initiative, which is designed to enrich the firm’s capabilities and to facilitate further growth and innovation​. Previously, Michael served as Controller and COO for RT Specialty, as well as establishing and leading numerous departments for the firm and being heavily involved in the strategic positioning and integrations of Ryan Specialty’s multitude of acquisitions.

Michael began his career in PwC’s Assurance practice specializing in insurance clients. He is an actively licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the State of Illinois after earning the Illinois CPA Society Excel Award for performance on the CPA exam.

Michael earned degrees in finance and accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At Illinois, he was a member of the inaugural College of Business Honors Program and earned the Lloyd Morey Award for the highest GPA in the College of Business.