GuideOne Insurance fired Mark Groenheide, its senior vice president of specialty lines, on February 15, 2022. The company gave three reasons, according to Groenheide's own federal discrimination complaint as reported by the Business Record and Iowa Public Radio:

1. Violating his Letter of Authority, the document that limits what business an underwriting executive may bind on the company's behalf.
2. Abusing the company's travel and expense policy.
3. Unprofessional and unbecoming conduct.

In statements to the trade press, GuideOne described the grounds slightly differently. Insurance Business reported in June 2022 that the West Des Moines, Iowa insurer said Groenheide exceeded his letter of authority, failed to secure reinsurance on certain accounts, and submitted improper expenses.   Submitted improper expenses?   The USA Herald will be covering this across multiple stories.

Groenheide has denied all of it. He contended the allegations were manufactured to push him out after company leaders learned he is bisexual, and he took that claim to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. No court or agency ruling on either side's claims was made public.

Groenheide is now CEO, president and majority shareholder of Algorithmic Insurance Services, Inc., a California-licensed reinsurance brokerage that does business as LIRG.

Twenty-eight months at GuideOne

In July 2025, Groenheide co-founded Algorithmic Insurance Services (LIRG and now Jaguar Risk), where he is CEO and president.

Groenheide's account: discrimination and retaliation

Groenheide's EEOC complaint alleged that GuideOne opened the compliance investigation, and later fired him, after company officials learned in the fall of 2021 that he is bisexual. It names Noga, then general counsel, as the executive he believes wanted him out. Iowa Public Radio and the Business Record reported on the complaint in June 2022.

The Insurer, which reviewed the filing, reported that Groenheide accused Noga of growing hostile after his orientation was disclosed inside the company and of using crude, homophobic language toward him on several occasions. In an interview with Insurance Business, Groenheide said one such remark came at a public dinner event in November 2021.

On the specific termination grounds, Groenheide has said the infractions were manufactured by Noga and two subordinates whom he was preparing to place on performance improvement plans. The complaint alleges the two subordinates' complaints were coordinated with Noga, who removed Groenheide's direct reports before those complaints were even filed.

The complaint also argues the investigation was handled differently from contemporaneous investigations into non-LGBTQ+ employees accused of comparable or more serious misconduct. Groenheide says he first reported Noga through GuideOne's anonymous hotline and then filed a formal written internal complaint in mid-January 2022.

GuideOne's response

GuideOne has strongly denied Groenheide's allegations. A company spokesperson told Insurance Business that an independent investigator, a former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, examined his bias and discrimination claims and found them unfounded.

The company also said Groenheide's discrimination allegations did not surface until after he had been placed on administrative leave. It said it would answer his claims in the proper forum rather than in the press.