ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 3, 2025 — The National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) today announced its NextGen Leaders Class of 2025, a new program that spotlights the emerging leaders of the PEO industry.
NAPEO NextGen is an initiative that provides networking opportunities, training sessions and programming for PEO professionals 45 and younger. The annual NextGen Leaders Class program was introduced this year to showcase rising stars who have shown a commitment to professional and PEO industry growth.
The members of the NAPEO NextGen Leaders Class of 2025 are:
- Luke Anderson, President, The Employer Group (Verona, WI)
- Deborah Dhuy, Director of Human Resources, Armhr (East Syracuse, NY)
- Rajesh Gurumoorthy, Co-Founder and CEO, InsureComp, LLC (Phoenix, AZ)
- Chase Heywood, President and Chief Operating Officer, Stratus HR (Sandy, UT)
- Hank Johnson, Director of Risk Management and Legal Compliance, Nextep (Norman, OK)
- Jenna Marceau, Chief Information Officer, Syndeo (Wichita, KS)
- Maria Tarmoun, Senior Manager, Client Tax Services and Solutions, Justworks (New York, NY)
“This inaugural NextGen Leaders class represents a diverse and committed group of individuals who care deeply about the future of our industry,” said NAPEO President and CEO Casey Clark. “We’re excited to recognize these emerging and influential leaders who will guide our industry and NAPEO forward in the years to come.”
Applicants were asked to submit a letter of recommendation from their immediate supervisor, their resume and responses to two prompts outlining what they see as the future of the PEO industry and their respective contributions, as well as a letter to themselves one year from now. Each application was anonymized and reviewed by a committee of NAPEO-member executives.
Applicants were graded on:
- Overall written application quality.
- Career goals and commitment to professional development.
- Demonstration of leadership.
- References.
The honorees will be featured in the April 2025 issue of PEO Insider and recognized during the 2025 NAPEO Annual Conference & Marketplace this October in Austin, Texas.