Today is the American Family Insurance annual policyholder meeting. I distinctly remember the 2020 annual meeting. We gathered in person – something hard to fathom just 12 months later. No masks. No social distancing. We were monitoring the pandemic at that time, but it hadn’t really impacted us. Yet. Oh, how things would change. I’ve […]
Read MoreWe all want the pandemic behind us. I see what we’re all missing out on daily. I miss seeing family, friends and our people. I want the chance to gather safely – in person – to work, collaborate and learn together. I want to visit the people at each of our operating companies. I’m also […]
Read MoreWe got a call from my daughter a few weeks ago. “The baby is here! It’s a blessing!” And just like that, I became a grandpa. The day Sarah and I – and our whole family – had been waiting for had arrived. We helped our daughter and son-in-law bring young Hayden home from the hospital. It’s a […]
Read MoreI needed a little perspective. Recently, I took a break from the sadness and chaos of everything happening around us. I picked up Dare to Dream, a terrific book about the story of Herman Wittwer, the founder of my company. If you haven’t heard it, bear with me. As a struggling insurance agent, Herman had a dream. It was 1927, and he wanted to offer a different kind of […]
Read MoreThis week, several cities and states issued shelter-in-place or safer-at-home mandates to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. In many cases, these decisions also make it clear we’ve got a long road ahead of us. This doesn’t seem like it’s going to be over anytime soon. It’s going to stretch our collective abilities […]
Read MoreThe start of a new year and new decade is an exciting time. For leaders, it’s a chance to look ahead and consider about what’s possible. It also a challenging time. For starters, technology is replacing jobs due to the growth of artificial intelligence, robotic process automation and machine learning. Companies are becoming more efficient, […]
Read MoreWhen I was in college – a few years ago – my main objective was to learn a discipline in four years. Back then, colleges and universities hoped that by teaching all this content, something else would rub off.As students, we were supposed to figure out how to think critically, adapt, question things, become curious. […]
Read MoreI was struck recently after reading an article in my local newspaper. Lawmakers had passed a resolution requiring mandatory sexual harassment-prevention training for themselves and their employees. What really stood out was the training would only need to be completed every two years. This strikes me as a check-the-box approach. You know what I mean […]
Read MoreI took a walk recently through our Personal Lines Operations, Claims and Claims Legal teams at our East Regional Building. They’re working to improve processes, and using Lean techniques to identify and eliminate waste, improve speed for customers and reduce costs. This wasn’t just any walk. It was a Gemba walk – a specific term […]
Read MoreHe’s a former Major League Baseball superstar, a philanthropist, and now media and business leader. Derek Jeter exemplifies the power of a dream champion – someone who does more than just lead by example. “The Captain” has – and continues to – inspire people to keep chasing their dreams. To have courage and heart. To […]
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