The inspiration for this article is totally personal—and is reflected in the title. Forty-five years ago on the publication date for this issue of Benefits Selling, I began working in the insurance business. Dec. 1 was my official first day as an employee of The Unity Mutual Life Insurance Co. of New York.
I was an actuarial trainee, hired by the first of many great leaders I have worked for over the years, Vice President and Actuary Bill Murray. To this day I'm convinced he hired me because when he asked what I thought of Social Security, I answered that I thought it would run out of money someday unless the design was changed.
For the record, I'd never heard of an actuary before the day of my interview. I was a political science major who decided not to go to grad school. When I was offered the job, I took it thinking I would give the insurance business six months and, if I didn't like it, I could always go back to grad school.
I still consider the insurance business to be on six-months probation, in case you're wondering.
Actuarial work was a great training ground but I knew it wasn't my career calling. That became clear when my second great leader, Tom Saxelby, hired me to work in the Association Group business.
I learned how to work with brokers, largely in Chicago (a hub of the association market) and how to price and help land large cases. I learned a great deal about mass marketing and the balance between group and individual selection that make the association business — and voluntary benefits — so challenging to price and underwrite.
Then the third great leader of my career hired me. Dick Beightol ended up being my boss for more than 26 years, and during that time I learned the individual business insurance market, designed some of the most interesting products of their day and started writing articles for our brokers that were the genesis of this column.
We started an insurance company from scratch that grew into a top voluntary life carrier before we left. We started a division of another carrier, also from scratch, and then when that carrier was being sold, we started a very successful national marketing company focused on the voluntary market.
The great leaders mentioned above are part of the great fortune in my career — and this continues today at Mutual of Omaha. If there is one bit of advice I would give to someone starting a career today, 45 years after me, it would be to choose your leaders carefully and listen to them. If I can inspire the people who work with me or those who read these columns one-tenth as well, I will consider myself a success.
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