News and Announcements
Management News
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
On Thursday, November 10th, Stuart Henderson, CEO of Western National Insurance, headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, will be speaking in the Voyageurs Room from 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Western is the fourth largest mutual insurance company in Minnesota.
Mr. Henderson became CEO of Western in 2001 when the company was in financial crisis. He and his management team transformed the company from near financial insolvency to a company that today is rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best, has won the "Ward's Top 50 Best Insurance Companies" award in four of the last five years, and this past summer was named a "Top 100 Best Workplaces in Minnesota" by the Star Tribune. The remarkable aspect of this turnaround is that Mr. Henderson did not achieve this financial recovery by laying off employees. Instead, while retaining all employees, Mr. Henderson implemented a strategic plan to reduce risk, invested in new technologies, branded the company as "The Relationship Company," solidified agent relationships, overhauled facilities, and became an "Employer of Choice."
Mr. Henderson will speak about his company's turnaround, as well as a number of other topics, including:
--leadership
--the role of technology in achieving competitive advantage
--being a "Best Place to Work/Employer of Choice"
--job opportunities in the insurance industry
The insurance industry is one of the more stable industries for employment. It is also an area with an impending shortage of qualified applicants for positions that range across multiple disciplines, including accounting, investment analysis, sales/marketing, information technology, and human resources. All students and faculty are welcome to attend Mr. Henderson's presentation.
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