Culture Is Everything

F.W. Purmort

“Our culture is incredibly unique. It's shared. It's communicated. And we live it every day.”

— F.W. Purmort, President and Chairman of the Board


I am extremely proud that our company has prospered over the 143 years we have been in business. Certainly we are not the same company we were in April 1876, but there are distinct similarities and themes that you can draw between those of yesterday and today.

We have had our ups and downs, growing pains, and transitions to new risk and technologies, all of which have made us who we are today. We started as a staff of three with the fiduciary responsibility to manage the interests of 200 “subscribers” who funded the company. Those three, along with our initial Board of Directors, made a promise to repay those individuals from the profits of the company and be financially sound enough to transfer the community’s fire risk should they want to buy insurance.

We are still making promises to provide security, protection, and peace of mind to everyone with a stake in our company. We have expanded our mission to include not only policyholders, but employees, agency partners, vendors, and regulators – any connection to our company comes with a promise that we fully intend to fulfill.

It is a daunting task when you think how many promises we have made to so many. They demand our attention each and every day to ensure we build a company that you, and those in the future, want as part of your financial security. Our team believes strongly that our culture is the driving force behind our ability to fulfill these promises. It’s woven into everything we do. It provides clarity for our decision making and makes our leaders accountable. It motivates our employees to come to work every day focused on doing their jobs to the best of their ability. It fosters inclusion and diversity across our organization. And it makes us a magnet for the talented people who will perpetuate this culture well into the future.

Why does our culture matter so much? Because it matters to you. It’s why you choose to do business with us. You value what we bring to the table: the Integrity with how we conduct business, our focus on building Relationships based on trust, and our continual pursuit of Excellence.

Our culture is incredibly unique. It’s shared. It’s communicated. And the stories you’ll read in this report will share how we live it every day. We thank you for 2019 and promise you we are a committed group of professionals who sincerely believe...

Culture is Everything