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Herman J. Arends

Herman Arends joined Auto-Owners in June, 1972, as a trainee in the actuarial department.  When he retired in February, 2004, he was chairman and CEO.  He held the title of CEO for almost 11 years and chairman for 13 years.

 

His ascent through the Company was steady and swift, with much of his career split between the actuarial, underwriting and the financial division.  He was appointed assistant vice president, actuarial, in 1985, and in 1986 vice president in underwriting.  In 1989 he was named senior vice president, accounting, and elected to the board of directors.  In 1991 he was named president and, for a short while, treasurer, until becoming chairman and CEO on July 1, 1993.  Mr. Arends continued to serve as chairman until May 2006, and remains a board member.

 

During Mr. Arends’ tenure as CEO, Auto-Owners became a Fortune 500 company in 2003, based on revenues from 2002.  Auto-Owners has remained a Fortune 500 company ever since.

 

Mr. Arends had a great interest in community, business and industry activities.  Among the various boards of governing groups on which he served are: National Association of Independent Insurers (now Property Casualty Insurers Association of America); Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, of which he also served as chairman of the board; American Institute for CPCU; Michigan State Chamber of Commerce; Chairman and CEO of Lake Country Corporation, a subsidiary of Auto-Owners Insurance Company that, as part of its investment portfolio, owns the Lexington Lansing Hotel (formerly the Sheraton Lansing Hotel); Boy Scouts of America Chief Okemos Council; American Red Cross; Impression 5 Science Center, Lansing; Lutheran Child and Family Service; Charlotte (Michigan) Rotary club.

 

He was born in Conklin, Michigan, and raised on a dairy farm with nine siblings.  He graduated from Michigan State University in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree, and earned his master’s degree in mathematics from MSU in 1970.  He taught math at Laingsburg (Michigan) High School from 1967 until 1972 before joining Auto-Owners.

 

Mr. Arends and his wife, Sherry, reside in Charlotte, Michigan.  They have two children and three grandchildren.

Herman J. Arends
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