Headquarters

Aflac Corporate Office

Aflac Incorporated was founded by brothers John, Paul, and William Amos in Columbus, Georgia in 1955 as American Family Life Insurance Company of Columbus. The company signed 6,000 policyholders within the first year.

The company pioneered cancer insurance in 1958. This supplemental insurance was designed to cover expenses not covered by traditional insurance, including travel and loss of income.

In 1964 the company decided to focus on sales through the workplace, eventually through policies sponsored by employers and funded through payroll deductions. The same year the company changed its name to American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (AFLAC).

By 1971 Aflac was operating in 42 states.

In the 1970’s Aflac expanded to Japan.

In the 1980’s the company diversified into television and radio stations.

By the end of the 1990’s Aflac controlled more than $37 billion in assets and total yearly sales topped $8 billion.

Today Aflac is the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States. It is the largest life insurer in Japan and insures one in four Japanese households. Aflac has 8,000 employees worldwide and had $22.171 billion in revenue in 2011.

Aflac Incorporated

The company pioneered cancer insurance in 1958. This supplemental insurance was designed to cover expenses not covered by traditional insurance, including travel and loss of income.

History

By 1971 Aflac was operating in 42 states.

In the 1970’s Aflac expanded to Japan.

In the 1980’s the company diversified into television and radio stations.

By the end of the 1990’s Aflac controlled more than $37 billion in assets and total yearly sales topped $8 billion.

Avnet Corporate Office

Avnet was founded in 1921 by Charles Avnet, a Russian immigrant, when he began buying surplus radio parts and reselling them. During the Great Depression, he shifted from retail to wholesale.

In the early 1930’s Avnet began to manufacture car antennas and car radio kits. During World War II Charles Avnet and his son, Lester Avnet, established Avnet Electronic Supply.

In 1960 Avnet acquired British Industries Corporation and went public on the New York Stock Exchange. That year Avnet reached $1 million in net income.

By 1975 the company had earnings of $35 million, and in 1979 reached $1 billion in earnings.

In 1993 Avnet acquired a rival distributor, Hall-Mark Electronics Corporation, for $344.6 million.

During the 1990’s Avnet expanded to Europe through several acquisitions of European companies.

Today Avnet is the world’s largest franchised distributor of electronic components and subsystems. The company has a presence in more than 50 countries, has almost 20,000 employees worldwide, and had $25.7 billion in revenue in 2012.

Avnet, Inc.

Avnet was founded in 1921 by Charles Avnet, a Russian immigrant, when he began buying surplus radio parts and reselling them. During the Great Depression, he shifted from retail to wholesale.

In the early 1930’s Avnet began to manufacture car antennas and car radio kits. During World War II Charles Avnet and his son, Lester Avnet, established Avnet Electronic Supply.

In 1960 Avnet acquired British Industries Corporation and went public on the New York Stock Exchange. That year Avnet reached $1 million in net income.

History

By 1975 the company had earnings of $35 million, and in 1979 reached $1 billion in earnings.

In 1993 Avnet acquired a rival distributor, Hall-Mark Electronics Corporation, for $344.6 million.

During the 1990’s Avnet expanded to Europe through several acquisitions of European companies.

The Travelers Companies Corporate Office

The Travelers Companies is the result of a 2004 merger between St. Paul Companies, Inc. and Travelers Companies.

St. Paul Companies was founded in 1853 as Saint Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. as a mutual insurance company. It was soon a national company and was reorganized into a stock company.

Travelers was founded in Hartford in 1864 to provide travel insurance to railroad passengers. The company grew and expanded to include many different types of insurance, focusing on general property and casualty insurance.

As a result of the 2004 merger, the new company was named St. Paul Travelers. The name was changed in 2007 to The Travelers Companies. The new company kept the distinctive red umbrella logo.

Today The Travelers Companies is the second largest writer of U.S. commercial property casualty insurance and the third largest writer of U.S. personal insurance, issued through independent agents. It is part of the S&P 500 and the Fortune 500. The company has over 30,000 employees and had $25.74 billion in revenue in 2012.

The Travelers Companies

The Travelers Companies is the result of a 2004 merger between St. Paul Companies, Inc. and Travelers Companies.

St. Paul Companies was founded in 1853 as Saint Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co. as a mutual insurance company. It was soon a national company and was reorganized into a stock company.

History

As a result of the 2004 merger, the new company was named St. Paul Travelers. The name was changed in 2007 to The Travelers Companies. The new company kept the distinctive red umbrella logo.

Northwestern Mutual Corporate Office

John C. Johnston was a General in the local militia in New York in 1850. He worked as an agent at Mutual Life Insurance Agency of New York.

Johnston and his grandson, John H. Johnston, moved to Wisconsin and founded the Mutual Life Insurance Company of the State of Wisconsin in 1854. The company issued its first policy contracts in 1858.

The company grew and began to work regionally. To reflect this change, it was renamed Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company in 1865. At that time, “Northwest” was used to describe states now in the Midwest.

By 1919 Northwestern Mutual was the sixth-largest insurance company in the country. By 1955, the company ranked fifth in mortgage holdings.

In 1981 the company began to invest in energy exploration and major real estate ventures.

In 1999 Northwestern Mutual acquired Frank Russell Co., an investment management and advisory firm with $40 billion in assets under management, for $1 billion.

Today Northwestern Mutual offers financial services, life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, annuities, mutual funds, and employee benefit services. The company also provides consultations on asset and income protection. Northwestern Mutual has 5,000 employees and had $23 billion in revenue in 2010.

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

John C. Johnston was a General in the local militia in New York in 1850. He worked as an agent at Mutual Life Insurance Agency of New York.

Johnston and his grandson, John H. Johnston, moved to Wisconsin and founded the Mutual Life Insurance Company of the State of Wisconsin in 1854. The company issued its first policy contracts in 1858.

History

By 1919 Northwestern Mutual was the sixth-largest insurance company in the country. By 1955, the company ranked fifth in mortgage holdings.

In 1981 the company began to invest in energy exploration and major real estate ventures.

In 1999 Northwestern Mutual acquired Frank Russell Co., an investment management and advisory firm with $40 billion in assets under management, for $1 billion.

The TJX Companies Corporate Office

The TJX Companies was founded in 1956 by Stanley Feldberg as Zayre Corp. He was the first president of the company, serving until 1978.

Zayre Corp opened its first T.J. Maxx branch in 1976 and its first BJ’s Wholesale Club in 1984.

In 1988 Zayre sold its nameplate to rival Ames and renaming itself The TJX Companies, Inc.

In 1990 TJX acquired Winners’ five stores in Canada.

In 1992 TJX launched HomeGoods in the United States.

TJX expanded beyond North America when it founded T.K. Maxx in the United Kingdom in 1994.

TJX acquired Marshall’s in 1995, which doubled the size of the company.

The company launched a sixth brand, A.J. Wright, in 1998 and a seventh, HomeSense, in 2001.

Today The TJX Companies is the largest off-price department store chain for apparel and home fashion in the United States. The company has over 150,000 employees worldwide and had $21.9 billion in revenue in 2010.

The TJX Companies

The TJX Companies was founded in 1956 by Stanley Feldberg as Zayre Corp. He was the first president of the company, serving until 1978.

Zayre Corp opened its first T.J. Maxx branch in 1976 and its first BJ’s Wholesale Club in 1984.

In 1988 Zayre sold its nameplate to rival Ames and renaming itself The TJX Companies, Inc.

History

In 1990 TJX acquired Winners’ five stores in Canada.

In 1992 TJX launched HomeGoods in the United States.

TJX expanded beyond North America when it founded T.K. Maxx in the United Kingdom in 1994.

TJX acquired Marshall’s in 1995, which doubled the size of the company.

The company launched a sixth brand, A.J. Wright, in 1998 and a seventh, HomeSense, in 2001.