20 attended in 1877, 9,000 expected this month

Northwestern Mutual associates celebrate 125th Annual Meeting

THE WORLD of 1877 was far different from the one we know today.

• The country was still recovering from the Civil War.
• Rutherford B. Hayes was President of the United States.
• Thomas Edison had just heard the first sounds of his phonograph, but he had to listen in  the dark because the light bulb had not yet been invented.
• Banks and trains in the Midwest were being terrorized by a gang of outlaws led by Jesse and Frank James.
• The Wright brothers hadn’t even experienced their first bout of teenage angst -- and their famous “aero plane” was no more than a far-fetched dream.
• Henry Ford had yet to crank up his first Model T.
• What cost $100 then costs $1,733.02 today.

But one event happened here in 1877 that’s still going strong – the first Annual Meeting of Northwestern Mutual’s financial representatives.  This year, for the 125th time (meetings were not held for several years during World War II), the company’s financial representatives, field staff and their families are making their annual trek to Milwaukee.

The first annual meeting of Northwestern Mutual agents was held in January of 1877.  Back then, some 20 attendees assembled in the trustees’ room in the home office.  This year, more than 9,000 will attend the meeting July 23-27 at sites throughout downtown Milwaukee.

“Through rain or shine, heat or cold, depression or boom, Northwestern Mutual financial representatives always return to Annual Meeting for information, inspiration, camaraderie, and to get back in touch with the Northwestern’s great culture,” said Edward J. Zore, the company’s president and chief executive officer.

“This year’s theme, ‘125 Years: It Must Be Permanent,’ carries an obvious dual meaning -- the longevity of these gatherings and the company’s long-time core strength of permanent life insurance.”

No matter the year, the meetings always have provided their share of fun.  At the 1957 meeting, when Northwestern Mutual celebrated its centennial, the company commissioned the Wisconsin Idea Theatre of the University of Wisconsin to produce a full-scale musical depicting its 100 years of history.

This year, with a nod to the popular TV show “American Idol,” the company is holding a Network Idol competition open to members of its field force and corporate employees. Contestants will be evaluated on talent, creativity and originality.  The winner will be named Network Idol with a grand prize of $10,000 donated to the charity of their choice.

Stars, celebrities and the otherwise famous also have been regulars at the annual meetings. Bob Hope, Red Skelton, Bob Newhart, Bill Cosby, Glen Campbell and Jay Leno have played the annual meeting.  This year, former President George H.W. Bush will speak at the opening general session, and the company show will feature a performance by the Beach Boys.

One of the most popular events of the annual meeting is the Roots and Wings Run, a competition between the home office and the financial representatives and their families that began in 1978 and takes place over the streets and boulevards of downtown Milwaukee.

Fun aside, one of the biggest benefits for financial representatives at the meeting is the chance to draw strength from the inspirational stories of their peers.  For years, every meeting has featured a solid cross-section of speakers from the field force who embody all that Northwestern Mutual stands for in the eyes of its policyowners and clients.

“This is the 125th annual meeting and soon, in 2007, Northwestern Mutual will be commemorating its 150th year as a company,” Zore said.

“Look at the world today. Look at all the changes. The landscape has changed dramatically, especially in recent times.  What hasn’t changed, however, is Northwestern Mutual. We have high quality products and services; we have credibility and a great reputation; we have conviction and purpose; and we have staying power -- we will be there for our clients in the future.

“We must be doing something right—it must be permanent.”

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