strengths to set CIG apart from our competitors.” It isn’t easy trying to stand out in the crowd of competition. “There are nearly 3,000 property and casualty insurance companies in the United States,” Thompson says. “Most of our competitors are larger than we are; sheer size gives them some financial advantages. We need to earn a reasonable operating margin, and that’s a real challenge.” The company continues to grow. “We have more policyholders now than we did at the beginning of 2011,” Thompson says. “We are a mutual insurance company, owned 100 percent by our policyholders. We’ve made some acquisitions — the most recent were three years ago when we bought two insurance companies in Texas and Georgia — but most of our growth is organic.” nnnnn Thompson does not plan to change the culture of Columbia Insurance Group. “Culture is what we’re all about,” he says. “We live by our core values.” The company abides by seven core values: n We believe our employees are our greatest asset. n We believe that our customers should always be treated in the same manner that we would want to be treated. n We believe the service we provide is critical to our policyholders and the well-being of society as a whole. n We believe that earning a profit is good and contributes to the financial security we provide our customers. n We believe that honesty, fairness and integrity in life and in business are essential and we will not tolerate anything less. n We believe in being responsible corporate citizens. n We believe in having fun. Lofty ideals that could be difficult to live with at times, one might think. But Thompson doesn’t think so. “We’re very transparent,” he says. “Take No. 5 — honesty, fairness and integrity. We had an employee who embezzled. We didn’t keep it quiet; we prosecuted. We’re not afraid to air our dirty laundry.” “We’re very transparent,” he says. “Take No. 5 — honesty, fairness and integrity. We had an employee who embezzled. We didn’t keep it quiet; we prosecuted. We’re not afraid to air our dirty laundry.” This transparency applies at every level of the organization. In 2010, a board member from Arkansas was investigated by the Arkansas Department of Insurance for alleged misconduct in the handling of his business affairs. He was removed from the board immediately. “We don’t tolerate dishonesty,” Thompson says. “We make it clear that we will not accept even the appearance of dishonesty or other impropriety.” Thompson’s management style is upbeat and collaborative. “I’m a bit more direct than Bob [Wagner],” he notes. “Bob says
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I’m more impatient. Everything is on the table and the very best people are around that table, sharing expertise and perspective. We have open discussions and then must make decisions in a quick timeframe. There’s no need to be combative, but I can be blunt in an effort to move forward.” Colleagues laud his direct manner and visionary ideas but what they really enjoy is his self-deprecating sense of humor, which starts with his own self-styled job description: “chief servant, strategic thought leader, cheerleader and part-time janitor.” CIG senior vice president and Columbia branch manager Roger Birdsong says Thompson’s humor shines through in their