Two thousand eighteen was an extraordinary year for AmTrust.
As we embarked upon our twentieth year in business, we were primed for our best year yet. Here’s a look back:
A strong culture produced an award-winning company
A successful company is the product of good people. Fostering a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture, AmTrust climbed the ranks of Forbes’ prestigious
Fortune 500, arriving at 475 on the list. Powered by the talent and dedication of our employees – from our analysts and underwriters to our accountants and software engineers – the company also earned the recognition of these organizations:
- Insurance Business America recognized AmTrust as one of the “Top Insurance Workplaces in the U.S.,” establishing the company as a leader in the insurance industry
- For the second year in a row, NorthCoast99 designated AmTrust as one of the 99 best workplaces for top talent in Northeast Ohio
- AmTrust earned another “Excellent” rating from AM Best, categorizing our balance sheet as “very strong”
Giving back has brought many great returns
At the core of every thriving company is a sense of community. Throughout the year, our teams reached out to their home communities by supporting those in need. Leading the charge, the Cleveland office donated much-needed funds and supplies to local organizations including The Salvation Army, Children’s Hunger Alliance, Cleveland Food Bank and Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter.
Here are a few more acts of kindness from team members near and far:
- Our office in Hamburg, Germany lifted spirits by supporting a local food bank
- Our Chicago team gathered much-needed supplies for One Tail at a Time Dog Rescue
- AmTrust Barcelona sorted and packed food donations at a local food bank
Whether collecting school supplies in Dallas, New Jersey and San Diego, cycling for MS research in New York or rowing for a charity in England, our team members did a lot of good for great causes in 2018.
Our global community has gotten even closer
Twenty eighteen saw the launch of several technology-fueled initiatives. One of the biggest produced AmConnect, the company’s first-ever intranet. Introduced in November, AmConnect delivers a wealth of AmTrust-centric information to employees around the world.
Also introduced in 2018 was the AmTrust IT Security Team. Led by Chief Information Security Officer Christopher Prewitt, the team hosted its first annual Security Education Week in November. Seminars included social engineering, 2018 data breach investigation reports, cybersecurity from the Cleveland FBI’s perspective, connecting to the IoT (Internet of Things) and safeguarding your family against identity theft. The team is dedicated to assuring the availability, integrity and appropriate confidentiality of AmTrust-centric information.
Also making a splash in 2018 was TechBar, AmTrust’s first technology-themed lounge. Introduced in Alpharetta, Georgia in July, TechBar offers team members an array of free services ranging from mobile device diagnosis and repair to tech solutions and product training. Additional TechBars are on tap to open in Cleveland and London in 2019.
Staying true to our entrepreneurial roots, we tapped into our talent pool for outside-the-box product ideas. Insurance, entrepreneurship and innovation were on display during the company’s second annual Think Tank Innovation Competition. Employees from several countries submitted their ideas for consideration. The finalists pitched their ideas to a senior leadership committee for a chance to win $10,000.
Stepping up their fitness games
While a healthy bottom line is good for business, having healthy, happy employees is just as important. Empowering employees to make healthy choices, the amplify wellness program has had a big impact on thousands of team members since its inception.
And 2018 was no exception.
Amplify rolled out a number of wellness challenges. These empowering initiatives included the 100-Day Steps Challenge, which compelled team members across the country to take 776 million steps. During the StepJockey Great Wall of China stair-climbing challenge, AmTrust employees burned more than 188,000 calories collectively. In Cleveland, teams took to the streets to capture images of the city during the Second Annual Photo Hunt, all while getting some fresh air and exercise.
Hard work is easy to recognize
Recognizing the efforts of our teams, AmTrust hosted a number of events to say, “Thank you.” In San Diego, the claims office fired up the grill and enjoyed a Fourth of July cookout. In September, the Atlanta Clerical Operations Department celebrated employees on the claim entry, indexing and call center teams with a football-themed Employee Appreciation Day. In Cleveland, the team said goodbye to summer with SummerFest – a carnival-themed party in the courtyard – and made merry during the holidays with Holly Jolly BINGO and Holiday Spirit Week.
A return to our roots
With a desire to focus on our core business, including workers’ compensation and specialty risk, AmTrust became a privately held company once again. Made official in late November, the move allows the company to focus on deepening the relationships we have with our agents, brokers and customers. A partnership between the Karfunkel-Zyskind family and Evergreen Parent will help fuel our success moving forward.
Twenty years in the books
With two decades in the books,
AmTrust is poised to take our employees, customers and partner agents to exciting new places in 2019. Our vision is to be the industry’s best global insurance and risk solutions provider. We appreciate our employees and agents, and everything they do to make AmTrust one of the best in the business.