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65-409: American Family Insurance , also abbreviated as AmFam , is an American private mutual company that focuses on property , casualty , and auto insurance , and also offers commercial insurance, life , health , and homeowners coverage as well as investment and retirement -planning products. It is a Fortune 500 company and its revenues were over $ 9.5 billion in 2017. American Family Insurance

130-566: A 501(c)(3) organization . Each affiliate is led by local staff and volunteers and have their own board of directors , independent of United Way Worldwide or a parent organization. Some United Way affiliates, like the Central Community Chest of Japan , choose not to use the United Way name and branding. [We have] converted United Way from a federation of local charities to a franchise model. The local franchisees bring in donations, and

195-647: A $ 10 million gift launching the campaign to create the American Family Children's Hospital at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics . From the initial gift, the amount grew by several millions more through employee, agent, and additional corporate donations. The hospital opened for business in September 2007. In 2007, and again in 2008, employees donated close to $ 1 million to United Way . In April 2020,

260-525: A $ 459,000 condo in New York City for Aramony. In December 1991, an outside firm was hired to conduct the investigation into the allegations. A lawyer concluded that there had been "sloppy record-keeping" and "inattention to detail" but avoided any specific admission of wrongdoing in the preliminary investigation. Aramony, who was due to retire in July 1993, submitted his resignation on February 27, 1992, during

325-705: A close supporter of the Society of Women Engineers helped manage this campaign from its launch. Companies of the American Family Insurance Group include: American Family insurance products include term, universal, and whole life insurance; personal and business auto insurance; personal umbrella insurance; home insurance; motorcycle, boat, motor home, snowmobile, and car insurance; business liability key policy and business policy package insurance; farm and ranch liability insurance; and travel, trip cancellation, and global medical insurance. The company also offers

390-433: A narrower set of issues that resonate strongly with donors, including championing controversial issues have excluded from United Way funding or that do not appeal to United Way's predominantly male, white, corporate membership. These alternative funds challenged the central thesis of the United Way model – that one umbrella organization can serve both the donors' interests and community's needs. The competition for access to

455-425: A new name and logo. The organization announced on July 13, 1970, that it would change its name from "United Funds and Council of America" to United Way of America . Bayard Ewing, the president of the fund said: "We wanted a simple name that would give people a clearer and more descriptive idea of what our organization is trying to do. I hope that the name will be adopted by all of our 2,260 fund‐raising units throughout

520-474: A policy of donor designation in 1982, allowing donors to select which nonprofit organizations would receive their gift. Aramony first introduced the donor choice concept to prevent large employers from allowing alternative funds to solicit alongside United Way. However, United Ways resisted donation designations and the roll out of the new policy was described as a "glacial pace" in a 2000 piece in Fortune . Despite

585-507: A portion of the total funds raised by each local United Way. U.S. affiliates pay a membership fee of 1% of their total funds raised to United Way Worldwide. The structure has been described as similar to a "global franchise operation" by Forbes magazine. Internally, United Ways are classified by how much funds they raise on a scale of 10 levels. Metro 1 is the highest-ranking which requires raising at least $ 9 million annually. United Ways are federated fundraising bodies that mobilize

650-481: A rate of 5–10% annually. United Community Funds and Council of America, the national association of United Funds, expanded its role in the 1970s. Historically, it served a similar role as a trade association to the United Funds and lacked authority in shaping their affiliates. Its thousands of affiliates went by no fewer than 137 different names and pursued thousands of different charitable objectives. I think that

715-522: A reward system for their insureds titled "Dreamkeep Rewards", which provides small to large rewards for completing various online tasks. The American Family Insurance Group is based in Madison , Wisconsin , and as of 2011 has four regional corporate headquarters in Minnetonka / Eden Prairie , Minnesota ; Saint Joseph , Missouri ; Denver , Colorado ; and Columbus , Ohio . Below is a list of milestones in

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780-601: A single fundraising campaign to raise money for a diverse range of nonprofits. United Ways raise funds and determine how to best distribute them. United Ways raise funds primarily via company-sanctioned workplace campaigns, where the employer solicits contributions from their employees that can be paid through automatic payroll deductions (in the same way tax withholdings and insurance premiums are deducted from an employee's net pay ). 57% of United Way's donations come through payroll deductions while an additional 20% from corporate donations. United Way also administers many of

845-501: A single workplace drive. The focus of local community fundraising also conflicted with the mission of the national health organizations. Many United Funds supported health causes locally, with funds going to charities in their local communities. By the late 1960s, the conflicts between United Funds and national health charities resolved itself with many of the charities folding into the United Fund or retreating from competing. After WWII,

910-552: A teleconference with local United Ways. Aramony said he was retiring "to put things back in proper focus ... because media attention is overshadowing the importance of the work of United Way and the countless accomplishments we have made together." In April 1995, Aramony was convicted on 23 counts of felony charges, including conspiracy, fraud and filing false tax returns. He was sentenced to seven years in prison and served six years. Two associates, Thomas J. Merlo and Stephen J. Paulachak, were also convicted and sentenced to prison. In

975-588: A year or not at all." Last year in Detroit there were no fewer than 50 charity drives in addition to the Community Chest. This year Detroiters reconsolidated with a will. They lumped together all of the Chest's 125 component agencies, plus 18 others, as beneficiaries of a single United Foundation "Torch" Drive. — Life magazine, November 14, 1949 This outgrowth of objections from business and labor leaders led to

1040-566: The American Cancer Society , Big Brothers/Big Sisters , Catholic Charities , Girl Scouts , Boy Scouts , and The Salvation Army . Membership in United Way and use of the United Way brand is overseen by the United Way Worldwide umbrella organization. United Way Worldwide is not a top-down organization that has ownership of local United Ways. Instead, each local United Way is run as independently and incorporated separately as

1105-604: The Charity Organization Society , which coordinated services between Jewish and Christian charities and fundraising for 22 agencies. Many Community Chest organizations, which were founded in the first half of the twentieth century to jointly collect and allocate money, joined the American Association for Community Organizations in 1918. The first Community Chest was founded in 1913 in Cleveland , Ohio, after

1170-494: The United Way Information Network , a centralized national pledge processing center. The national center aimed to make donations more efficient and attractive to companies with national footprints. However, these plans competed with the regional pledge processing centers operated by four large regional United Ways. The software was riddled with issues and was unable to process gifts in its first test run. A review of

1235-649: The "United" prefix in their names. In 1956, Community Chests and Councils, Inc. changed its name again to United Community Funds and Councils of America (UCFCA) to reflect the shifting naming used by its affiliates. The "big three" national health drives (the American Cancer Society, the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis , and the American Red Cross) objected to handing over control of their fundraising efforts and refused to participate in

1300-458: The 1980s as a result of deregulation. In the United States, conversion may be full, to a public company , or in many states, partial, to a mutual holding company . United Way of America United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. Prior to 2015, United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from

1365-554: The 1980s. Savings and loan industry deregulation and the late 1980s savings and loan crisis led many to change to stock ownership, or in some cases into banks . Many large U.S.-based insurance companies, such as the Prudential Insurance Company of America and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company have demutualized , with shares of stock being distributed to their policyholders to represent

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1430-602: The American Association for Community Organization changed its name to the Community Chests and Councils, Inc in 1927. World War II also impacted the Community Chest movement. National health research charities, like the American Red Cross and the American Cancer Society , gained government support during the war. These health agencies used their centralized headquarters and nationwide fundraising reach to run separate and competing local fundraising campaigns alongside

1495-552: The Community Chests. The competing appeals between the health organizations and Community Chests resulted in exhausting and disorganized situations. Business leaders were concerned that the barrage of donation drives in the workplace would reduce productivity. The Ford Company issued a well-publicized press release stating that the automaker lost $ 40,000 in executive time and employee productivity with each plant solicitation. A committee at Ford led by Henry Ford II told charities to "federate or perish. We'll contribute to charity once

1560-710: The US Department of Justice and marked the first use of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 to counter discrimination in insurance; at the time it was the most costly insurance-company settlement ever for discrimination charges. In 2017, AmFam launched an ongoing campaigned called DreamFearlessly. AmFam's company ambassador's use this as a hashtag on social media to help promote this campaign. The campaign encouraged consumers to express how they "dream fearlessly" for initiatives e.g. social justice, getting women into tech, Economic Empowerment. Kathy Ireland and her team were brought on early to help as with ambassador work. Blake Van Leer

1625-401: The United Fund took a similar role to the modern United Way. They focused almost exclusively on workplace fundraising (rather than the Community Chests' focus on door-to-door solicitations). The end of the excess profit taxes weakened the incentives for corporate gifts after World War II . Campaign leaders looked to employees in workplace (and not their bosses) as an opportunity to make up for

1690-494: The University of Iowa to produce a 70% reduction in risky driving behavior. In 2015, American Family was recognized as the most LGBT -friendly insurance company by Out Magazine because of its discounts targeted at same-sex couples. American Family Insurance has an ambassador program with the stated mission to "inspire, protect and restore dreams". Notable ambassadors include: On March 4, 2003, American Family Insurance announced

1755-545: The aftermath of the William Aramony scandal, local United Ways boycotted United Way of America by refusing to make their dues payments to the umbrella organization. Representatives from 13 of the US's largest local United Ways told the interim President Kenneth Dam that they would like to see United Way of America half its current size. Of the 1,400 local United Ways, only 532 were paying some or all of their dues in 1992. To account for

1820-500: The annual workplace campaigns for federal employees in the US called the Combined Federal Campaign . Nonprofit agencies that partner with United Way usually agree not to fundraise while the United Way campaigns are underway. Money raised by local United Ways is distributed to local nonprofit agencies after an administrative cost is deducted. In 2002, the average administrative fee was 12.7%. Where United Way distributes

1885-472: The board chairman Edward A. Brennan , alleging that United Way of America CEO William Aramony had affairs with two sisters (one of which was a teenager) and he was using the charity's money to keep the women quiet. Aramony denied the allegations to Brennen. After UWA's board reviewed and concluded that the letter's allegations had no basis in March 1990, the matter was dropped. It was later found that Aramony used

1950-409: The clients in the form of dividend distributions, reduced future premiums or paid up additions to the policy value. This is a competitive advantage to such companies—the idea of owning a piece of the company could be more attractive to some potential clients than the idea of being a source of profits for investors. In the typical stock company, profits go to shareholders. In contrast, a mutual manages

2015-501: The co-operative movement are usually known as credit unions or cooperative banks rather than mutuals. Various types of financial institutions around the world are mutuals, and examples include: Some mutual financial institutions offer services very similar to (if not the same as) those of a commercial bank . In some markets, mutuals offer very competitive interest rates and fee tariffs on savings and deposit accounts , mortgages and loans . The members who save and borrow with

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2080-477: The company estimates the refunds to reflect $ 225 million in liquidity, contributing to the $ 200 million gain on personal insurance holders' premiums. American Family Insurance provides an additional COVID-19 pandemic mitigation premium of 10% on car policies. Mutual company A mutual exists with the purpose of raising funds from its membership or customers (collectively called its members ), which can then be used to provide common services to all members of

2145-400: The company in the best interests of the customers. Furthermore, a mutual company is able to focus on a longer horizon than a typical company. Some mutual insurance companies make this claim explicitly. In more general terms, mutual organizations are able to minimize the principal–agent problem by removing one stakeholder, the investor-owner, in favor of one of the other stakeholders, usually

2210-737: The company's dollars to fund luxurious expenses, including flights on a Concorde and $ 90,000 for his limousine service. Aramony had spun off two for-profit enterprises using United Way of America funds, the Partnership Umbrella and Sales Service/America. The suspicious set up raised questions if the companies, which were designed to offer bulk discounts and other cost-savings to local United Ways, were actually being used for Aramony's personal enrichment. Partnership Umbrella had used United Way of America funds to purchase and decorate $ 1.2 million of real estate in Alexandria, Miami and New York, including

2275-467: The corporate history of American Family Mutual Insurance. In 2010, National Safety Council selected American Family Insurance as a recipient of its Teen Driving Safety Leadership Award. Through its “Teen Safe Driver Program,” the company has provided, a video feedback program (using the DriveCam system) in which parents can watch the driving actions of their teens. The program was validated by scientists at

2340-523: The country. About a quarter of United Way donations in the US are currently designated. If the donor does not earmark a specific cause or organization for their donation, the money goes into a general fund and are allocated to areas of greatest need by the local United Way's volunteer committee. Traditionally, United Ways would grant funds that can be used for any purpose by the recipient nonprofit. However, many United Ways have started giving funds to nonprofits only to be used for specific programs run by

2405-486: The country." The new logo was designed by graphic designer Saul Bass in 1972. Aramony traveled to major cities to persuade the affiliates to adopt the logo and brand name. It moved from New York City to Alexandria, Virginia , in 1971. In 1973, United Way of America formed a partnership with the National Football League . By 1974, there were enough United Way organizations internationally to demand

2470-446: The customer, who becomes both user and joint owner of the business. However, the mutual form of ownership also has disadvantages. One example is that mutual companies have no shares to sell and hence no access to equity markets . At one time, most major U.S. life insurers were mutual companies. For many years, the tax status of such organizations was open to dispute, as they were technically nonprofit organizations. Eventually, it

2535-599: The example of the Jewish Federation in Cleveland—which served as an exemplary model for "federated giving". The success of the Cleveland Community Chest led to a modest spread of the concept to other cities. World War I helped disseminate the concept of the Community Chest as the model for federating giving was used to support wartime fundraising efforts. Of the 300–400 War Chests that existed during

2600-500: The expected loss. In 1956, workplace giving from employees accounted for 39.6% of the revenue of United Funds and Community Chests. This was the first time that workplace giving exceeded corporate gifts (38%). With federal government's move to allow compulsory Social Security and income tax withholdings in 1942, the technology of payroll deductions became a vehicle to allow employees to give incremental gifts. The strong economy in post-war economic boom helped these campaigns to grow at

2665-699: The formation of the first United Fund in 1949 in Detroit, Michigan . Under the motto of "Give Once for All", the United Foundation hosted a single campaign that included Community Chests, local charities, and some of the national charities. This first campaign in Detroit was a success and had raised more in the single campaign than the disparate efforts has yielded the year prior. The single workplace campaign model quick spread elsewhere and, by 1953, there were over 1,200 United Funds. These campaigns, which united Community Chests with other organizations, commonly used

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2730-641: The funds depends on if the donor designated or restricted their donation to a specific organization or cause. Almost all United Ways allow donors to specify (designate) which nonprofits should receive their funds. Some United Ways let donors choose which focus area or social problems (like helping kids or the elderly) they wish to support, which allocates their gift to a relevant subset of their charities in its network. Some United Ways allow donors to direct their gifts to any nonprofit (either inside or outside United Way's preferred charity list) while some only let donors give to any charity in their region or anywhere in

2795-635: The growth of amount of donor-choice contributed to the near-bankruptcy of United Way of Santa Clara County as the organization continued allocated the same amount year after year as their general fund pool shunk. Kevin Ronnie of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy said of United Way's predicament to allow designations, "If they want to be the workplace campaign ... they have to offer choice because that's what people want. But, gosh darn it, if you offer choice, people will do it, and that comes at

2860-425: The kind of support provided by the national organization, United Way of America, and United Way International was born. Its staff spoke eight languages, with a Board of Directors from more than seven countries working with member organizations. Christopher Amundsen served as interim president during a yearlong search. United Way faced competition from competing federations (called "alternative funds") that focused on

2925-418: The lost revenue at United Way of America, employees were offered two months of added severance pay (in addition to the standard severance pay based on years of service) if they chose to resign, employees who stayed were offered up to four weeks off of furlough time, and all salary increases were halted. IBM vice president Kenneth W. Dam was named interim CEO after Aramony's departure in 1992. Elaine Chao

2990-495: The mid-1990s, with the trend growing throughout the next decade. Four federations ( America's Charities , Community Health Charities, EarthShare, and Global Impact ) formed the Charities@Work coalition promoted expanding access to workplace campaigns. Due to the competitive philanthropic environment, United Ways has lost market share. In 1988, there were 450,000 nonprofits in US and United Way share's of US charitable contributions

3055-508: The mutual to sustain or grow the organization, though some mutuals operate a dividend scheme similar to a cooperative. The primary form of financial business set up as a mutual company in the United States has been mutual insurance . Some insurance companies are set up as stock companies and then mutualized, their ownership passing to their policy owners. In mutual insurance companies, what would have been profits are instead rebated to

3120-434: The mutual ultimately own the business. Mutualization or mutualisation is the process by which a joint stock company changes legal form to a mutual organization or a cooperative , so that the majority of the stock is owned by employees or customers. Demutualization or demutualisation is the reverse process, whereby a mutual may convert itself to a joint-stock company. This process became increasingly common in

3185-573: The nonprofit (e.g. a workforce training program at the local chapter of St Vincent de Paul ). These funds are provided in the form of contracts in which the nonprofit must deliver programs and are subject to review and audit by the United Way's volunteer committee. The organization has roots in Denver , Colorado, where in 1887 Frances Wisebart Jacobs , along with the Rev. Myron W. Reed , Msgr. William J. O'Ryan, Dean H. Martyn Hart and Rabbi William S. Friedman began

3250-424: The organization or society. A mutual is therefore owned by, and run for the benefit of, its members – it has no external shareholders to pay in the form of dividends , and as such does not usually seek to maximize and make large profits or capital gains . Mutuals exist for the members to benefit from the services they provide and often do not pay income tax . Surplus revenue made will usually be re-invested in

3315-457: The ownership interest they formerly had in the form of their interest as mutual policyholders. The Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company has also investigated demutualization, even though its form of ownership is embedded in its name. It is noted that other formerly mutual companies such as Washington Mutual , a former savings and loan association , have been allowed to demutualize and yet retain their names. The approximate British equivalent of

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3380-540: The public. Individual United Ways mobilize a single fundraising campaign to raise money for various nonprofits, with most donations coming through payroll deductions. United Way organizations raise funds primarily via workplace campaigns, where employers may solicit contributions on United Way's behalf payable through automatic payroll deductions. After an administrative fee is deducted, funds raised locally by United Way are then distributed to various nonprofit agencies within those communities. Major recipients have included

3445-652: The savings and loan is the building society . Building societies also went through an era of demutualisation in the 1980s and 1990s, leaving only one large national building society and around forty smaller regional and local ones. Significant demutualisation also occurred in Australia and South Africa in the same era. Cooperatives are very similar to mutual companies. They tend to deal in primarily tangible goods and services such as agricultural commodities or utilities rather than intangible products such as financial services . Nevertheless, banking institutions with close ties to

3510-597: The slow rollout of donor-choice policies, dollars going to designations continued to grow over time. In 1990, only 14% of gifts went to outside charities. In 1999, United Way of America estimated that nearly 20% went to outside charities. Allowing donor-choice caused donations to United Ways' general funds to decline. "Sometimes I think we kid ourselves into thinking that by creating more choice we raise more money. That's just not proven out," Gallagher said of donor-choice, "I think we somewhat dilute our giving if we're dividing our giving among thousands of agencies." In one case,

3575-726: The software by Deloitte & Touche found 400 serious problems. United Way abandoned the project in 1999 and came to settlement with Cap Gemini in 2000. Some local United Ways intensely rejected these plans, and withheld their dues to United Way of America as an act of protest. The United Way in Rochester went so far as to obtain the legal right to alternative names in the event the United Way broke up. These issues would, in part, lead to Beene's departure in 2001. Brian Gallagher , former head of United Way in Columbus, Ohio , took over as president and CEO in 2002. United Way officially embraced

3640-470: The sun‐like rainbow growing out of the hand is open to many alternate positive interpretations. One may say it's the hand of the United Way bringing hope to people. But it helps signal that United Way is vibrant, exciting, colorful, positive and changing. — Saul Bass on designing the logo To give the organization a national identity, the United Community Funds and Council of America adopted

3705-408: The war, most converted over to becoming Community Chests after the war ended. The number of Community Chest organizations quickly increased from 245 in 1925 to almost 800 by 1945. An observer on WWI's effects on the movement said, "there is no doubt that the federation movement gained a momentum in one year that would have required ten years of peacetime activity." Mirroring the changing terminology,

3770-408: The winter. Over the course of a few years, Farmers Mutual expanded its market and product line to meet the changing needs of its customers. In 1963, Farmers Mutual changed its name to American Family Mutual Insurance Company to reflect its broader customer base. In March, 1995, American Family settled a redlining lawsuit, resulting in a $ 14.5 million payout to victims. The settlement was negotiated by

3835-445: The workplace giving was called the " Charity War " among professional fundraisers at the time. Some United Ways fought against the additions to alternative funds out of fear that nonprofits will suffer when faced with competition and that the multiple donation appeals would cause confusion. United Way of Los Angeles President Leo Cornelius said of alternative funds for a 1989 Los Angeles Times article, "There should be one campaign at

3900-615: The workplace, for the donor's sake. Otherwise, it's like watching four or five or 15 TV screens at one time." In one case, a delegation from the Bay Area United Way phoned the chairman of the Safeway supermarket chain to lobby against the addition alternative funds in their workplace campaigns in 1988. Apple Inc. was the first Fortune 500 company to allow a federation other than United Way into its workplace. Private workplaces began to open access to non-United Way workplace campaigns in

3965-487: The worldwide organization receives a percentage of revenue. We promote the brand, provide infrastructure, and guide the strategy. — Brian Gallagher on United Way's structure Local United Ways pay membership dues to United Way Worldwide for licensing rights to the United Way brand and must meet criteria to maintain their membership status (including independent review boards, audits, and restrictions on marketing tactics). The membership dues to United Way Worldwide are

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4030-503: Was 3.16%; by 1999, there were 715,000 nonprofits, and the United Way's share decreased to only 1.98% of donations. The trend of alternative funds continues to today with only 25 percent of the companies conducting a traditional United Way–only campaign (according to a 2009 survey by the Consulting Network). In January 1990, an anonymous tipster sent a note on United Way of America letterhead to several United Way directors, including

4095-410: Was agreed that federal taxation would be based on their share of business: for instance, in years in which mutual companies represented half of the business, they would be responsible for half of the taxes paid by the industry. Many savings and loan associations were also mutual companies, owned by their depositors. As a form of corporate ownership the mutual has fallen out of favor in the U.S. since

4160-489: Was founded on October 3, 1927, when insurance salesman Herman Wittwer opened the doors of Farmers Mutual Insurance Company (not to be confused with the Farmers Insurance Group) in Madison, Wisconsin . At the time, the company's product was auto insurance and its target market was farmers. Wittwer's ideologies believed that farmers presented lower risks than city drivers because they drove less often and not at all in

4225-569: Was selected as president after Dam and stayed on until 1996. Betty Stanley Beene took over in 1997. Beene advocated for a more-centralized system where United Way of America would take the lead on issues that affect all local United Ways and attempted to set national standards for all United Ways. This proposal would require that each local United Way undergo a thorough public self-examination of their effectiveness every few years. United Way of America, under Beene leadership, paid Cap Gemini America $ 12 million to build charitable-pledge software for

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