News Releases

GLENVIEW, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Combined Insurance, a leading provider of individual supplemental accident, disability, health and life insurance products, and an ACE Group company, has officially received and accepted the Top Military Friendly Employer award trophy from Victory Media.

In an award ceremony on Monday, February 23, at The Pritzker Military Museum and Library in Chicago, noted guests including United States Congressman Bob Dold; United States Congresswoman Robin Kelly; Lead Veteran Employment Representative for the State of Illinois, Phillip Thurmond; and Cook County Director of Veteran Affairs, Bill Browne were on hand to show their support and learn more about Combined Insurance’s commitment and initiatives to hire military veterans.

In addition, United States Senator Mark Kirk; Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and U.S. Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth, who could not attend, provided congratulatory remarks via video and written notes.

In November 2014, Combined Insurance was ranked number one on Victory Media’s (publisher of G.I. Jobsmagazine) 2015 list of Top 100 Military Friendly Employers. This was the company’s fourth consecutive year on the list, the third time in the top 10 and its first time as number one. This is also the first time an Illinois company has won the first place honor during the ranking’s 12-year history.

“I want to congratulate Brad Bennett and his Combined Insurance team for making such a large commitment to hiring new veterans,” said Senator Kirk as part of his video remarks shown at the award ceremony. “It really warms my heart to see the leadership of the company standing behind the men and women of our armed forces. I haven’t heard of an employee story this good in a long time.”

For more than four years, Combined Insurance has been dedicated to helping our nation’s military veterans find meaningful employment as they transition back into their civilian lives. Through its recruiting program, the company has hired more than 2,000 veterans to date, many of whom have made valuable contributions to the company and built successful careers and financially stable lives for themselves and their families. In 2014 alone, 42 percent of Combined Insurance’s new hires had military affiliations.

Congressman Dold, who spoke at the event, congratulated Combined Insurance, noting, “Our veterans and those currently serving in our armed forces represent the best our nation has to offer. They have sacrificed so much for this country in answering the call of duty, and it's incumbent upon all of us to fight as strongly for them when they come home as they have for us in uniform. Defined by their leadership, discipline and unyielding level of commitment, our veterans possess the skills to make any organization stronger, and I am proud to stand with all those who are committed to the cause of hiring these heroes.”

In written notes, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and United States Congresswoman, Tammy Duckworth offered the following:

“I want to congratulate Combined Insurance on this tremendous accomplishment. It is great to see an Illinois business show such overwhelming support for our men and women who have put their lives on the line for our country. Your commitment to our veterans is exemplary. Thank you for your work.” – Governor Rauner.

“As a veteran, it is great to see businesses like yours supporting our servicemen and women. Our nation’s military has been essential to our country’s growth and success. With world class training and diverse military experience, our veterans are returning to civilian life with the skills required for great leadership in the public and private sectors.” – Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth.

Combined Insurance President, Brad Bennett summed up the recognition of being the Top Military Friendly Employer by saying, “Yes, it feels good to be number one, but more importantly, this award is a great privilege, because it honors our military veteran men and women’s sacrifice for our country,” adding, “Putting your life on the line for something you believe in, for your country, for freedom. That is why we do what we are doing. We believe in our military veterans and want to give back to them with meaningful employment.”

The Top 100 Military Friendly Employers list represents the top two percent of the more than 5,000 eligible competing companies with strong military recruitment programs and meaningful job opportunities for transitioning service members and spouses seeking civilian employment. According to G.I. Jobs, military friendly employers on this year’s list reported hiring more than 155,000 service members and spouses during the 12-month period leading up to the ranking.

As a leading supplemental insurance provider, Combined Insurance is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, as well as A.M. Best, one of the world’s top insurance rating and information firms. Combined Insurance also has been recognized for five consecutive years as a top performing life-health insurance company on Ward’s 50, a list of the top performing insurance companies that have achieved outstanding results in the areas of safety, consistency and financial performance over a five-year period.

For more information on career opportunities with Combined Insurance and to view our military recruiting success video, visit www.combinedinsurance.com/about-combined/insurance-careers.html.

About Combined Insurance

Combined Insurance is a leading provider of individual supplemental accident, disability, health and life insurance products and an ACE Group company. With a field sales force and corporate staff in excess of 5,000 people worldwide, Combined Insurance meets the growing coverage needs of policyholders around the globe. For more information, call 1-800-490-1322 or visit www.combinedinsurance.com.

About ACE

ACE Group is one of the world’s largest multiline property and casualty insurers. With operations in 54 countries, ACE provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. ACE Limited, the parent company of ACE Group, is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: ACE) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Additional information can be found at: www.acegroup.com.

About Military Friendly Employers:

The Military Friendly Employers designation process includes extensive research and a data-driven survey of companies with annual revenue over $500 million nationwide. The survey, methodology, criteria and weightings are developed with the assistance of an independent Advisory Board comprised of recruiting, HR and management professionals from Fortune 1000 companies across the country. The survey is administered for free and open to companies that meet the eligibility criteria and wish to participate. Criteria for consideration, along with the complete list of employers, can be found on http://militaryfriendly.com/.

About Victory Media:

Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business serving the military community since 2001. Our data-driven lists are published in G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, and Vetrepreneur media channels, republished in periodicals such as USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Bloomberg BW, and frequently cited on national TV by NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, CNBC, Fox News and others.

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