Tom Kaiser

It did. In fact, I spent five years as a KC-135 navigator in the U.S. Air Force. And I thought that, gee, I must have missed out on business for those five years. So I probably should find a job. And that took me to our great mutual insurance, where the guy who was running it was a B-29 pilot. And the number two guy was an F-106 pilot. We talked to airplanes and they hired me.

It did. In fact, I spent five years as a KC-135 navigator in the U.S. Air Force. And I thought that, gee, I must have missed out on business for those five years. So I probably should find a job. And that took me to our great mutual insurance, where the guy who was running it was a B-29 pilot. And the number two guy was an F-106 pilot. We talked to airplanes and they hired me.

That's how I got in the insurance business. They had served during World War II. I came into the Vietnam, so they were already well established in business, but their background was in aviation. Were you growing up, what were your aspirations? It was wide open. I went to university.

That's how I got in the insurance business. They had served during World War II. I came into the Vietnam, so they were already well established in business, but their background was in aviation. Were you growing up, what were your aspirations? It was wide open. I went to university.

When I came out of university, I happened to be one of the first people who got a low lottery number in the crazy draft. And so six months after graduating from college, I was in the Air Force. I decided that if I could fly, that was what I was going to do. So I passed the flight physicals, and that led me to the five years that I spent in the Air Force.

When I came out of university, I happened to be one of the first people who got a low lottery number in the crazy draft. And so six months after graduating from college, I was in the Air Force. I decided that if I could fly, that was what I was going to do. So I passed the flight physicals, and that led me to the five years that I spent in the Air Force.

From that perspective, I knew I wanted to go into business, but I really didn't know exactly what. What led me to insurance was, again, the feeling that I had that five years of being an aviator... somehow put me behind my peers who had been in business for five years and I had to find a way to catch up. And that was not true, but I just believed that.

From that perspective, I knew I wanted to go into business, but I really didn't know exactly what. What led me to insurance was, again, the feeling that I had that five years of being an aviator... somehow put me behind my peers who had been in business for five years and I had to find a way to catch up. And that was not true, but I just believed that.

And so I looked for jobs that really were based on merit, 100% on merit, and ended up in a sales position where I was selling large property insurance packages for Factory Mutual.

And so I looked for jobs that really were based on merit, 100% on merit, and ended up in a sales position where I was selling large property insurance packages for Factory Mutual.

I was a know-nothing on insurance at that point. I was fascinated by the fact that Arkwright at the time or Factory Mutual tailored insurance products to specific solutions or problems that companies had. And so it was very good for anybody who was selling those products.

I was a know-nothing on insurance at that point. I was fascinated by the fact that Arkwright at the time or Factory Mutual tailored insurance products to specific solutions or problems that companies had. And so it was very good for anybody who was selling those products.

After 9-11, the insurance industry backed out of including terrorism insurance or anything associated with terrorism insurance. And the government came out with definitions of what terrorism is. And so an event like 9-11 is defined as terrorism. It's not insured. So the insurance industry responded with the government to come up with solutions to fill that void.

After 9-11, the insurance industry backed out of including terrorism insurance or anything associated with terrorism insurance. And the government came out with definitions of what terrorism is. And so an event like 9-11 is defined as terrorism. It's not insured. So the insurance industry responded with the government to come up with solutions to fill that void.

And a new product was developed because the other one was gone. And it supported basically and complemented what the government was offering in the realm of terrorism insurance. But it was basically a property insurance that would pay if your property was destroyed by a declared terrorist event.

And a new product was developed because the other one was gone. And it supported basically and complemented what the government was offering in the realm of terrorism insurance. But it was basically a property insurance that would pay if your property was destroyed by a declared terrorist event.

In certain industries, yes. I mean, in the aviation business, big demand. Depends on what the industry was, because most people were not buying the product. But those that really felt that they were in a situation where they could have a terrorist attack and lose large assets, they were attracted to it.

In certain industries, yes. I mean, in the aviation business, big demand. Depends on what the industry was, because most people were not buying the product. But those that really felt that they were in a situation where they could have a terrorist attack and lose large assets, they were attracted to it.

Well, it was a new company. Arch was born out of 9-11. And several people raised the capital. And I was fortunate enough that I was working with a man named Dino Serrano at Zurich. And he went over to become the CEO and he brought me over in the number two role. It went from a very small company into a very large company rapidly. Very clear success story.

Well, it was a new company. Arch was born out of 9-11. And several people raised the capital. And I was fortunate enough that I was working with a man named Dino Serrano at Zurich. And he went over to become the CEO and he brought me over in the number two role. It went from a very small company into a very large company rapidly. Very clear success story.