Riding past Acuity’s headquarters off Interstate 43 in Sheboygan, passersby can’t miss seeing the company’s growth. Acuity, a property and casualty insurer that operates in 22 states, is in the midst of a $130 million, 240,000-square-foot addition. When finished in 2016, the company’s corporate headquarters will double in size and house a 65-foot ferris wheel and a 2,000-person theater-in-the-round for companywide meetings.
The company’s physical growth comes as it continues to grow – it recently reached $3 billion in assets, according to Ben Salzmann, Acuity’s president and CEO.
“We’ve seen double-digit growth in recent years, including 14.4 percent in 2013, despite widespread stagnation in the market,” he said. “We’re successful because we’re focused on innovation and also have a great workforce.”
That workforce continues to grow. In the past 24 months, an estimated 250 people have been hired at the Sheboygan headquarters, said Wally Waldhart, vice president of sales and marketing. The company currently employs about 950.
“When the building is completed, we’ll be able to hold 4,000 employees, more than four times what our current location can hold,” he said.
Great Place to Work has named Acuity as the best medium-size workplace in America for the past four years. Salzmann said the company is committed to providing employees with a workplace where they can thrive.
“We are head over heels in love with our workforce and empower our employees in everything they do,” he said. “We listen to everyone and their ideas. We believe in giving everyone a voice. They help drive our continuing innovation with their great, new ideas.”