Insurance
Board Chair
American Family Insurance | Madison
Jack Salzwedel retired as chief executive officer of American Family Insurance at the end of 2021 after nearly 40 years with the Madison-based insurance company and 10 years at its helm. He is now board chair of American Family.
Under Salzwedel’s leadership as CEO, the company’s assets nearly doubled from about $17 billion to $31 billion, active policies grew from 8.3 million to 12 million, and its employee count increased from 7,900 to 13,500. Today, American Family Insurance group is the nation’s 13th largest property/casualty insurance group, ranking No. 232 on the Fortune 500 list.
Salzwedel oversaw Am Fam’s acquisition of The General Insurance in 2012, the acquisition of Homesite Insurance in 2013 and the acquisitions of HomeGauge and Networked Insights in 2017. It also expanded geographically, growing from 19 to 50 operating states.
The company made significant investments in the Milwaukee community, including its presenting sponsorship in 2017 of Summerfest and 2019 naming rights agreement for the Milwaukee Brewers stadium, now known as American Family Field.
The company also established The American Family Insurance Championship, a PGA Tour Champions golf tournament in Madison that has raised millions for the American Family Children’s Hospital and other charities.
In 2021, the company committed $105 million to reducing equity gaps over the next five years.
Salzwedel has served as co-chair of the American Family Children’s Hospital advisory board, and as a board member of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Bank Advisory Board, UW Chancellor’s Advisory Board and Aldo Leopold Foundation.