Acuity Insurance

Acuity Insurance
Company type	Mutual insurance provider
Industry	Insurance
Founded	1925
Founder	Farmers and small business owners from Sheboygan County
Headquarters	Sheboygan, United States
Area served	32 states in the United States
Key people	Ben Salzmann (President and CEO)
Products	Property and casualty insurance
Number of employees	Close to 2,000
Website	www.acuity.com

Acuity Insurance is a mutual insurance provider based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Overview

Ranking as the 55th-largest property and casualty insurer in the United States, Acuity Insurance operates across 32 states. The company generates revenues surpassing $2 billion, holds assets valued at over $5.5 billion, and employs close to 2,000 individuals. It has earned an A+ (Superior) rating from A.M. Best along with an A+ from Standard and Poor's. In 2021, Forbes included Acuity on its America’s Best Midsize Employers list and also recognized it as Wisconsin’s top employer.

Early years

The Mutual Auto Insurance Company of the Town of Herman was established in 1925 by farmers and small business owners from Sheboygan County. This initiative coincided with the emergence of direct writers and mutual insurers catering to agricultural clients and automobile owners. William J. Prietzel became the inaugural president and CEO in 1926, a position he maintained for 33 years.

During the 1950s, the organization underwent notable transformations: it was renamed Mutual Auto of Wisconsin in 1953 and later became Heritage Mutual Insurance Company in 1957.

The Marvin Hessler era

In 1959, Marvin C. Hessler, who had served as treasurer for over 25 years, succeeded Prietzel as president and CEO. Hessler was instrumental in negotiating the acquisition of a new corporate office from Citizens Bank of Sheboygan, facilitating the company’s move to Sheboygan in 1960.

The John Holden era

John R. Holden, a Wisconsin-based attorney, took over as president and CEO in 1969. He led the relocation of Heritage’s headquarters to Sheboygan’s southwest area near Interstate 43, completing this transition by 1984 to boost corporate visibility and brand recognition. Under Holden’s three-decade leadership, written premiums increased dramatically from just above $7 million to $249 million, setting the stage for significant growth and market expansion.

The Ben Salzmann era

Ben Salzmann, previously Vice President of Technology, assumed the roles of president and CEO in August 1999, succeeding Holden. In 2001, the company adopted the Acuity Insurance brand.

In 2004, Acuity expanded its headquarters with a $39 million project that added 262,000 square feet along with renovations covering 20,000 square feet of existing space.

By 2022, Acuity had climbed to #26 on Forbes’ Best Midsize Employers list out of 500 companies—marking a substantial improvement from the prior year.

COVID-19

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Acuity maintained full operations by implementing remote work technologies and flexible scheduling. The company equipped employees with necessary resources and incentives while primarily working from home during 2020 and 2021.

Acuity received high praise for its handling of the pandemic; CEO Ben Salzmann was ranked as the eighth-best CEO in the U.S. during this timeframe. Additionally, employees rated Acuity as the leading company for work-life balance amid the crisis.

Flagpoles

On July 2, 2005, Acuity Insurance set a national milestone by erecting the tallest flagpole in the United States. This steel structure measured 338 ft (103 m) tall with a base width of 6 ft (1.8 m), weighed approximately 65 tons, and was anchored within a concrete block of 550 cubic yards reinforced by steel rods. The American flag flown measured 120 ft by 60 ft (7,200 sq ft / 670 m²), featuring stars three feet high and stripes four-and-a-half feet wide, weighing around 300 pounds.

This installation replaced an earlier flagpole standing at 150 ft that had been toppled by strong winds near Interstate 43; additional bracing was incorporated into the new design which was also relocated further from the highway. The hoisting mechanism raised the flag at a rate of 80 ft per minute so that it reached full height precisely as "The Star Spangled Banner" ended. Structural concerns led to removal and reconstruction efforts between 2007 and 2008 to improve maintenance accessibility.

In April 2014, Acuity announced plans for another record attempt with a new flagpole reaching 400 ft tall built in Manitowoc, WI by Broadwind Energy—a manufacturer specializing in wind turbines. The flag measured again at 120 ft by 60 ft and included LED lighting visible up to eleven miles away from Cedar Grove. This reinforced pole featured an eleven-foot-wide concrete base and a retractable top section designed to endure strong winds. The flag was first raised on May 22, 2014.

By November 2015, Acuity flew an even larger nylon flag measuring approximately 140 ft by 70 ft—nearly 10,000 sq ft—making it the world’s largest free-flying American flag. Its stripes were over five feet tall while stars measured nearly three feet across; dry weight totaled about 340 pounds.

On June 2, 2020, a severe storm inflicted significant damage on the flag by tearing multiple red and white stripes apart.

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