Travelers 2009 Annual Report Download - page 6

4 2009 Annual Report
Pictured is a classroom at Claim U in Windsor, Conn. In 2009, Claim U
provided more than 147,000 hours of training to Travelers employees.
Leadership development is a key
competitive advantage for Travelers
At Travelers, we know that smart investment in opportunities
and development for employees results in significant returns
for the company. In fact, when asked what brings employees
to Travelers and what keeps them here, many employees
indicate that it is the company’s commitment to employee
development.
That focus has also yielded recognition
for Travelers. In 2009, for the third
consecutive year, Travelers was named
one of BusinessWeek’s Best Places to
Launch a Career, in the magazine’s
annual ranking of U.S. employers.
We pride ourselves on offering a dozen leadership or
development programs, which allow participants to
increase business and industry-specific skills. Through a
combination of rotational assignments, on-the-job and
classroom training, participants learn by doing and, at
the conclusion of the program, have a better idea of which
opportunities within the company are the best fit for them.
For those at every stage of their career, the company offers
the Leadership Pipeline, a series of seven courses that
address the progression of becoming a leader. Applicable
courses are offered for entry-level to middle-management
employees and also for executive enrichment. All employees
can also benefit from the more than 2,000 business-specific
courses available on the company’s intranet.
Travelers’ flagship Claim U in Windsor, Conn., was opened in
2007 and serves as the company’s state-of-the-art training
facility that builds upon the company’s long-standing
tradition of providing customers with highly-trained,
expert claim professionals.
agents and brokers and our customers and rewarding
career opportunities for our employees.
We also are mindful of our civic responsibilities. In 2009
we provided nearly $19 million in grants to not-for-profit
organizations and thousands of hours of employee
volunteer help to support the communities in which we
live and work. We also extended our title sponsorship of
the Travelers Championship, the annual PGA TOUR event,
which generated more than $1 million in 2009 to support
the efforts of Connecticut charities including The Hole in
the Wall Gang Camp and the Greater Hartford Jaycees.
Our success enables us to continue our philanthropic
engagement.
For guiding us in our efforts, we are extremely grateful to
our Board of Directors, an engaged group of individuals
who challenge us all and offer their collective experience
and perspectives. We want to extend a very personal and
special note of thanks to Bob Lipp, who is retiring from our
board this year. Bob has been associated with Travelers for
nearly two decades, having begun with the company as
I did in the early 1990s and having served as an executive
and a board member in a number of critical roles. He has
been integral in shaping the company we are today, and
he remains a good friend to us all.
It was a great 2009 — a year that further defined Travelers’
position as a leader in financial services. This capped a
five-year performance of which we are extremely proud.
We look forward to 2010 with every confidence.
Thank you for your continued support.
Jay S. Fishman
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer