Noteworthy

Big move in Canada

The summer of 2006 brought the long-planned move of the Canadian Zone’s main office to the Aurora Operations Center, about 40 kilometers north of the previous location in Scarborough, Ontario. The move to the new location, now home to about 1,050 employees, occurred in three waves over a six-week period in June and July.

Discussions about building a new, owned facility for the Canadian main office began in the 1990s, but plans were put on hold until the early 2000s. Ultimately, the benefits of moving from a leased facility to a new building designed and built for State Farm® operational needs prompted the decision to begin construction in Aurora.

“The Canadian Zone contributes to the strength of State Farm with an international dimension and with economic, geographic and political diversity.”
Edward B. Rust Jr. – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

The new facility was dedicated at an October grand opening. “Today is a testimony to the spirit and commitment of those who have come before – and to those who will serve in the future and is a tangible and physical commitment to our future here in Canada,” said Senior Vice President Bob Cooke.

Also attending the grand opening, Ed Rust, Chairman and CEO of State Farm Insurance Companies®, took the occasion to thank agents and employees for a continuing commitment to building the State Farm brand and serving customers.

“The Canadian Zone is an important piece of the State Farm business foundation … in the foundation of shared values of quality service and relationships … mutual trust … integrity … and financial strength,” said Rust. “The Canadian Zone contributes to the strength of State Farm with an international dimension and with economic, geographic and political diversity. State Farm’s operation here in Canada has a proud history and a promising future.”

The Canadian Zone operates in three provinces, Alberta, New Brunswick and Ontario, which are home to roughly half of Canada’s 30 million citizens. The zone’s 1,400 employees and 485 agents have helped State Farm become:

• The third largest auto insurer in Ontario and the fifth largest in the country
• The third largest property and casualty insurer in Ontario and the eighth largest in the country
• The 26th-ranked life insurance company (based on premium) in the country

Honoring the dream with $1 million donation

Willie Brown, standing to the right of former president Bill Clinton, represented State Farm in Washington D.C. at a dedication ceremony for the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial

State Farm® representatives were on hand in Washington, D.C., in November to help dedicate a memorial honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Congress passed joint resolutions in 1996 authorizing Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., to establish a memorial honoring the fallen civil rights leader. Over the past decade, more than $76 million donated by businesses and individuals has brought the $100 million project closer to its goal. 

State Farm donated $1 million to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Project Foundation, Inc. in 2006, and Executive Vice President Willie Brown was there November 13, along with former and current Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, to break ground on the memorial situated on the National Mall.

“Our donation serves to honor and respect Dr. King’s commitment to civil rights,” said Brown. “On behalf of all agents and employees, it was an honor to represent the State Farm Insurance Companies®.”

Congress authorized $10 million in matching funds for the memorial in August and private donations are expected to fund the rest of the construction costs. The memorial, honoring the life and legacy of Dr. King, is expected to be complete in 2008.