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Company Presidents

George Llewelyn Holmes (1956 - 1964)

George Llewelyn Holmes (b.1898 - d.2000) joined the Company in 1919, working in the Actuarial Department for former President James H. Lithgow. Elected to the Board of Directors in 1954, Mr. Holmes became President of the Company in 1956. He relinquished the presidency upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65 in 1964 and was elected Chairman of the Board. In 1972 he stepped down as Chairman of the Board, but continued to serve as a Director until 1975.

During Mr. Holmes’ first year as President, the Company installed its first major business computer - the IBM 650. For the bulk of his presidency, Mr Holmes was deeply involved in the mutualization proceedings initiated by former President Lithgow and officially underway in 1958. The mutualization of the Company involved dialogue with both the federal and provincial governments and extensive negotiations with the Melville Ross Gooderham estate and other major stockholders. The mutualization of the Company was complete in 1968, while George Holmes was Chairman of the Board.

Between 1956 and 1964 the Company’s New Business increased from $346 million to $810 million, Business in Force from $2.3 billion to $5.2 billion and assets from $716 million to $1.3 billion.

On the occasion of Mr. Holmes’ 100th birthday in 1998, the Company’s Board of Directors passed a resolution honouring his accomplishments with the Company.

Career
1919 Actuarial Department
1928 Assistant Actuary
1935 Actuary
1947 Assistant General Manager and Actuary
1951 Vice President
1954 Director
1956 President
1964 Chairman of the Board

Next President: Alfred Thomas Seedhouse (1964-1972)