Talk:Northwestern Mutual

We would recommend updating the top section with additional information about the company's products and updating some of the content already included in there, like the FORTUNE accolades.

Northwestern Mutual (The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company) is a financial services organization based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The financial security company provides wholistic advisory services on wealth and asset income protection, education planning, retirement planning, investment advisory services, trust and private client services, estate planning and business planning. With $272.2 billion in assets, $28.5 billion in revenues, and $1.8 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.5 million people with life insurance, disability income, and long-term care insurance; annuities; investments; and investment advisory products and services. The company manages $128 billion of investments owned by its clients and held or managed through its wealth management and investment services businesses. ^{[1] [2]} Northwestern Mutual ranks 111 on the 2019 FORTUNE 500 ^[3] and is recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the “World’s Most Admired” life insurance companies in 2019 ^[4].

Would it be appropriate add in a section about the company's operations? This section explains what a mutual company is, how it functions and recent company updates in its operations.

A mutual organization, Northwestern Mutual operates for the benefit of its clients and policyowners and has no outside shareholders ^[5]. As a mutual, the firm distributes a portion of its earnings to eligible policyholders as annual dividends. Northwestern Mutual has paid dividends to policy owners every year since 1872, and the company’s 2018 dividend payout was $5.3 billion. Northwestern Mutual leads the industry in both life and disability income insurance dividends paid to policy owners. ^[6]

Northwestern Mutual’s core product is permanent life insurance, which offers lifelong protection that builds cash value over time ^[7]. It is solely distributed by a national network of financial advisors. The firm combines mutuality, financial strength, a nationwide field force and long-term product value to enable clients to plan for a financially secure future. In 2018, Northwestern Mutual achieved milestones in its effort to improve the financial security experience for clients. These included reducing underwriting time ^[8] and introducing the Planning Experience, enabling clients to see their entire financial picture anytime, anywhere. ^[9]

We'd like to add a new section titled "Northwestern Mutual Subsidiaries" featuring the following information:

• Mason Street Advisors, LLC, SEC-registered investment advisor for Northwestern Mutual Series Fund variable annuity and variable life products.
• Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, long-term care insurance.
• Northwestern Mutual Investment Management Company, LLC manages Northwestern Mutual's investments in publicly traded debt and equity securities, privately placed debt and equity securities, interests in private equity funds, mortgage loans and real estate equity.
• Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, broker-dealer, registered investment advisor, member FINRA and SIPC.
• Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, financial planning, investment advisory and trust services, federal savings bank.

^[1]

William at Northwestern Mutual (talk) 18:50, 25 January 2020 (UTC)Reply

Please see following some requested edits for Northwestern Mutual's Wikipedia page, including third-party references wherever possible. I look forward to the Community's review and feedback. Thank you

Northwestern Mutual (The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company) is a financial services firm based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ^{[1] [2]}

The company provides:

• financial planning and advice, including retirement planning and estate planning
• life insurance, disability insurance, long term care insurance and annuities ^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}
• wealth and asset management, including investments

With $290.3 billion in assets, $29.9 billion in revenues, and $1.9 trillion worth of active life insurance protection, the company works with more than 4.6 million clients. Northwestern Mutual manages $161 billion of investments owned by its clients and held or managed through its wealth management and investment services businesses. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

Northwestern Mutual ranks 111 on the 2019 FORTUNE 500 ^[11] and was recognized by FORTUNE® as one of the “World’s Most Admired” life insurance companies in 2020. ^[12]

The company’s services and products are offered through several subsidiaries:

• Mason Street Advisors, LLC, which is an SEC-registered investment advisor for Northwestern Mutual Series Fund variable annuity and variable life products
• Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, offers Northwestern Mutual's long-term care insurance
• Northwestern Mutual Investment Management Company, LLC manages Northwestern Mutual's investments in public and private debt, private equity and real estate.
• Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC, the company's broker-dealer, which is also a registered investment advisor and member FINRA and SIPC
• Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company, provides financial planning, investment advisory and trust services, and is a federal savings bank

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Kosterberg (talk) 18:45, 1 June 2020 (UTC)Reply

As a mutual organization ^[16], Northwestern Mutual operates for the benefit of its clients and policyowners and has no outside shareholders. The firm distributes a portion of its earnings to eligible policyholders as annual dividends. ^{[17] [18]}

One of the company’s primary products is permanent life insurance,^[19] which is distributed by Northwestern Mutual financial advisors. ^[20]

In 2018, Northwestern Mutual reduced underwriting time and introduced an online digital platform for clients. ^{[21] [22]}

Kosterberg (talk) 18:50, 1 June 2020 (UTC)Reply

• John E. Schlifske – Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
• Tim Gerend – Executive Vice President and Chief Distribution Officer
• Ron Joelson – Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

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Kosterberg (talk) 18:51, 1 June 2020 (UTC)Reply

Northwestern Mutual has the highest financial strength ratings currently awarded to U.S. life insurers by all four of the major rating agencies: A.M. Best ^[26], Fitch ^[27], Moody’s ^[28] and S&P^[29]

Kosterberg (talk) 18:49, 1 June 2020 (UTC)Reply

Since launching in 2017, Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, Northwestern Mutual’s venture capital arm, has invested more than $50 million in 18 tech startups. ^{[30] [31] [32] [33] [34]}

In 2019, the company partnered with Accenture, Advocate Aurora Health, Johnson Controls, Kohl's and Rockwell Automation to form the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, a not-for-profit effort focused on attracting and retaining leading tech talent in the Milwaukee region. ^[35]

Northwestern Mutual regularly publishes research examining U.S. adults’ attitudes and behaviors toward money, financial decision-making and caregiving. ^{[36] [37]}

Northwestern Mutual was founded as the Mutual Life Insurance Company of the State of Wisconsin on March 2, 1857. Originally located in Janesville, Wisconsin, the company relocated to Milwaukee in 1859.

By 1865, it was operating throughout the Midwest and had entered the East coast, and the board of trustees changed the company’s name to The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. ^{[38] [39]}

In 1864, the company paid its first dividends to policy owners. ^[40] It again paid dividends in 1867 and 1870, and has done so annually since 1872. ^[41]

For the first half of the 1900s, Northwestern Mutual focused on life insurance. In 1969, the company began offering disability insurance, and by the late 1970s a series of retirement annuities were available. In the 1990s, the company introduced long-term care insurance, and in 2000, the company changed its name to Northwestern Mutual. ^[42]

In 2015, Northwestern Mutual began construction of Northwestern Mutual Tower and Commons, which opened in 2017. ^[43]

Kosterberg (talk) 16:14, 1 May 2020 (UTC)Reply

I really don't think there should be a section on Company Accolades, as per WP:NPOV, at least not without WP:DUEWEIGHT. The subsidiaries seems like a list of non-notable subsidiaries, although some of them could be worked into the prose of the article itself. The philanthropy section seems extremely promotional, especially since there is not really any reliable coverage mentioned in WP:SECONDARY sources (every source mentioned in the section is either a primary source or not independent, i.e. written by someone who is paid by Northwestern mutual except for the one by Gores). There are too many WP:PRIMARY sources throughout. Also, the list of leaders is just a list of non-notable people who who have a high position in the company, that really should be limited to the president and others if they are independently notable. There is a lot of work you have to do to make this WP:NPOV; as another example, the statement "The company leads the industry in both life and disability income insurance dividends paid to policy owners" is cited to one primary source and one source that says "The payout is expected to lead the industry," and is one for one year, not for an indefinite amount of time implied in the quote. The about and history sections look better, although there are still NPOV issues there as well. Overall, there needs to be a more neutral point of view and less use of primary sources. Zoozaz1 (talk)00:53, 9 May 2020 (UTC)Reply

Kosterberg (talk) 18:59, 1 June 2020 (UTC)Reply