By Sarah Martin
At the meeting of the Board of Directors, on October 7, 1891, John R. Hegeman, the affable and capable colleague of Mr. Knapp, was elected to the Presidency of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. Haley Fiske, who was to carry the chief burdens of administration for nearly 40 years, was made Vice President.
For a decade prior to 1891 he had handled the legal affairs of the Metropolitan in the office of the company's counsel, Arnoux, Ritch, and Woodford, and in that capacity had worked closely with the officers and had acquired a thorough knowledge of the life insurance (http://www.equote.com/li/termlifeinsurance.html) business. Mr. Knapp, two years before, had urged young Mr. Fiske to join the ranks of the company. This was not feasible at the time, but Mr. Knapp did arrange that on his death Mr. Fiske was to take on the administrative responsibilities of the organization.
Mr. Hegeman, as President, was to attend to financial problems, and to be the spokesman for the company in its relations with the public. In this regard, his picturesque and gracious personality was a distinct asset. It was agreed to let the task of management fall on the shoulders of the younger, harder hitting man. From 1891 to 1929 Mr. Fiske, first as Vice President and later as President, was the dominant force in the Metropolitan.
The president of a fellow company termed him the "Jupiter of Life Insurance Heavens." His forcefulness was akin to thunderbolts. To him as much as to any single man, the Metropolitan owes its eminence and ability to produce no medical exam term life insurance to the insurance world. Nor was his influence limited to his own company. His vigorous personality and his constructive intelligence left their indelible mark upon the whole institution of life insurance in America.
Haley Fiske was born in New Brunswick, N. J., on March 18, 1852. His father was a blacksmith and, later, a foundryman; his mother, a keen witted woman known for her fine spiritual qualities. She inspired reverence in her son and evidently played a large part in giving direction to his life. Young Fiske attended Rutgers College, and although he made no particular mark as a student his fine personality stood out; his carriage and courteous bearing brought him the sobriquet Sir Haley.
In a real sense, he was Sir Haley for the rest of his life to all who knew him. His first job was as a local newspaperman, but at the same time he studied law with Judge Woodbridge Strong. Early in May of 1873 he entered the New York office of Arnoux, Ritch, and Woodford as a clerk. He advanced rapidly and soon became an outstanding figure in the firm. Young Fiske, it was noted, possessed an amazing astuteness and sound judgment.
The firm made him its trial lawyer, and his eloquence was such that even the famous Colonel Bob Ingersoll met defeat at his hands. Vigorous and incisive, he put his teeth into every thing he did. He was assigned by his firm to handle the increasingly important affairs of the Metropolitan, and thus made himself expert in life insurance problems and, more particularly, in those pertaining to the industrial business.
Mr. Fiske became Vice President of the Metropolitan before his 40th birthday, and soon became the dominating personality in the management of virtually all departments. He was unmistakably "Boss." He looked into every detail of office management from life insurance rates (http://www.equote.com/info/life-insurance-info.html) to individual policies. He required frequent and detailed reports from his heads of departments; claims were reported to him daily. Under his militant direction the rapidly growing home office was galvanized into an even more efficient organization.
He inaugurated the "Triennial Conventions," where he personally reported on the company to the Field Force in every State in the Union and in every Province in Canada in which it did business. He gathered together the district superintendents and agents for personal instruction. A naturally gifted speaker, he acquired, with the years, an extraordinary eloquence which he used in moving descriptions of the program of the company and its increasing contributions to the public welfare. He was at once administrator, chief salesman, and ambassador of good will.
Sarah Martin is a freelance marketing writer based out of San Diego, CA. She specializes in the history of life insurance, business, and finance. For life insurance rates or no medical exam term life insurance, please visit http://www.equote.com/.
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