Nominee Profile: Selective Insurance Group, Inc.

The Company:
The 60th largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S., Selective is a customer-focused, regional company providing a broad range of insurance and alternative risk management products and services. Selective's value-added programs are offered to businesses, public entities and individuals through approximately 800 independent insurance agents in 20 Eastern and Midwestern states.

From its beginning in 1926, Selective has placed high value on the independent insurance agents selling its products and services. The strength of these relationships continues to be the foundation of the company's success decades later, centered on understanding customer needs and tailoring products and services to meet and exceed those needs.

Selective's long-standing service ethic is strengthened by the use of new technology tools to support hands-on relationships. By using Internet technology to remove friction and redundant work from the sales and service processes, the company is significantly increasing its effectiveness and efficiency. Selective has taken major steps toward creating a straight-through processing environment - empowering agents and employees to do more customer-related and creative work. Learn more about the company at www.selective.com.

On Why They Have Entered The American Business Awards:
In 2002, Selective’s Corporate Communications team, along with members of the Information Technology group, spent many hours and limited financial resources, to revamp and reorganize the company’s extranet, called ‘eSelect.’ "Our goal was to make the site as easy-to-use as possible for the 2,200 employees and 800 independent insurance agents who rely on this business and information resource," said Sharon Cooper, Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Communications.

"The American Business Awards is a great way to highlight the success that can result from focused teamwork. Winning a Stevie would not only recognize that team success, but also highlight the positive impact of making technology tools accessible and easy to use," Cooper added. "Our focus at Selective is 'high tech - high touch' - for our agents, our customers, and for our own employees."