COLUMBUS, Ga., Nov. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --Aflac, theleading provider of voluntary insurance in the United States, announced today thatMichael J. Tomlinson, a 34-yearsales veteran with Aflac U.S., has been named senior vicepresident, director of Sales. Tomlinson is replacing Thomas R. Giddens, who is stepping down fromthis position effective at the end of 2014.
Tomlinson, 56, joined Aflac in 1980 as a sales associate inDetroit Lakes, Minnesota. Mikeprogressed through the Aflac coordinator ranks of district salescoordinator (DSC) and regional sales coordinator (RSC) inMinnesota before assuming the roleof State Sales Coordinator (SSC) of North and South Dakota in 1989, which is currently theleading state organization in Aflac for sales per capita and inforce premium per capita as well as one of Aflac's top overallproducing states. Mike was promoted to the position of vicepresident, territory director for the Central Territory inMay 2008.
Regarding the announcement about Tomlinson, Aflac Chairman andCEO Daniel P. Amos said, "Mike hasperformed exceptionally well each stop along the way during hislengthy career at Aflac, particularly in leading our North Dakota and South Dakota operation to the highestpenetration level in the country. He commands the respect of thehard-working field force and is admired throughout the company.Mike has the proven track record and capability to create a new eraof dramatic sales growth here at Aflac."
Giddens added, "After more than 30 years with Aflac I amconfident that our passionate and dedicated sales team is in goodhands with a leader like MikeTomlinson at the helm. With more than three decades underhis belt, Mike knows exactly what our independent agents andbrokers need to succeed. He is the right person for the job."
Giddens, 59, joined Aflac in 1983 as assistant vice presidentbefore serving in the field for more than 20 years, where he becamethe youngest person ever named to the Aflac Sales Hall of Fame. Hewas a regional sales coordinator in Atlanta where he consistently exceeded goals,resulting in his promotion to state sales coordinator ofGeorgia-North. Throughout his career as an RSC, his region wasrecognized four times as the top performing region in terms of newannualized premium sales. As SSC, Tom was recognized as thecompany's top salesperson for three consecutive years, earning thecompany's all-time sales record in 2006. Tom currently serves onthe boards of the Georgia Chamberof Commerce, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and the Aflac Credit Union.
"In my 24 years as CEO, I have seen some great salesmen andsaleswomen. Tom Giddens is the bestof the best," Aflac Chairman and CEO DanAmos said. "We will miss Tom's daily leadership, but arepleased that he will stay on as an advisor and to help Mike Tomlinson acclimate to his new role,leading this critical function on behalf of our company."
"Tom Giddens always set the barhigh," Aflac U.S. President TeresaWhite added. "Through his long tenure at Aflac, Tom mentoredand guided hundreds of successful sales agents. He is a trueleader, respected by his team, his protegees and his industry."
About Aflac
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefitsfast. For nearly six decades, Aflac insurance policies have givenpolicyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financialstress. In the United States,Aflac is the leading provider of voluntary insurance at theworksite. In Japan, Aflac is thenumber one life insurance company in terms of individual policiesin force. Aflac individual and group insurance products helpprovide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. Foreight consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethispheremagazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2014,FORTUNE magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companiesto Work For in America for the 16th consecutive year. Also, in2014, FORTUNE magazine included Aflac on its list of Most AdmiredCompanies for the 13th time, ranking the company number one in thelife and health insurance category. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbolAFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com orespanol.aflac.com.
Forward-Looking Information
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 providesa "safe harbor" to encourage companies to provide prospectiveinformation, so long as those informational statements areidentified as forward-looking and are accompanied by meaningfulcautionary statements identifying important factors that couldcause actual results to differ materially from those included inthe forward-looking statements. We desire to take advantage ofthese provisions. This document contains cautionary statementsidentifying important factors that could cause actual results todiffer materially from those projected herein, and in any otherstatements made by company officials in communications with thefinancial community and contained in documents filed with theSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Forward-looking statements are not based on historicalinformation and relate to future operations, strategies, financialresults or other developments. Furthermore, forward-lookinginformation is subject to numerous assumptions, risks anduncertainties. In particular, statements containing words such as"expect," "anticipate," "believe," "goal," "objective," "may,""should," "estimate," "intends," "projects," "will," "assumes,""potential," "target" or similar words as well as specificprojections of future results, generally qualify asforward-looking. Aflac undertakes no obligation to update suchforward-looking statements. We caution readers that the followingfactors, in addition to other factors mentioned from time to time,could cause actual results to differ materially from thosecontemplated by the forward-looking statements: difficultconditions in global capital markets and the economy; governmentalactions for the purpose of stabilizing the financial markets;defaults and credit downgrades of securities in our investmentportfolio; exposure to significant financial and capital marketsrisk; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; significantchanges in investment yield rates; credit and other risksassociated with Aflac's investment in perpetual securities;differing judgments applied to investment valuations; significantvaluation judgments in determination of amount of impairments takenon our investments; limited availability of acceptableyen-denominated investments; concentration of our investments inany particular single-issuer or sector concentration of business inJapan; decline in creditworthinessof other financial institutions; deviations in actual experiencefrom pricing and reserving assumptions; subsidiaries' ability topay dividends to Aflac Incorporated; changes in law or regulationby governmental authorities; ability to attract and retainqualified sales associates and employees; decreases in ourfinancial strength or debt ratings; ability to continue to developand implement improvements in information technology systems;interruption in telecommunication, information technology and otheroperational systems, or a failure to maintain the security,confidentiality or privacy of sensitive data residing on suchsystems; changes in U.S. and/or Japanese accounting standards;failure to comply with restrictions on patient privacy andinformation security; inability to recognize tax benefitsassociated with capital loss carryforwards; level and outcome oflitigation; ability to effectively manage key executive succession;catastrophic events including, but not necessarily limited to,epidemics, pandemics, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis,acts of terrorism and damage incidental to such events; ongoingchanges in our industry; events that damage our reputation; andfailure of internal controls or corporate governance policies andprocedures.
Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company ofColumbus and American Family LifeAssurance Company of New York.
Media contacts – Jon Sullivan,706.763.4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact – Robin Y.Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, orrwilkey@aflac.com.
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SOURCE Aflac
