If youve gotten this far with this weeks National Underwriter, then youve noticed something has changed.
Your first reaction may be, "Hey, didnt these guys just change the magazine recently?" Actually, it was 3 years and 2 months agoat the beginning of the 21st Centurythat we radically redesigned the magazine, going to a cover story format in a Business Week size.
What youre holding in your hands right now is not so radical a change as the one 3 years ago, but something more along the lines of a freshening up of the design and approach that you have responded to very positively indeed. Much of the impetus for this comes from Andy Goodenough, CEO of the National Underwriter Company, who took the helm of the company last October. Andys credo is, however well were doing (and were doing quite well, thank you) we can always add more to the value proposition for our readers.
Things have been very exciting at NUCO in the last few months. Weve been challenged to rethink how we fulfill the mission of our individual products. This redesign is part of how weve responded to that challenge.
To that end, youll see that weve done a bit of rearranging in the Life & Health newsweekly. News and trend stories that were tucked in the back before are now up front. Were talking about legislative activity in Washington, regulatory developments at the NAIC and reaction from industry trade groups. Were talking about mergers and acquisitions, industry sales stats and important court decisions. This is stuff that everyone in the business needs to know. And youll find these stories presented with more graphics and accompanied by bite-size pieces of information that tell you at a glance what is going on.
Most weeks youll find the cover story features starting a little further back in the magazine than they have been. So, if thats what you want to read first and foremost, then take a card and "Go directly to page 12."
What hasnt changed is our unparalleled coverage of the business in ways that connect directly to your daily experience and your plans for the future. Our producer readers have come to expect that when we feature themes such as Annuities or Succession Planning or Long Term Care Products or Upscale Market Focus, they will get a kaleidoscope of information, advice and insight that will help them grow their business. This has not changed. If anything, we think youll find that we have intensified our approach. Our company readers know that nowhere else will they be kept so current about those market and product trends that are full-fledged now and those that are just beginning to peek over the horizon.
