General Casualty to Start Selling Insurance in Massachusetts (Boston Globe)

State Farm Stays out of Massachusetts

Link to Full Article: http://bostonglobe.com/business/2011/11/26/mass-draws-many-new-auto-insurers-but-not-state-farm/4hRk9ElWTcuFCo1etdaZ5J/story.html

Blogger's Note:  Not sure which is more interesting...the fact that this is still being rolled out under the General Casualty name (not QBE), or the fact that they are expanding their sales regions to new states.

QBE Dropping General Casualty Name (Business Journal Serving Greater Milwaukee)

QBE Dropping General Casualty Name

Link to Full Article: http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2011/08/18/qbe-dropping-general-casualty-name.html

Blogger's Note: While this signifies the end of an era for our local economy, we look forward to continued investment by QBE into their Sun Prairie facilities.

QBE supports environment through green practices (Press Release)

With more than 800 employees and three buildings located on 140 acres in Sun Prairie, QBE has a special commitment to sustainability. The company’s environmental sustainability statement calls for environmental awareness, as well as support for employee involvement in sustainability practices.

Green efforts are encouraged by the QBE Eco Team, a group of employees that help the company research and promote environmentally-friendly programs.

QBE has implemented several programs to save energy and reduce waste at its Sun Prairie campus. These include:

• Recycling—Over the past two years, QBE has recycled 38 tons of waste, including electrical wire, cabinets, shelving, scrap metals and light fixtures.


• Lighting and energy conservation—All laptop and desktop computers connected to the company’s network automatically shut down at 9 p.m. each day. Many work spaces and conference rooms have sensors to activate lights as needed.


• Sustainable food practices—QBE’s food service vendor turns food waste into compost for local farmers, and uses biodegradable and compostable containers. In addition, the food service uses organic natural, local and seasonal foods to help reduce carbon use from manufacturing, transportation, preparation, packaging and waste processing.

Click here for more information on QBE or contact Paula M. Symons, APR, Communications Consultant at 608.825.5029 or paula.symons@us.qbe.com.

Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce Business News - March 21, 2008

Congratulations to Schönheit Gardens for being featured in the ‘I Brake for Plants’ article about independent nurseries in Wisconsin in the March/April 2008 issue of Midwest Living magazine. Recycle your used plastic nursery pots and trays (any size or color) at Schönheit Gardens starting April 1st between 8 and 4 Monday through Friday. Starting April 19th (opening day at Schönheit Gardens) you can bring in your used pots anytime between 8 and 6 daily.

Ritter Insurance Agency has been selected as a General Casualty Premier Partner - an elite group of top-performing independent agencies. Less than 10 percent of General Casualty's contracted agencies have achieved Premier partner status.

Kathy Schmitz of Ritter Insurance was awarded Top Producer for number of groups and Top Performer for number of members with Group Health Cooperative for 2007.

Mary Volker of MCV Salon & Spa marks 35 years in the styling business. MCV Salon & Spa is located at 351 E Main Street, Sun Prairie.

Click here for more information from the Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce.

General Casualty's Purchase by QBE to Create More Jobs (Sun Prairie Star)

General Casualty’s recent purchase by an Australian-based company, QBE, will result in more jobs in Sun Prairie, according to General Casualty President Pete McPartland. McPartland presented remarks during the March 11 Sun Prairie Rotary Club meeting held at the Colonial Club Senior Activity Center, 301 Blankenheim Lane.

Because the company has no campus similar to General Casualty’s in Sun Prairie, the company’s ownership will likely lead to more jobs.“I will also say it will lead to more employees in Sun Prairie, not less employees – there’s no doubt about that. The reason is QBE does not have a campus like ours anywhere in the world,” McPartland said, referring to the 150-acre, three-building facility located just off Highway C in Sun Prairie. “There’s room for more and QBE doesn’t have anything like that, so they look at our campus and being from Australia, they’re just salivating at the potential to do things.

Click here to read the full article in the Sun Prairie Star.