James D Ericson

James D. Ericson, was chairman and chief executive officer of Northwestern Mutual (1993-2001), the largest provider of individual life insurance in America. Northwestern Mutual is headquartered in Milwaukee. Ericson graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Iowa in 1958 with a degree in history. In 1962, he went on to graduate from the Iowa College of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. After practicing law in Omaha, Ericson joined Northwestern Mutual in 1965 as an attorney in the law department. Showing a capacity for handling diverse and complex assignments, he moved into other positions, including Assistant to the President, Vice President of Policy Benefits, General Counsel and Secretary, and in the 1980s, Chief Investment Officer. He became the company's 15th president in 1990 and added the title of chief executive officer in 1993.