J. Barry Griswell
Encyclopedia
J. Barry Griswell is former Chairman and CEO of the Principal Financial Group
and the current president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.
in Rome, Georgia
and his master's degree from Stetson University
in Deland, Florida
. Griswell joined The Principal in 1988 as an officer and agency vice president. He became senior vice president in 1991 and executive vice president in 1996. He was named president in 1998, became CEO in 2000 and chairman of the board in 2002. Griswell retired as CEO on May 1, 2008 and remains chairman of the board. Prior to his association with the Principal Financial Group
, he served as president and CEO of MetLife Marketing Corporation, a distribution-marketing subsidiary of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
.
Society award, a 2004 recipient of the Ellis Island
Medal of Honor, a 2004 recipient of the Central Iowa Philanthropic Award for Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, and a 2006 recipient of the Business Committee for the Arts Leadership Award as well as a 2008 recipient of the American for the Arts Corporate Citizenship in the Arts Award. He has also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Stetson University
and a Distinguished Achievement Award from Berry College
.
Griswell is active in various industry and community organizations, including serving on the boards of Herman Miller, Inc., the S.S. Huebner Foundation for Insurance Education, Americans for the Arts, United Way of America and L.L. Global (LIMRA/LOMA.) He is a current trustee of Central College in Pella, Iowa and Berry College
in Rome, Georgia
. He is chair of the Business Committee for the Arts.
He is also the past chair of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), board member of The Business Roundtable, co-chair of the CEO Task Force on Health and Retirement Security, past president of the Federation of Iowa Insurers, past Chair of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, past chair of LIMRA and past chair of Life Underwriters Trainers Council (LUTC) and the National Tocqueville Council.
Griswell is a member of United Way International’s India Leadership Committee, a group committed to raising money in the United States to start and support United Ways throughout India.
In 2007 he was honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Grand View College. He has received his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation and his Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation, and is a fellow of LIMRA Leadership Institute (LLIF).
In spring 2008, Griswell founded The Harvest Initiative, an endeavor to bring economic help to the people of Crow Creek County in South Dakota. Griswell has addressed his success and journey in overcoming adversity in the book The Adversity Paradox
, an Unconventional Guide to Uncommon Business Success which he co-authored with Bob Jennings
. The book was released April, 2009. Many newspapers, radio shows and blogs have recognized Griswell and Jennings, with their research, as experts on how adversity can create success.
Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group is a publicly traded corporation based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA.The Principal Financial Group is a global financial services provider which offers a wide range of financial products and services, and is a U.S. leader in 401 plans. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, the...
and the current president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.
Background
A native of Georgia, Griswell received his bachelor's degree from Berry CollegeBerry College
Berry College is an American accredited, private, four-year liberal arts college located in Mount Berry, unincorporated Floyd County, Georgia, north of Rome. It was founded in 1902 by Martha Berry.-Location:Berry College is located on U.S...
in Rome, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and his master's degree from Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
in Deland, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. Griswell joined The Principal in 1988 as an officer and agency vice president. He became senior vice president in 1991 and executive vice president in 1996. He was named president in 1998, became CEO in 2000 and chairman of the board in 2002. Griswell retired as CEO on May 1, 2008 and remains chairman of the board. Prior to his association with the Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group
Principal Financial Group is a publicly traded corporation based in Des Moines, Iowa, USA.The Principal Financial Group is a global financial services provider which offers a wide range of financial products and services, and is a U.S. leader in 401 plans. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, the...
, he served as president and CEO of MetLife Marketing Corporation, a distribution-marketing subsidiary of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
MetLife, Inc. is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, or MetLife, for short, and its affiliates. MetLife is among the largest global providers of insurance, annuities, and employee benefit programs, with 90 million customers in over 60 countries...
.
Honors and endeavors
Griswell is a 2003 Horatio Alger Association Distinguished American Award winner and the 2003 recipient of the Oscar C. Schmidt Iowa Business Leadership Award. He has been inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame, is a recipient of the United Way of Central Iowa Alexis de TocquevilleAlexis de Tocqueville
Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian best known for his Democracy in America and The Old Regime and the Revolution . In both of these works, he explored the effects of the rising equality of social conditions on the individual and the state in...
Society award, a 2004 recipient of the Ellis Island
Ellis Island
Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...
Medal of Honor, a 2004 recipient of the Central Iowa Philanthropic Award for Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser, and a 2006 recipient of the Business Committee for the Arts Leadership Award as well as a 2008 recipient of the American for the Arts Corporate Citizenship in the Arts Award. He has also received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Stetson University
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I-4 corridor in Central Florida. The primary undergraduate campus is located in DeLand, Florida, USA. In the 2012 U.S...
and a Distinguished Achievement Award from Berry College
Berry College
Berry College is an American accredited, private, four-year liberal arts college located in Mount Berry, unincorporated Floyd County, Georgia, north of Rome. It was founded in 1902 by Martha Berry.-Location:Berry College is located on U.S...
.
Griswell is active in various industry and community organizations, including serving on the boards of Herman Miller, Inc., the S.S. Huebner Foundation for Insurance Education, Americans for the Arts, United Way of America and L.L. Global (LIMRA/LOMA.) He is a current trustee of Central College in Pella, Iowa and Berry College
Berry College
Berry College is an American accredited, private, four-year liberal arts college located in Mount Berry, unincorporated Floyd County, Georgia, north of Rome. It was founded in 1902 by Martha Berry.-Location:Berry College is located on U.S...
in Rome, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He is chair of the Business Committee for the Arts.
He is also the past chair of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), board member of The Business Roundtable, co-chair of the CEO Task Force on Health and Retirement Security, past president of the Federation of Iowa Insurers, past Chair of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, past chair of LIMRA and past chair of Life Underwriters Trainers Council (LUTC) and the National Tocqueville Council.
Griswell is a member of United Way International’s India Leadership Committee, a group committed to raising money in the United States to start and support United Ways throughout India.
In 2007 he was honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Grand View College. He has received his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation and his Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation, and is a fellow of LIMRA Leadership Institute (LLIF).
In spring 2008, Griswell founded The Harvest Initiative, an endeavor to bring economic help to the people of Crow Creek County in South Dakota. Griswell has addressed his success and journey in overcoming adversity in the book The Adversity Paradox
The Adversity Paradox
The Adversity Paradox is a business book written by J. Barry Griswell and Bob Jennings. Released in April 2009, the book was published by St. Martin’s Press. The book debuted at #8 on The Wall Street Journal Best Seller List....
, an Unconventional Guide to Uncommon Business Success which he co-authored with Bob Jennings
Bob Jennings
Bob Jennings is President of Lean Management Inc., a consulting company focused on senior management methods and execution. Prior to starting his own company he was President of EFCO Corp., a world leader in the design and supply of forms for concrete construction, with operations in twelve...
. The book was released April, 2009. Many newspapers, radio shows and blogs have recognized Griswell and Jennings, with their research, as experts on how adversity can create success.