Assurant vs Samsung: Founders, CEOs and History
Assurant was founded in 1892 by Founders of La Crosse Mutual Aid Association and is led by Keith Demmings. Samsung was founded in 1969 by Lee Byung-chul and is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon.
Company facts
Founders
Assurant
Founders of La Crosse Mutual Aid Association
The La Crosse Mutual Aid Association was established to provide disability insurance to consumers. It was later licensed as the Time Insurance Company in 1910 and evolved into a Wisconsin health and disability underwriter.
Samsung
Lee Byung-chul
Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung Sanghoe in Daegu in 1938, trading dried fish, produce and noodles.
CEOs and their tenures
Assurant
- J. Kerry Clayton2004–2006
Former Chief Executive Officer
Led Fortis, Inc. through its February 2004 initial public offering and rebranding as Assurant, Inc. and ran the company for its first two years as an independent listed insurer.
Source - Robert B. Pollock2006–2014
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Ran Assurant through its first decade as an independent specialty insurer, holding together a portfolio that spanned health, employee benefits, prearranged funeral insurance and lender-placed property.
Source - Alan B. Colberg2015–2021
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Took Assurant out of health insurance and employee benefits and rebuilt it around lifestyle and housing protection, then bought the scale to make that work.
Source - Keith W. Demmings2022–present
President and Chief Executive Officer
Has run Assurant as a two-segment protection company, pushing it further into device repair, trade-in and resale while growing the lender-placed housing book.
Source
Samsung
- Jong-Hee Han2022–2025
Vice Chairman and CEO
A longtime TV business leader who helped keep Samsung the top global TV brand. He died suddenly in March 2025 while in office.
Source - Jay Y. Lee2022–present
Executive Chairman
Grandson of the founder and son of Lee Kun-hee. He was convicted in the 2017 bribery case and pardoned in 2022, and became Executive Chairman in October 2022. In 2025 the Supreme Court upheld his acquittal in the separate merger and accounting fraud case.
Source - Jun Young-hyun2024–present
Vice Chairman, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Head of Device Solutions
He implemented a complete overhaul of the semiconductor division's engineering processes, issuing a rare public apology in 2024 for the company's technological delays.
Source - Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh)2025–present
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Head of Device eXperience
As head of the MX (Mobile eXperience) division, he heavily integrated AI features (Galaxy AI) into the S-series flagship phones to combat Apple's dominance in the premium tier.
Source
Timeline: Assurant and Samsung side by side
1892Assurant
La Crosse Mutual Aid Association formed
Assurant traces its history to the La Crosse Mutual Aid Association, established in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1892 to provide consumers with disability insurance. No founder of the association is named in the company own histories.
1910Assurant
Licensed as Time Insurance Company
The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance records Time Insurance Company, the successor to the La Crosse Mutual Aid Association, as originally licensed as an insurer in 1910.
1938Samsung
Samsung Group begins
Lee Byung-chul founded Samsung as a trading company before later generations expanded the group into electronics and industry.
1969Samsung
Samsung Electronics established
Samsung Electronics Industry Co. Ltd. was established as the group entered electronics manufacturing.
1977Samsung
Korea Semiconductor acquired
Samsung acquired Korea Semiconductor, a key step toward memory and component manufacturing leadership.
1978Assurant
N.V. AMEV of the Netherlands buys Time Insurance
Dutch insurer N.V. AMEV acquired Time Insurance Company through its US holding company, AMEV Holdings, Inc., then expanded it by buying American Security Insurance, United Family, Western Insurance Company and Superior Insurance over the next 12 years.
1991Assurant
AMEV Holdings renamed Fortis, Inc.
After AMEV combined with VSB Groep NV in 1990 to create Fortis, the US holding company AMEV Holdings, Inc. was rebranded Fortis, Inc. in 1991. It acquired John Alden in 1998.
1993Samsung
New Management initiative
Lee Kun-hee launched the New Management push to raise quality, design, and global competitiveness.
1999Assurant
Fortis acquires American Bankers Insurance
Fortis, Inc. bought American Bankers Insurance Group of Miami, adding credit insurance and specialty warranty underwriting that became the core of the modern specialty lines. Fortis sold its life insurance business to The Hartford in 2001.
2004Assurant
NYSE listing as Assurant, Inc.
Fortis took the US business public on February 5, 2004 in a $1.76 billion initial public offering, the fourth largest of that year, and renamed it Assurant, Inc. The company was incorporated as a Delaware corporation in 2004 and trades as AIZ.
2006Assurant
Robert B. Pollock succeeds J. Kerry Clayton as CEO
Founding chief executive J. Kerry Clayton retired on March 17, 2006 and was succeeded by Robert B. Pollock, then president and chief operating officer, who also joined the board that day.
2013Assurant
New York consent order on force-placed insurance
Assurant, American Security Insurance Company and American Bankers Insurance Company of Florida settled a New York Department of Financial Services investigation into force-placed homeowners insurance on March 21, 2013, paying a $14 million penalty plus homeow…
2015Assurant
Exit from health insurance and employee benefits
On June 10, 2015 Assurant announced it would leave the health insurance marketplace and wind down Assurant Health, and on September 9, 2015 it agreed to sell its employee benefits business to Sun Life for $940 million.
2017Samsung
Harman acquisition closes
Samsung completed the Harman acquisition, expanding into connected car systems and premium audio.
2018Assurant
The Warranty Group acquisition closes
Assurant completed its purchase of The Warranty Group from TPG Capital on May 31, 2018 for a total enterprise value of about $2.5 billion, expanding vehicle service contracts and international retail protection. Assurant also sold Time Insurance in 2018.
2020Assurant
HYLA Mobile acquisition closes
Assurant closed its acquisition of smartphone trade-in and upgrade provider HYLA Mobile on December 1, 2020, in a transaction the company valued at about $325 million, roughly doubling its device processing volumes.
2021Assurant
Global Preneed sold to CUNA Mutual Group
Assurant closed the sale of its prearranged funeral and final expense business to CUNA Mutual Group on August 2, 2021 for about $1.35 billion, generating roughly $1.2 billion of net proceeds, and said it intended to return about $900 million of that through sh…
2022Assurant
Keith Demmings becomes CEO and headquarters moves to Atlanta
Keith W. Demmings became president and chief executive officer in January 2022, succeeding Alan B. Colberg, who retired at the end of 2021 after seven years in the role.
2022Samsung
Jong-Hee Han becomes CEO
Jong-Hee Han became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2022. A longtime TV business leader who helped keep Samsung the top global TV brand.
2024Assurant
iSmash acquired in the United Kingdom
Assurant acquired UK tech repair retailer iSmash on April 4, 2024, giving it 68 drop-in repair locations in the UK under the iSmash and Pocket Geek Tech Repair banners. Assurant also sold its mainland China operations during 2024.
2024Samsung
Jun Young-hyun becomes CEO
Jun Young-hyun became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2024. Head of the semiconductor (Device Solutions) division and memory business; sole CEO for part of 2025 after Han Jong-hee's death, then co-CEO with TM Roh from November 2025.
2025Assurant
FY2025 revenue of $12.81B and the OptoFidelity purchase
Assurant reported FY2025 revenue of $12.81 billion and GAAP net income of $872.7 million, its ninth consecutive year of profitable growth, launched Assurant Home Warranty, and in October 2025 acquired OptoFidelity mobile device test automation portfolio to add…
2025Samsung
TM Roh joins Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO
Samsung named TM Roh Head of Device eXperience and CEO, joining Young Hyun Jun as co-CEO.
2025Samsung
Annual revenue reaches ~$237B (KRW 333.6T)
Samsung Electronics reported ~$237 billion (KRW 333.6 trillion) in 2025 annual revenue and ~$31 billion (KRW 43.6 trillion) in operating profit.
2025Samsung
Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) becomes CEO
Roh Tae-moon (TM Roh) became CEO of Samsung Electronics Co. in 2025. Longtime head of the mobile business.
2026Assurant
RL Circular Operations acquired in Australia and New Zealand
In January 2026 Assurant acquired RL Circular Operations, formerly TIC Reverse Logistics, the reverse logistics division of Australia and New Zealand based TIC Group, extending its post-purchase and circular economy capabilities across Asia Pacific.
Acquisitions
Assurant
- RL Circular Operations2026Undisclosed
- OptoFidelity mobile device test automation portfolio2025Undisclosed
- iSmash2024Undisclosed
- HYLA Mobile2020$325M
- The Warranty Group2018$2.5B
- Lifestyle Services Group2013$172M
Samsung
- FlaktGroup2025$1.7B
- Xealth2025Undisclosed
- Harman International2017$8B
- SmartThings2014$200M
Questions about Assurant vs Samsung
Who is the CEO of Assurant, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
Assurant, Inc. is led by Keith Demmings and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is led by Jun Young-hyun and Roh Tae-moon. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Assurant, Inc. founded vs Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
Assurant, Inc. was founded in 1892 — 77 years before Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., which was founded in 1969. Assurant, Inc.'s longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd..
How many employees does Assurant, Inc. have compared to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
Assurant, Inc. employs approximately 14,800 people, while Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. employs approximately 259,149. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has the larger workforce at 259,149 employees, compared to Assurant, Inc.'s 14,800. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Assurant, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. headquartered?
Assurant, Inc. is headquartered in United States and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is headquartered in South Korea. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Assurant, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
Assurant, Inc. was founded by Founders of La Crosse Mutual Aid Association. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. was founded by Lee Byung-chul.
Which company has a longer operating history — Assurant, Inc. or Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.?
Assurant, Inc. has been operating for approximately 134 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has been in operation for around 57 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Assurant vs Samsung overview