Progressive vs W. R. Berkley: Founders, CEOs and History
Progressive was founded in 1937 by Joseph Lewis, Jack Green and is led by Tricia Griffith. W. R. Berkley was founded in 1967 by William R. Berkley and is led by W. Robert Berkley, Jr..
Company facts
Progressive
- Founded
- 1937
- Headquarters
- Mayfield Village, Ohio, United States
- Current CEO
- Tricia Griffith
- Employees
- 70,053
W. R. Berkley
- Founded
- 1967
- Headquarters
- Greenwich, Connecticut
- Current CEO
- W. Robert Berkley, Jr.
- Employees
- 8,800
Founders
Progressive
Joseph Lewis
Joseph Lewis co-founded Progressive Mutual Insurance Company in Cleveland in 1937 with fellow lawyer Jack Green. The early company differentiated itself with service ideas such as drive-in claims and installment premium payments. His son, Peter B.
Jack Green
Jack Green co-founded Progressive Insurance in 1937 alongside Joseph Lewis. Recognizing a massive, highly lucrative gap in the traditional insurance market, the two lawyers intentionally targeted 'non-standard' drivers (people with terrible driving records who…
W. R. Berkley
William R. Berkley
William R. Berkley founded W. R. Berkley Corporation in 1967 and led it for nearly 50 years, first as CEO and then, from 2015, as executive chairman. He built the company into a Fortune 500 commercial insurer organized around specialized underwriting units.
CEOs and their tenures
Progressive
- Peter B. Lewis1965–2000
CEO
Peter B. Lewis, son of co-founder Joseph Lewis, built Progressive into a national auto insurer focused on underwriting profit, data-driven pricing and service innovations such as Immediate Response claims and comparison rate quotes. He died in 2013.
Source - Tricia Griffith2016–present
President and CEO
Griffith joined Progressive in 1988 as a claims representative and became CEO in July 2016. During her tenure revenue has grown from $23.4 billion in 2016 to $87.7 billion in 2025, and net income reached a record $11.3 billion in 2025.
Source - Andrew Quigg2026–present
Chief Financial Officer
As Chief Strategy Officer, he manages the massive data science initiatives that keep Progressive's predictive pricing models significantly ahead of legacy competitors.
Source - Lori Niederst2026–present
Chief Personal Lines Officer
Moved from CRM President into the newly created Chief Personal Lines Officer role in 2026, overseeing Personal Lines and CRM ahead of Pat Callahan's planned January 2027 retirement as Personal Lines President.
Source
W. R. Berkley
- William R. Berkley1967–2026
Founder and Executive Chairman
As the legendary Founder (who started the company while studying at Harvard Business School in 1967), he built an absolutely massive, highly profitable specialty insurance empire, famously refusing to compete on price during soft markets.
Source - W. Robert Berkley, Jr.2015–present
Chairman, President and CEO
Leads the company's cycle-management approach. In Q2 2026 that meant growing Insurance segment premiums 5.4% while Reinsurance & Monoline Excess premiums declined, and returning $334.1M to shareholders in the quarter.
Source
Timeline: Progressive and W. R. Berkley side by side
1937Progressive
Progressive Mutual Insurance founded
Lawyers Joseph Lewis and Jack Green found Progressive Mutual Insurance Company in Cleveland, Ohio.
1965Progressive
Peter B. Lewis becomes CEO
Peter Lewis, son of Joseph Lewis, takes control and begins building Progressive into a national auto insurer; he leads until 2000.
1967W. R. Berkley
Company Founded
William R. Berkley founds the business that becomes W. R. Berkley Corporation.
1971Progressive
Initial public offering
The Progressive Corporation goes public; its shares later list on the NYSE under PGR.
1971Progressive
Progressive IPO
Progressive went public in 1971.
1973W. R. Berkley
Public Listing
W. R. Berkley becomes a publicly traded company.
1997Progressive
Auto policies sold online
Progressive becomes one of the first insurers to let consumers buy auto policies online.
2008Progressive
Snapshot and Flo
Progressive launches Snapshot usage-based insurance and introduces the Flo advertising character played by Stephanie Courtney.
2015Progressive
Controlling stake in ARX/ASI
Progressive pays about $875 million to take a roughly 67% stake in ARX Holding, parent of homeowners insurer ASI.
2015W. R. Berkley
CEO Succession
W. Robert Berkley, Jr. becomes CEO and William R. Berkley becomes executive chairman.
2016Progressive
Tricia Griffith becomes CEO
Griffith, who joined as a claims representative in 1988, becomes President and CEO in July 2016.
2021Progressive
Protective Insurance acquired
Progressive buys Protective Insurance Corporation for about $338 million to expand trucking and fleet coverage.
2025Progressive
Record year
Revenue reaches $87.671 billion and net income $11.308 billion; Progressive records a $1.224 billion policyholder credit expense, mainly for Florida excess-profit refunds.
2025W. R. Berkley
FY2025 Revenue of $14.71B
Total revenues reach $14.71B and net income to common stockholders reaches $1.78B.
2026Progressive
Leadership transitions and slowing growth
Andrew Quigg succeeds John Sauerland as CFO, Pat Callahan announces his retirement as Personal Lines President effective January 2027, and monthly combined ratios rise into the high 80s.
2026W. R. Berkley
Mitsui Sumitomo Completes 15% Stake
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance, part of MS&AD, completes its purchase of 15% of W. R. Berkley's outstanding common stock in Q1 2026.
2026W. R. Berkley
Founder Dies
Founder and executive chairman William R. Berkley dies on June 9, 2026, at age 80.
2026W. R. Berkley
Record Q2 2026 Premiums
Gross premiums written reach a record $4.14B and net income to common stockholders is $452.3M.
Acquisitions
Progressive
- Protective Insurance Corporation2021$338M
- ARX Holding Corp. / ASI2015$875M
- ARX Holding Corp.2015Undisclosed
W. R. Berkley
- Garnet Captive Services2006Undisclosed
- MECC1995$138M
- Key Risk Management Services1994Undisclosed
Questions about Progressive vs W. R. Berkley
Who is the CEO of The Progressive Corporation and W. R. Berkley Corporation?
The Progressive Corporation is led by Tricia Griffith and W. R. Berkley Corporation is led by W. Robert Berkley, Jr.. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was The Progressive Corporation founded vs W. R. Berkley Corporation?
The Progressive Corporation was founded in 1937 — 30 years before W. R. Berkley Corporation, which was founded in 1967. The Progressive Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger W. R. Berkley Corporation.
How many employees does The Progressive Corporation have compared to W. R. Berkley Corporation?
The Progressive Corporation employs approximately 70,053 people, while W. R. Berkley Corporation employs approximately 8,800. The Progressive Corporation has the larger workforce at 70,053 employees, compared to W. R. Berkley Corporation's 8,800. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are The Progressive Corporation and W. R. Berkley Corporation headquartered?
Both The Progressive Corporation and W. R. Berkley Corporation are headquartered in United States. Their local rules and tax obligations may still differ.
Who founded The Progressive Corporation and W. R. Berkley Corporation?
The Progressive Corporation was founded by Joseph Lewis, Jack Green. W. R. Berkley Corporation was founded by William R. Berkley.
Which company has a longer operating history — The Progressive Corporation or W. R. Berkley Corporation?
The Progressive Corporation has been operating for approximately 89 years, making it the more established of the two companies. W. R. Berkley Corporation has been in operation for around 59 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 Progressive vs W. R. Berkley overview