One of the themes at this year’s annual meeting for agents of New York Life was simple yet profound. “Honor what you’ve inherited.” This was said by Aaron Ball, Executive Vice President and head of New York Life’s Foundational Business. As we head into the Holiday Season, these words have stuck with me.

Honoring that inheritance means remembering that a promise matters most when keeping it is hard. New York Life’s history reaches back to 1845, and its story includes moments when families faced extraordinary uncertainty. The company’s historical accounts describe agents crossing Civil War battlefields to deliver claims, and the company’s ‘people first’ response after the 1906 earthquake and 9/11. Those stories help make the strength of our mutuality feel less like a slogan and more like a responsibility: to be there for people when life takes an unexpected turn.

Our history is also rich with people who’ve ‘sat at the table’, including nine US presidents, one of the first women to ever be insured, Susan B. Anthony; and my personal favorite, Harry Houdini. We actually paid a double indemnity claim on his life, acknowledging his death in 1926 as ‘accidental’.

I’m grateful to be part of the rich history at New York Life, where policy owners are at the heart of the business. I try to bring that history and long-term perspective into every conversation with my clients. I’ve always believed that the most significant and important conversations happen around the kitchen table, and I believe that everyone deserves a seat when it comes to solid planning. In 2027, I’m inviting you to join me in a conversation about your future. 

In a season centered on gratitude, I keep coming back to this: what we inherit is not only history, but a responsibility to carry the values and culture forward. I’m grateful to help clients think about the people and possibilities they want to protect—and to do that work as part of a company with a long and fascinating tradition of serving families just like yours.

Explore more of the company’s story in [New York Life’s historical archive](https://www.newyorklife.com/newsroom/history-archive).