1918 - 1919: Flu Outbreak Dramatically Increased Death Claims

Dakota Life's death claim register (seen below) illustrates the local impact of the worst epidemic to strike the world during the 20th century: The Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918-1919.

This outbreak in the United States dramatically increased claims.

First appearing in crowded U.S. Army training camps in the Spring of 1918, the influenza virus soon spread to Europe and the rest of the world as American troops were shipped to the World War I battlefields of France.

Named the "Spanish Flu" because it claimed the lives of eight million (8,000,000) Spaniards, this strain of flu eventually killed between 20 and 30 million (20,000,000 to 30,000,000) people worldwide - far more than the number of people who died in battle in World War I.

In the United States, the dead numbered 500,000. Two-thirds of Dakota Life's death claims received during 1918 were attributed to influenza and pneumonia.

Claims register shows dramatic increase in death claims due to influenza and pneumonia in 1918-1919.

To see the story of the first death claim for Midland National (then named Dakota Mutual Life Insurance Company) click here.

1906: Company Founded In The Black Hills Of South Dakota

The company that would eventually evolve into Midland National Life Insurance Company was born on a late summer evening in the Black HIlls of South Dakota.

Meeting at the Smead Hotel in Lead, South Dakota, a group of six men (John Walsh, Joseph Moore, Charles Turney, Claude Sterling, Daniel Bannister, and Fred Smith) elected officers for a company to be known as Dakota Mutual Life Insurance Company. They also authorized the publishing of "legal notice of the company's intention to begin business."

The meeting culminated from months of planning. Records show expenses dating from May 1906. Evidently, the proposed name was under debate until shortly before the August meeting since a draft of the Articles of Incorporation was submitted to the South Dakota Secretary of State under the name of "Western Mutual Life Insurance Company." The company was incorporated on August 30, 1906, and commenced business on September 4.

To capitalize the new company, the directo…

1961: William Rigsbee Named President

In November 1961, William Rigsbee was named president of Midland National. For the next 31 years, Rigsbee, as president and chief executive officer, set Midland National on a course of unparralleled growth, stability and financial strength.

He established the Regional Sales Director (RSD) program and set in motion a belief that he carried with him through his entire career with Midland National Life - give the agent three things:

1. Excellent products.
2. A contract that rewards the agent for superior performance.
3. The company service philosophy that, "The most important person is the one who makes the sale."

Under his leadership, the company increased life insurance policies in force from $275 million to $50 billion; and achieved a compound annual growth rate of 15% while maintaining superior industry ratings and a high quality investment portfolio.*

*Source: Midland National internal information, 1961.

1981: Midland National Celebrates 75 Years in the Insurance Industry

Midland National’s 75th anniversary celebration kicked off with newspaper ads and radio spots proclaiming, “As we look forward to our 75th Anniversary, we salute our people… more than three hundred reasons why Midland National is a great insurance company. We wish you could meet all of them because these are the people with the talent, the skill, and the ideas that make us a strong, successful, growing company.”

Midland National Life Company History

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