CMSV’s Top Award to Applied’s Steve Menzies

May 14, 2018— The College of Mount Saint Vincent continued its tradition of honoring leading financial services executives as the 171 year old Bronx, NY based College presented its top award to Steve Menzies, President and Founder of Applied Underwriters, Inc.. Also honored was New York Super Broker Dolly Lenz, CEO and Founder of Dolly Lenz Real Estate LLC. The two were feted at CMSV’s annual Scholarship Tribute Dinner, Monday, April 23rd at Cipriani, 25 Broadway in New York. The annual event drew 400 guests and resulted in the raising of $500K for the College’s many scholarships and academic programs.

Steve Menzies is a recognized national insurance and philanthropic leader who founded Applied Underwriters in 1994 and serves as the company’s president. Mr. Menzies began the startup company to focus on providing several value driven options for workers’ compensation insuring and is responsible for better than $2B in revenues, insuring thousands of businesses across the country. After years of rapid growth, Applied Underwriters opened an operations center in Omaha, Nebraska, which further established the company as a leader in the insurance business. In 2006, the privately held company partnered with Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and sustains that relationship to this date.

“Through care for injured workers and through high standards of service, Mr. Menzies has led Applied Underwriters to offer customers a unique and successful blend of financial and business benefits for over three decades. His extensive business experience allows Applied Underwriters to continue to offer the highest quality insurance services, including workers’ compensation claims, flexible risk financing, and efficient payroll processing services to a national clientele,” according the President of the College, Dr. Charles Flynn, adding: “For these achievements and for his active philanthropy, we selected Steve for our top accord.”

Mr. Menzies, who is Vice Chairman of the San Francisco Opera, has bolstered its worldwide leadership status  in the cultural world and has led several arts and cultural initiatives across the country. In commending Mr. Menzies for the award, Steve Acunto, Publisher of the Insurance Advocate and a Trustee of the College spoke of Menzies’ accomplishments: “Since the great age of America’s business Titans in the 1800’s, there has developed a steady commerce between great acumen in the corporate world and dedicated philanthropy. To that tradition, we may add the name Steve Menzies, a leader who has added a distinctly new, intellectually creative edge to his businesses here in the US, in China, and South America and, who, conversely, has brought an experienced CEO’s perspective to the arts and educational institutions he leads.”

In accepting the award, Mr. Menzies praised the Sisters of Charity who founded the College, calling it an extraordinary place with an abiding mission and a long history of providing transformative educational experiences for students from New York, neighboring states and from several countries around the world. “The mission of the College and the mission of Applied Underwriters, share some commonalities: each serves a higher societal purpose through our endeavors, each centers its mission on care, each betters those we touch and each stands on the firm ground of high standards and principled action,” he said.

He concluded by addressing graduating students: “May I conclude by addressing the students here tonight, many of whom will be graduated in a few weeks. It was only when I saw the potential for a sound societal outcome in my work,  that I was truly inspired to look past the paycheck and the routine. It allowed me to come up with an idea that changed workers’ compensation insurance and that served real people in real ways, giving that much more meaning to our work, as well as the work of my company. Please don’t ever lose sight of that. This College has great aspirations and hopes for all of you. Your education here has prepared you well for your future. Do always remember to look to the examples of the College, your devoted faculty, and the Sisters of Charity for your inspiration in promoting the common good …and please do seek to be associated with companies and institutions that have a good “soul.”

Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the College of Mount Saint Vincent offers nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the College equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of professional accomplishment, service, and leadership in the 21st century.

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