text: All this translates into increased shareholder value. Since 1995, our market cap has 
  
  increased from $5.7 billion to $15.4 billion—an 18 percent compound annual growth rate. 
  
  Our share price has increased nearly 160 percent since The Hartford became a public com- 
  
  pany. During the same period, the S&P 500 increased 89 percent, and the Dow Jones 
  
  Industrial Average 97 percent. 
  
  It’s no surprise that our management team is highly regarded within the ﬁnancial 
  
  services industry and on Wall Street. We’ve built a strong leadership team, complemented 
  
  by more than 27,000 dedicated employees who are nurtured and energized by a culture of 
  
  success. Consequently, we had a smooth leadership transition over the past year. Tom Marra 
  
  succeeded Lon Smith as president of our life operations and joined our board of directors. 
  
  Lon retired after a 33-year career with The Hartford, and we owe him a tremendous amount 
  
  of gratitude for building a strong and successful operation. 
  
  During 2001 we also welcomed two new members to our board of directors. Edward J. 
  
  Kelly III, president and CEO of Mercantile Bankshares Corp., joined us in May, and we welcomed 