Glenn Renwick, the former President, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Progressive Corporation, has died at age 69 following a car accident in Florida.
Renwick was born in Dunedin, New Zealand. He studied mathematics and economics at the University of Canterbury, later earning a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Florida.
He began his career at Bell Laboratories as a technologist, then worked as a management science consultant at Ernst & Whitney before joining Progressive.
Over a 32-year career with the company—half of it as CEO—Renwick helped grow Progressive’s annual revenue from about $750 mn in 1986 to nearly $27 bn by the time he retired.
Progressive credited his leadership, decision-making, and innovation with significantly shaping the company’s growth. He introduced tools like Snapshot and Name Your Price, which became widely recognized in the auto insurance industry.
He was named twice to Forbes’ list of 40 Most Admired CEOs and was among the few New Zealanders to lead a Fortune 500 company.
Renwick stepped down as CEO in 2016, naming Tricia Griffith as his successor. Griffith said in an internal message that Renwick lived the company’s values daily and aimed to leave the business stronger than he found it. “Without doubt, he accomplished that,” she said.
Progressive stated, “We extend our deepest condolences to Glenn’s family and friends, many of whom continue to carry on his legacy with the company.”
In a 2021 interview with the University of Canterbury, Renwick reflected on leading through major events like the global financial crisis and Hurricane Katrina.
He stressed the importance of knowing a company’s business model and key strengths. For Progressive, he described this as focusing on repeatable events with low severity, calling the company a “statistics factory.”
He also emphasized the need for clear communication. “Forget fake news. If you don’t [communicate], people will fill the voids,” he said. He encouraged open questions, noting he often replied with “I don’t know” if that was the honest answer.
Following Hurricane Katrina, Renwick chose to crush every storm-damaged vehicle the company collected, instead of risking unsafe cars returning to the road.
The decision helped boost Progressive’s market growth and enhanced its reputation.
Friends, coworkers, and community members have shared messages of sympathy and praise. Many remembered Renwick’s positive impact, his leadership, and his generosity.
