You may be wondering how and why Jay Fishman stepped down as the CEO of Travelers after being diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. An article in Forbes.com recalls how, prior to his diagnosis, Fishman had been experiencing trouble with his back for years. Some difficulty playing golf back in August of 2012 was what raised his suspicion that something might be wrong.
Fishman had been leading the company since 2001; he had turned around St. Paul Cos. before acquiring Travelers in 2004. He survived the financial crisis without too much of a problem whilst his rivals, such as AIG, imploded around him. His retirement earlier this year came at a time when the stock trading was near its all-time highs. The article also notes the closeness Fishman has with his employees; he took the time to write them a holiday letter leading up to Thanksgiving this year, which is a tradition of his’.
