W. Clement Stone*
Class of 1963
- President Combined Insurance Company of America
I suggest that a person engage in a certain amount of thinking time. When you determine what your goal is going to be, keep your mind on that goal.
Born in Chicago in 1902, Clem Stone was three when his father died. At six, he began selling newspapers to help support himself and his mother, who worked as a dressmaker. He was inspired by Horatio Alger's novels and pictured himself as a youngster who overcame adversity. Eventually, Stone owned his own newsstand.
In 1918 at age 16, Stone dropped out of school and moved to Detroit to sell insurance full time. By taking classes at night, he later received a high school diploma. He then took courses at Detroit College of Law and Northwestern University.
In 1922, Stone began the Combined Registry Company of America with a $100 loan. By 1930, the renamed Combined Insurance Company had more than 1,000 agents. By 1979, his company exceeded $1 billion in assets.
Stone also wrote several books about the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude.