THE BIG AETNA 1965 - 1977

Going from a lower-middle class family to an independent middle-class insurance executive was easy! I was hired on March 1, 1965 at a salary of $5,600 plus a company car. I thought I was something. I was an insurance adjuster trainee. I did not know a thing about casualty insurance. I did not know a thing about medicine. I did know how to speak intelligently and carry on a conversation. Two weeks into the job a fellow worker , upon hearing me on the phone with a claimant, said "you sound like you've worked here for years!" This was a fine compliment to hear. I learned how to interview claimants and insureds. All the work was manual. I used an Ediphone to transcribe my reports on injury cases and workmen's compensation claims.I found every part of the job interesting and challenging as I had the money. I am a liberal and tried to emphasize with people who were in distress. My six month training in Worcester, Massachusetts was "top shelf."Competent men training a competent man. Ten, one day the boss said Bob, you're going to be transferred!" I asked where I was going and he replied "where do you want to go?" "I responded Chicago, Saint Louis or Denver!" I was transfered to Chicago to the sub-office of Park Forest. I further learned the ways of being an insurance adjuster. The South Side of Chicago is a "Jungle." Working in this environment required stamina... working in near-ghetto conditions. I was good at it. "You live insurance" said my boss, Roland Hentschel. But my Chicago life was short lived. I received my Induction Physical notice in February of 1966. The Vietnam War was occurring and I knew it! I attempted to get into some officer training deal but couldn't pull it off. Instead I got drafted. Luckily enough I got a great M.O.S. as an X-RAY Technician! I was going to be trained to be a" doctor," almost! Training was at Fort Knox, Kentucky,Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort Sam Houston, Texas. This medical training dovetailed with my insurance career! One year, nine months and two days and I was back in the insurance game. I returned to Worcester. I grew in knowledge and experience and became an excellent senior adjuster. People would say to me "How can you satnd it?" and I said "I Love It." When you are an adjuster you are dealing in controversy. I love controversy to this day. It keeps me young! After adjusting I was moved to Scituate and the Brockton Claim Office where I met more controversy! Now, I supervised four men ( three incompetent.) It was a bad deal that tried my soul. I was in conflict with the claim manager who was jealous of me. But for the grace of God I got a lateral transfer to the Home Office in Hartford. There I taught entry-level adjusters the rudiments of claim handling. For a while every thing was hunky dory. I even was in charge of the school for a while but I didn't want it. Corporate Politics prevailed and I didn't have any Godfather. Knowing this I bit the bullet and QUIT! My insurance career went down the drain at all costs. It wasn't the end of the world as I had other ideas.... being an antique dealer and an auctioneer. I returned back to Massachusetts with my family and struck out on my own! I was 35 years old.