Almost 50 Jewelers Mutual Group employees now occupy 31,000 square feet of space on the ninth floor of Raleigh’s One North Hills Tower as the Wisconsin-based insurance company officially opened its office earlier this month.
CEO Scott Murphy has been with the company for almost 11 years, but spent more than a decade in North Carolina in executive roles with Triad Analytic Solution and GMAC Insurance before joining Jewelers Mutual in December 2014. His time in North Carolina helped him appreciate the region’s “business climate and collaborative culture,” he says.
“I have seen how the Raleigh area fosters innovation, attracts exceptional talent, and supports strong community connections — all qualities that align with our goals at Jewelers Mutual,” says Murphy. “It has been rewarding to see those strengths come to life as we establish our new office.
Early hires in Raleigh involve workers tasked with advancing Jewelers Mutual’s digital presence and enhancing analytic capabilities and include software engineers, product managers and designers, marketing and human resources. One reason Jewelers Mutual said it picked Raleigh was its proximity to research and technology centers as well as premier universities in the Triangle.
“The enthusiasm of our employees and the support from the local community have reaffirmed that Raleigh was the right choice,” Murphy says. “From day one, it’s been clear that Raleigh provides both the talent and the environment we need to grow and continue innovating for our customers.”
The company expects incremental job growth over the next several years while focusing on “attracting top talent” without pressure to meet a specific target by a fixed date.
Last year, Jewelers Mutual pledged to invest $5.8 million and create 200 jobs in Raleigh over five years to create an “innovation hub.” The new jobs are expected to pay an average wage of $169,592, more than twice the current average wage for Wake County.
Jewelers Mutual was founded in 1913 and provides insurance for jewelry businesses and consumers. It has more than 1 million customers nationwide and in Canada. It also has offices in Dallas and Miami.
The company would receive state and local incentives totaling more than $3.3 million if it hits investment and job creation targets.