In remembrance of Michael Nobles
June 25, 2020
Michael W. Nobles, President and CEO of Union Mutual, passed away unexpectedly Thursday, the company announced. He was 50 years old.
“Our Company, industry, and state have suddenly lost an inspiring, energetic and articulate leader,” said Josh Fitzhugh, Chairman of the Board of Directors for Union Mutual. “We grieve his passing and extend the deepest condolences to his family.”
Nobles joined Union Mutual in 1995 and served as assistant treasurer, treasurer, senior vice president, and chief operating officer before being elected president and CEO in 2014.
Fitzhugh expressed confidence in the staff of the Company to continue operations seamlessly. Fitzhugh stated that “one of Michael’s greatest strengths was his ability to identify and develop future leaders. As such, the Board has great confidence in the competence of the leadership team at the Company.”
Nobles, who lived in Plainfield, is survived by his wife, Tsana, and two daughters Lindsay and Morgan.
Nobles was deeply committed to the Vermont and New York communities in which the Company operates. He served as Board member on the Montpelier Development Corporation and led a recent campaign that raised over $200,000 to assist small businesses affected by the COVID pandemic.
“I have always been thankful to work and live in the Central Vermont area, but never more so than today,” Nobles said when the small business fund was created. “We hear the phrase ‘We are all in this together’ multiple times a day and this fund could not be a better example of what it really means.”
He was also committed to supporting Special Olympics of Vermont, and he and his insurance colleagues raised over $130,000 for that cause last year. In fact, Nobles took part in the SOVT Penguin Plunge, jumping into Lake Champlain every winter to further the SOVT cause.
Nobles was particularly proud of the Company’s designation as a Best Place to Work in Vermont for seven years in a row. He was an avid runner and athlete and was committed to helping his staff achieve physical and financial wellness. In bestowing the 2020 Vermont Business Wellness Leadership Award on Nobles, the Vermont Governors Council on Physical Fitness and Sports said “Nobles’ strong leadership and generous service to the community make him a role model in sustaining a culture of wellbeing.”
“I can’t be my best self without wellness and I don’t expect it to be any different for our employees,” he said in accepting the award.
Union Mutual of Vermont Companies, founded in 1874, is a property/casualty insurance group consisting of Union Mutual Fire Insurance and New England Guaranty Insurance Company Inc., both based in Montpelier, Vt.; and Community Mutual Insurance Company, based in Troy, N.Y.
The three companies write a total of $180 million in direct premium annually through independent agents throughout New England and New York.
