As a claims representative for State Farm in the late 1960s, Richard Shellito used pencils and paper (including carbon paper) to perform his duties. Almost four decades later, Shellito, now systems vice president of the nation's number-one property/casualty insurer in terms of net written premium, according to National Underwriter, uses state-of-the-art technology and marvels at how much automation has improved employee productivity.

"There was a period in my career when claims representatives were not even allowed to touch the copy machines–only secretaries and people with engineering degrees were authorized to touch them," he reflects. "Now, all of our employees have workstations and applications that allow them to perform complex business tasks on their own. People are much more self-sufficient in their everyday work."

Shellito began working in the insurer's Newark, Ohio, office in 1969 after graduating from Ohio University in Athens with a bachelor's degree in business administration.