My congratulations to National Underwriter and Florida Underwriter on this 25th anniversary issue. I have had continuous involvement with Florida's insurance scene and with the national scene for more than four decades, and I have always relied on the Florida and National Underwriter magazines for their professional and analytical approach in reporting each insurance crisis and issue of the day.

Many may not have known that when I began my career over 40 years ago, I was a State Farm agent in Orlando. How ironic that today I am a part of an independent agency at a time when many State Farm agents are considering a similar move, but for entirely different reasons. To me, the starkest comparison of today's environment to the one that existed when I was Florida's Commissioner can be found in the still unfolding saga of State Farm. Frankly, the "good neighbor" company was revered throughout Florida and the nation for its competitiveness and efficiency. I could not have imagined any circumstances that would lead to it pulling completely out of Florida's property market, much less circumstances that would lead its highly successful sales force to consider becoming independent agents.

During the time I served as Florida's Insurance Commissioner, the crises we faced were much different than those of today. However, like the regulatory issues facing State Farm now, they were equally challenging.