Celebrating Zurich Insurance's 100 years of insuring America,Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaimed the month of December ZurichInsurance Month in the city.

Emanuel recently signed a proclamation urging residents ofChicago and the surrounding business community to recognize thesignificant role the company has played in the history of Chicagoand the United States.

Zurich notes it was one of the first continental Europeancasualty insurers to come to the United States and first authorizedto transact business here on Dec. 17, 1912.

By the end of that year, Zurich was conducting business inChicago and rang in the New Year at its new U.S. location in thecity's tallest skyscraper at the time—the Insurance ExchangeBuilding.

During the next 100 years, Zurich says it helped shape not onlyChicago, but America, from insuring the first section of theChicago subway in 1930 and Chicago's 1933 World's Fair to providingthe largest portion of insurance for the construction of the HooverDam from 1931 to 1936.

“We are proud to have grown alongside one of the greatest citiesand nations in the world,” says Mike Foley, chairman of NorthAmerica and chief executive officer of North America Commercial forZurich Insurance Group. “We have always seen our success asdeeply tied to the success of the communities around us.”

Currently, Zurich says it employs 9,000 people in the UnitedStates, including 500 employees in Chicago and 2,500 throughout thesurrounding area.

Together, the company and its employees, continue to help shapethe communities they serve by offering support and funding for thehealth and welfare of children in need; sustainable communitydevelopment, and health, safety and disaster relief programs.

To celebrate Zurich's 100th U.S. anniversary, employees acrossthe nation have completed more than 100 service projects alongsideorganizations like the American Red Cross, HandsOn Network, Habitatfor Humanity and the United Way.

Zurich is ranked as one of the top insurers in the United Statestoday.