The Des Moines insurer that began in 1879 and grew into a Fortune 500 global financial giant.
Principal traces to 1879, when Edward A. Temple founded the Bankers Life Association in Des Moines to provide affordable life insurance to bankers and their communities.
Over the following century the company broadened into retirement, insurance, and asset management, taking the name Principal Financial Group in 1985 and going public in 2001. Its 801 Grand tower is the tallest building in Iowa.
From a 19th-century mutual-aid society for bankers, Principal became one of Des Moines' largest employers and a defining presence on its skyline. It has been repeatedly recognized as one of the world's most ethical companies.
Its charitable foundation is a leading supporter of financial-literacy and community programs across central Iowa.
Principal Financial Group is based in Des Moines, Iowa. Fortune 500 (NASDAQ: PFG); a global financial company anchoring the Des Moines skyline
1879.
Edward A. Temple — founder (1879) of the Bankers Life Association
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