Good morning. Welcome to the 2026 annual meeting of the shareholders of Horace Mann Educators Corporation. I am H. Wade Reece, and I am pleased and honored to serve as Chairman of the Board of this company, founded by educators for educators. We appreciate you joining us for our annual meeting, which we are hosting virtually. The meeting is officially called to order. Shareholders who wish to vote and who have not previously voted or wish to change their vote may do so by clicking on the voting button on the web portal and following the instructions available online. I would like to introduce you to the other members of the company's Board of Directors at the meeting today. Beverley J. McClure, retired Senior Vice President, Enterprise Operations of USAA. Beverley joined the Board in 2013. Marita Zuraitis, President and CEO of Horace Mann. Marita also joined the Board in 2013.
Perry Hines, retired Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of Irwin Mortgage Corporation and Lincoln Financial Group. Perry joined the board in 2018. Mark E. Konen, retired President of the Insurance and Retirement Solutions Division at Lincoln Financial Group. Mark joined the board in 2019. Elaine A. Sarsynski, retired CEO and President of MassMutual International. Elaine joined the board in 2021. Thomas A. Bradley previously served as acting CEO and Chairman of Argo Group International Holdings, Limited and retired CFO of Allied World Assurance Company. Thomas joined the board in 2021. Victor P. Fetter, Global Chief Information Officer of Fortive. Victor joined the board in 2023. Aaliyah A. Samuel recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of CASEL and currently serves as Senior Fellow at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. Aaliyah also joined the board in 2023.
Other business activities and associations of our directors are detailed in the proxy statement. I would like to introduce some of the members of our senior leadership team. Ryan Greenier, our Chief Financial Officer. Don Carley, our General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer. Mark Desrochers, our Chief Actuarial and Strategy Officer. Stephanie Fulks, our Chief Information Officer. Steve Chaby, our Chief Marketing and Distribution Officer. Vanessa Jackson, Head of Property and Casualty. Tyson Sanders, Head of Supplemental and Group Benefits. Danny McGinnis, Head of of Life and Retirement. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank these officers and all employees of Horace Mann for the commitment and leadership you provide to the company and its various constituencies. Also with us today are representatives Arun DaSilva and Bill Miller of KPMG, the company's outside auditor.
KPMG has been appointed to serve as the independent public accountants of Horace Mann Educators Corporation for this year. The proxies for the shareholders are Marita Zuraitis and me. Mr. Carley is the Inspector of Election. I call upon Mr. Carley to report to us on the observance of the necessary legal formalities with regard to this meeting.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Broadridge Financial is assisting us this morning in coordinating our efforts to tabulate the votes. I have an affidavit signed by Broadridge stating that all appropriate shareholder meeting notices and documents were provided on or about April 6, 2026, to all shareholders of record as of March 24, 2026, the record date. We have present by proxy holders of approximately 39 million shares of stock, constituting 96.6% of the approximately 40 million shares of the corporation's outstanding common stock entitled to vote at this meeting. Therefore, we have a quorum.
Thank you. I declare that a quorum of shareholders is present and the meeting is duly convened. The minutes of the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders of Horace Mann Educators Corporation are available on the web portal for today's meeting. The next order of business will be the voting by the shareholders on three items. First, election of nine directors of the corporation to serve until the next annual meeting of shareholders. Second, approval of the advisory resolution on named executive officers' compensation. Third, ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the company's auditors for 2026. All proposals are detailed in the proxy statement. If you have not done so, any shareholder who wishes to vote or change their vote, please do so now. I now declare the voting on the business matters of today's agenda closed.
The final vote results will be disclosed in an 8-K following the meeting. Next, I would like to turn the meeting over to Marita Zuraitis, who will provide an update on the company's 2025 performance.
Thanks, Wade. Over the course of 2025, Horace Mann continued to execute against our long-term strategy, delivering strong financial performance while further strengthening our position as a leading provider of financial solutions for educators and those who serve our communities. 2025 was a record-setting year and a clear demonstration of the strength of our strategy and execution. We delivered record core earnings per share of $4.71, the highest in our company's history, and a 12.4% return on equity. These results reflect strong performance across all segments, continued top-line momentum, and the benefits of the diversified business model we have built over the past several years. Building on this momentum, we are well-positioned as we enter 2026 to execute on the three-year objectives we outlined at our Investor Day last year.
We are focused on delivering a 10% average compound annual growth rate in core earnings per share and a sustainable 12%-13% return on equity. Additional information on our progress is available at investors.horacemann.com, where you can find quarterly financial reports and learn more about our strategic evolution. As a mission-driven organization, we remain committed to operating responsibly and creating long-term value for all of our stakeholders. In 2025, we continued to improve energy efficiency, reduce waste, and advance our environmental goals. You can learn more about these efforts on csr.horacemann.com. As the education landscape continues to evolve, educators remain focused on what matters most, their students. At Horace Mann, we are equally committed to helping educators succeed in and out of the classroom.
In 2025, we brought that mission to life in meaningful ways, from offering educator discounts and wellness services, to supporting classroom supply funding through DonorsChoose, to expanding partnerships with organizations like Crayola and Disney that foster collaboration, communication, and creativity in schools. Highlights of our efforts include expanding our offerings to support educators' financial, physical, and emotional well-being, and strong employee engagement. Based on recent employee surveys, 85% of employees report a clear connection to our strategy, helping deliver the service educators expect and deserve, and contributing more than $500,000 through the Horace Mann Educators Foundation to support student well-being, classroom resources, and basic needs. Thank you. With that, I'll turn the call back to Wade.
Marita, thank you for your comments. The meeting is now open for questions from shareholders on matters relative to the proposals or the business of the company. You can submit a question by clicking on the Q&A button in the web portal. We would be pleased to respond to any questions you might have.
Mr. Chairman, we do not have any shareholder questions.
I now call on Donald M. Carley to report to you on the preliminary shareholder vote on the business items before the meeting today.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, as Inspector of Election, certify the shares represented today, approximately 37 million shares or more, than 97%, have been cast for the election of each of the persons nominated as director. Approximately 38 million shares, or 99%, have been cast for the advisory resolution on named executive officers' compensation. Finally, approximately 38 million shares, or 97%, have been cast ratifying the appointment of KPMG as the company's auditors for 2026.
Thank you. I hereby declare that the nine directors who were nominated for election are duly elected to the board of directors. The advisory resolution on named executive officer compensation is approved. KPMG has been ratified as the company's auditors for 2026. Congratulations, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your willingness to support Horace Mann as it provides solutions to help educators. There being no further business before the meeting, I declare the meeting adjourned. Thank you again for attending. We appreciate your ongoing support of Horace Mann.