Good morning, welcome to the 2020 annual meeting of the shareholders of Horace Mann Educators Corporation. I am Wade Reece, and I am pleased and honored to serve as Chairman of the Board of this company, founded by educators for educators. We are excited to be celebrating the company's 75th anniversary this year, and we certainly are living in very interesting times. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are hosting our company's annual meeting virtually for the first time this year. It is my pleasure to welcome you here today for this meeting. Obviously, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to host our annual meeting in person. We are excited to embrace technology and host our virtual meeting.
One benefit of a virtual meeting is that it allows us to reach a greater number of shareholders. We have many attending via the web portal today. In keeping with the digital approach to this year's meeting, this 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 there. I'd like to introduce to you other members of the company's Board of Directors at the meeting today. Robert Stricker, retired Senior Vice President and Principal of Schegman Capital Management. Rob joined the board in 2019, in 2009. Beverley McClure, retired Senior Vice President, Enterprise Operation of USAA. Beverley joined the board in 2013. Marita Zuraitis, President and CEO of Horace Mann.
Marita also joined the board in 2013. Steven Swyers, retired Managing Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Steve joined the board in 2014. Dan Domenech, Executive Director of the American Association of School Administrators, with more than 40 years of experience in public education. Dan joined the board in 2015. Perry Hines, retired Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer of Irwin Mortgage Corporation and Lincoln Financial Group. Perry joined the board in 2018. Mark Casady, retired Chairman and CEO of LPL Financial and Co-Founder and General Partner of Vestigo Ventures. Mark joined the board in 2019. Mark Konen, retired President of the Insurance and Retirement Solutions Division at Lincoln Financial Group. Mark also joined the board in 2019. I would also like to acknowledge Steve McAnena, retired Senior Vice President of The Hartford Financial Services Group. Steve joined the board in 2004.
Steve is retiring from the board and thus did not stand for re-election. We thank him for his exceptional service to the company. 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. Bret Conklin, our CFO, Matt Sharpe, Head of Distribution and Business Strategy, Wade Rugenstein, Head of Supplemental and Operations, Don Carley, our General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Mark Desrochers, Head of Property and Casualty, Mike Weckenbrock, Head of Life and Retirement, and Jenny Thayer, our Chief Human Resources Officer. On behalf of the board, I'd like to thank these officers and all of the people they work with at Horace Mann for the commitment and leadership you provide to the company and its various constituencies.
Also with us today are representatives Lindsay Hammer, Jack Myers, and Maureen Temchuk of KPMG, the company's outside auditor. KPMG has been appointed to serve as 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 will 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 Solutions, Inc. has been assisting us this morning in coordinating our efforts to tabulate the votes. As to the legal formalities, I have an affidavit signed by Broadridge stating that all appropriate shareholder meeting notices and documents were provided on or about April 6, 2020, to all shareholders of record as of March 24, 2020, the record date. We have present by proxy holders of approximately 40 million shares of stock, constituting 96.8% of the 41 million 277,498 shares of the corporation's outstanding common stock entitled to vote at this meeting. Therefore, you have a quorum, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you. I declare that a quorum of shareholders is present, and the meeting is duly convened. The minutes of the 2019 annual shareholders meeting at 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, the election of nine directors of the corporation to serve until the next annual meeting of the shareholders. Secondly, the approval of the advisory resolution on named executive officers' compensation. Third, the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the company's auditors for 2020. 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'll pause for a minute. 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 would like to share a few words.
At Horace Mann, we are dedicated to taking care of the educators preparing our children for the future, supporting our employees, giving back to the communities in which we live and work, and providing our shareholders with solid long-term return. During the challenging times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe we have a responsibility to do more to help support the people who support us. We have provided our customers financial flexibility through an auto premium credit, grace periods on payments, and enhanced coverages for those delivering essential goods. We have added policies and procedures to protect the 95% of our employee base working from home and the essential workers in our offices. We are giving back to the communities in which we live and work, including support to help teachers provide the highest need students the educational materials and technology they need to learn from home.
To learn more about the company, our strategy, and our financial performance, visit investors.horacemann.com. Thank you for being a shareholder.
Marita, thank you for your comments. I now call on Mr. Carley to report to you on the preliminary shareholder vote on the business items before this meeting today.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, as inspector of election, certify that approximately 39.3 million shares or more than 99% have voted for the election of each of the persons nominated as director. Approximately 38.7 million shares, or 99%, have been voted approving the advisory resolution on named executive officers' compensation. Finally, approximately 38.5 million shares, or 97%, have been voted ratifying the appointment of KPMG as the company's auditors for 2020.
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 officers' compensation is approved, and KPMG has been ratified as the company's auditors for 2020. Congratulations, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your willingness to shoulder the responsibilities your position on the board requires. We did not receive any questions from shareholders for today's meeting. However, the company and management always welcomes the opportunity to engage with our shareholders and address questions. 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.