Good morning, welcome to the Selective Insurance Group's 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. I will now introduce Robyn Turner, Corporate Secretary. Please go ahead.
Good morning. I'm Robyn Turner, Corporate Secretary of Selective Insurance Group, Inc. We would like to begin with a short briefing about the process for today's meeting. John Marchioni, our Chairman of the Board of Directors, will call the meeting to order and deliver opening remarks. The annual meeting is a virtual meeting held exclusively via live audiocast. Stockholders who have logged into today's meeting using their 16-digit control number will be provided similar rights and opportunities to participate in the virtual meeting as they would at an in-person meeting. The meeting will follow the agenda displayed on the virtual meeting website. Following the call to order and Chairman's greeting, we will conduct the formal business of the meeting and then host a question-and-answer session. To ensure an orderly meeting, we ask that everyone follow the meeting procedures posted on the virtual meeting website.
If you experience any technical difficulties during the meeting, please call the technical support number provided on the virtual meeting website. I'll now introduce our Chairman of the Board of Directors, John Marchioni.
Thank you, Robyn, and good morning, everyone. I'm John Marchioni, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Selective Insurance Group, Inc. This meeting is now called to order. On behalf of the board, our management team and employees, I thank you for joining the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. This year, Selective proudly celebrates its 100th anniversary. For a century, the company has stood by our customers, distribution partners, employees and communities, protecting what matters most and helping our customers rebuild their lives and businesses when the unexpected happens. As we celebrate 100 years, we honor the dedication and passion of our employees, past and present, who've helped shape Selective's legacy. Joining me today are the 12 director nominees, Ainar Aijala, Lisa Bacus, Terry Cavanaugh, Kelly Doherty, myself, John Marchioni, Tom McCarthy, Steve Mills, Elizabeth Mitchell, C. Nicholson, Julie Parsons, Kate Sampson, and John Scheid.
We are also joined today by Michael Lanza, Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Compliance Officer, Patrick Brennan, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Joe Mbogo and Jennifer Johnson of KPMG LLP, the company's independent registered public accounting firm, and Louis Larson, representative of Broadridge Financial Services, who is serving as the inspector of election and took his oath of office, which will be reflected in the meeting's records. Robyn, the company's Corporate Secretary, will act as secretary of the meeting and report on the mailing of the notice of this meeting, the presence of a quorum, and the procedures we'll follow.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This meeting is being held pursuant to the notice of the meeting and proxy statement mailed on March 26th, 2026 to each stockholder of record as of the close of business on March 6th, 2026, in accordance with the company's bylaws. The inspector of election has advised that the holders of more than a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock as of March 6th, 2026 are present today, either virtually or by proxy. We have a quorum. The meeting may proceed. A list of stockholders entitled to vote is available during the meeting by clicking Registered Shareholder List in the footer of the meeting website. We will file all documents concerning this meeting's call and notice with the meeting's records. The agenda and rules of conduct and procedures are also available on the virtual meeting website.
A question- and- answer session will be held after the meeting's formal business concludes. Questions will be taken through the question- and- answer section of the meeting website. Only authenticated stockholders of record as of March 6th, 2026 or their valid proxy holders may ask questions. We will now introduce the proposals to be voted on today. When all proposals have been presented, if you wish to vote or change your previously submitted vote, please click on the voting button on the meeting website and follow the instructions there. The first proposal to be voted on is the election of the 12 directors nominated for a one-year term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting of stockholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualify. The director nominees are Ainar D. Aijala, Jr., Lisa Rojas Bacus, Terrence W. Cavanaugh, Robert Kelly Doherty, John J. Marchioni, Thomas A. McCarthy.
Stephen C. Mills, H. Elizabeth Mitchell, Cynthia S. Nicholson, Julie Parsons, Kate E. R. Sampson, and John S. Scheid.
The company's bylaws permit the nomination of directors by stockholders only by prior and proper written notice to the company. As there were no such nominations, the nominations are now closed. The board of directors has recommended a vote in favor of each director nominee.
The second proposal to be voted on is the approval on an advisory basis of the 2025 compensation of Selective's named executive officers.
The board of directors has recommended a vote in favor of proposal 2.
The third proposal to be voted on is the ratification of the audit committee's appointment of KPMG LLP as Selective's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026. Representatives of KPMG LLP are present and available to respond to appropriate questions from stockholders or make a statement if they wish to do so.
The board of directors has recommended a vote in favor of proposal three.
No additional shareholder proposals were received, and there are no additional matters to be voted upon at this meeting.
We will now proceed to vote on the agenda items. The polls are now open. Any stockholder present who has not yet cast their vote may do so now by clicking on the voting button on the meeting website and following the instructions there. If you previously voted by proxy, it is unnecessary to vote again unless you wish to change your vote. A change in vote will revoke any prior proxy you may have previously submitted. B eing no further votes, I now declare the polls closed for voting. Will the Secretary please report the preliminary results of the voting on the agenda items?
The Inspector of Election has reported that the votes on proposal one have been counted, and a majority of votes cast were voted in favor of each director nominee. The votes on proposal two have been counted, and a majority of votes cast were voted in favor of the approval on an advisory basis of the 2025 compensation of Selective's named executive officers. The votes on proposal three have been counted, and a majority of votes cast were voted in favor of the ratification of the Audit Committee's appointment of KPMG LLP as the company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026.
Based on the report of the Inspector of Election, I hereby declare that the stockholders have, one, duly elected each of the 12 director nominees. Two, approved on an advisory basis the 2025 compensation of Selective's named executive officers. Three, duly ratified the audit committee's appointment of KPMG LLP as the company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31st, 2026.
Mr. Chairman, the Inspector of Election will execute a final report on the voting results, which will be filed in the company's records together with the minutes of this meeting. The final tabulation of these votes will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
With no other business, the formal portion of the annual meeting is concluded. The 2026 annual meeting of the stockholders is hereby adjourned. We will now respond to questions. Any authenticated stockholder or their valid proxy holders wishing to address the meeting should ask questions in the designated field on the meeting website. It appears there are no questions, so on behalf of the board, our management team, and employees, thank you again for joining the 2026 annual meeting.
Thank you. The 2026 annual meeting of stockholders has now come to an end. Thank you for virtually attending. You may now disconnect.