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John McTigue The Gift of High Expectations

To John Bon Voyage From all of us at the McTigue Financial Group

McTigue Granum and Beckley John McTigue has spent the last 20 years transforming the way Northwestern Mutual provides services to their clients taking the McTigue Financial Group from primarily a life insurance firm to a full financial services agency He stepped into the top spot of the Chicago office having to fill the big shoes of Bill Beckley and Al Granum before him A pesky question may have entered his mind How do you top greatness Turns out he knew exactly how To understand how McTigue ended up a leader among leaders leaving the Chicago flagship office in the best shape it s ever been in its 140year history it helps to look from where he came John grew up in Ft Dodge Iowa a small midwestern town where John always said the major occupation was jury duty said Kathy Gaughan previously CFO of the McTigue Financial Group Interestingly enough McTigue s father uncle cousin and brother all found their way to Northwestern Mutual 3

It s in his family blood said Gaughan McTigue attended Catholic schools all his life growing up under the careful eye of the Sisters John s father sent him to the local hardware store one day to buy four Ping Pong paddles then gave the nuns full permission to use them on him said Gaughan Possibly as a result of a misbehaved childhood McTigue developed a wicked sense of humor in addition to a severe stutter that would remain with him until later in life His ability to make anyone laugh helped deflect attention away from any speaking difficulties he may have had Think of the determination said Gaughan John goes into a business of cold calling He would tell his callers If you don t buy this policy then I m going to read it to you Key values instilled from that small midwestern town such as hard work honesty and generosity shaped John McTigue into the man he is today He s been known to cry at the drop of a hat a true sign of his passionate beliefs and dedication to taking care of his neighbor John McTigue started his career in field management as a managing director of the Edina office of Jack Brown s Minneapolis general agency He soon served as president of the Managing Directors Association and was viewed by many as the most talented and energetic managing director in the entire company So in 1995 when William Bill Beckley the then exiting managing partner of the downtown Chicago general agency came looking for a replacement the choice was easy 4

Before the company offered McTigue the job Beckley went to Gene Storms who was his managing partner in Minneapolis The minute Beckley mentioned he was leaving Chicago for the home office Storms let out an expletive He knew he had lost McTigue John had been offered to take over many different agencies but Gene knew he would go to Chicago said Beckley Part of this draw was a long standing legacy put forth by McTigue s predecessors Bill Beckley Al Granum John Jamison Hobart Oates and others before them had over the years elevated the Chicago agency to one of the top performers in all of Northwestern Mutual When Bill left to take on a role in the home office I had him promise me to get the pick of the litter as a replacement said Gregg Neiman who has been a leading financial representative for the Chicago office for 34 years And he delivered Bill Beckley knows well what it s like to follow a great leader When you take over greatness there s a tremendous fear that you could destroy the best agency in the company I just remember thinking how do I not mess this up John had to feel the same way John McTigue decidedly did not mess it up The office thrived under his leadership remaining the most productive office within Northwestern Mutual then blowing the lid off the entire industry He took a group that had historically dealt in insurance plans and was starting to dabble in financial services and made it a full service financial planning firm John carried a big torch coming in and he managed to make it burn brighter said Gregg Neiman Higney and McTigue circa 2003 McTigue in California 2013 5

McTigue Winter Staff Outing But things weren t always smooth sailing for McTigue During his early days as Managing Partner in Chicago he found himself spread too thin He burned out He was trying to be everything for everyone said Gaughan We had our fights our disagreements But we never held grudges over it We respected each other so much Beckley recalls an interesting phone call that he received early on in McTigue s time as Managing Partner I was in Milwaukee and John asked me to come down and spend the day with him They met and John spelled out his dilemma He said When I came to Chicago I was totally prepared to run a life insurance agency When I got here I found I was running a financial services company He was drowning During that trip Beckley helped him separate the parts of the job that he was good at from the tasks he should delegate From that John created a new Chief of Development position at the agency which Andrew Higney was more than happy to fill It has been amazing working alongside John said Higney He has this amazing business mind but at the same time is a visionary in his thinking He challenges us all to grow And he s also a ton if fun This perfect combination has served McTigue well Even though he was inheriting an extremely successful office he had to rebuild it from the ground up You re borrowing funds to pay the outgoing guy and borrowing on future performance explained Gaughan It s not for the fainthearted Unless you re good it can be a disaster 6

Thankfully McTigue was good When Bill Beckley became Managing Partner in 1986 he doubled the size of the office John took over in 1995 and blew the doors clear off He grew this place more than anybody thought possible said Kathy Gaughan He was never driven to be the biggest but wanted to make Chicago the best agency he could said Bill Beckley He took over when nobody knew where we were going as an industry and created a future model with no blueprint He also helped everyone else see what he was trying to build This model included Northwestern Mutual s core life insurance offerings but also full financial services Nothing was off the table during meetings with McTigue Despite business titles and separate job functions he hated bureaucracy There was a real benefit to that said Kathy Gaughan We could get things done quickly Not everything worked and that s ok We could implement and change directions quickly Not only was the group financially successful its employees were happy too In 2010 the McTigue Financial Group was awarded the 1 Best Place to Work by Crain s Chicago Business It has since ranked in the Top Ten Club 476 Trip Napa CA Sept 2013

Com Com Meeting from Ed Koz When you look out the window and see 30 miles of business in every direction it makes you realize that s quite a statement said Gregg Neiman The work culture at the group may be productive but it is anything but cutthroat As Managing Partner McTigue has pushed forward a motto originally established by Al Granum You either lift people up or beat them down If you re beating them down you can go work somewhere else said Neiman McTigue expects a lot from his team with the promise that they will be supported and guided along the way He and his management team are committed to making sure every team member can succeed John believes in the gift of high expectations said Andrew Higney Some people might see that as a burden but to John it s a gift He believes in his people and expects a lot out of them Gregg Neiman agrees He inspires growth in people and then helps them achieve that He leaves people better than you found them Kathy Gaughan reflected back on her time working with McTigue 8

As I look back on it he gave you that feeling that you could make a difference He wanted to make sure people felt that way Besides being extremely successful in business McTigue made sure his team had time with their families and loved ones He was a huge supporter of philanthropic efforts such as Alex s Lemonade Stand I remember more than once an employee might have been in trouble for one reason or another and John just took care of it said Gaughan He has this innate moral center and integrity One of Andrew Higney s most poignant memories of McTigue is over a lake house in Michigan Over many years of working with him I had told him I always wanted to buy a lake house for my family Well one day he calls me into his office and tells me it s time to make that a reality McTigue knew Higney s children were growing up and saw the potential missed opportunity We figured out a plan to make it happen and I bought the house six months later It was such a personal moment I will forever be indebted to him Club 517 Trip Las Vegas Oct 2015

Summer Staff Outing 2013 Suzanne Kopoulos and McTigue 2012 John McTigue s keen business sense is perfectly balanced with his wonderful sense of humor Many of his colleagues had colorful stories of classic McTigue moments One of Bill Beckley s first memories of McTigue is driving him after a night out in Milwaukee In those days my hair was receding going from the back first John had found a first aid kit in the backseat and proceeded to tape a big bandage to the back of my head He said You re blinding me We barely knew each other Gregg Neiman recalled a moment from 1995 involving a golf cart in Galena It was early in McTigue s tenure in Chicago John was trying to get to know everyone and son of a gun we ran out of beer said Neiman So John and the four of us Tom Walder Leslie Stafanick Tom Jacobs and I borrowed a golf cart to get more The group bought several more cases of beer Between the oversized load and the five adults spilling out of the cart the drive back was perilous What McTigue didn t know as he was coming up an embankment was that there was a sandtrap on the other side We were airborn said Neiman The golf cart now lying sideways in sand was stuck Course security was quickly on the scene McTigue relied on some quick thinking to avoid further trouble by turning to the security guard and pleaded Please please don t tell Mr McTigue That was our first glance of John McTigue at work said Neiman He is the master of dodging bullets 10

John McTigue s next move is proof that he believes in what he preaches grow or die He s put in 36 years with Northwestern Mutual and turns 60 next April Many would consider retirement But McTigue knows he can make a difference for the company in this new role taking an extremely successful model he created in Chicago and growing it on a national scale He s not leaving for financial reasons said Gregg Neiman He wants to make a bigger difference He s truly doing it for the love of the company His Chicago team will miss him but know the agency will be in good hands with Corey McQuade McTigue s successor Neiman offers up thanks to his departing leader and good friend I just can t come up with the words to thank John enough He is one of the most remarkable men I ve ever met in my life John should take comfort in knowing that he didn t screw it up said Bill Beckley He is a great man and he s done a great job raising this agency to heights never dreamed of Andrew Higney wants McTigue to know Chicago s covered He should have the confidence knowing we will continue in the great tradition he has entrusted in us Kathy Gaughan wishes her old friend the best knowing the company will benefit from McTigue s fresh and bold ideas I don t think the home office is prepared for him But if there was one person in the company to do this job it s John It s like a game with him and John always wins Annual FR Awards Ball Jan 2012

Many of the current and retired representatives and MFG employees were asked to submit answers to one or both of the following prompts What is my fondest memory of John What impact John has made on my life The responses are as diverse as McTigue himself 12 from Jeannette Guck

John Thank you for all your support over the years The impact you have made in my life is immeasurable I wish you all the best at moving forward Greg Gertz John I thought Granum had one of the company s most successful agencies and then came Beckley and he took it to a whole new level But then came you Your leadership vision and success will not be surpassed Sincerely Will Munnecke 13

John has been my only Managing Partner since joining the McTigue Financial Group and I m so fortunate to have such a great leader By setting up the firm s culture of accountability it has allowed myself and others succeed at a level and age I didn t know was possible I m grateful to have John as our leader and can t wait to see what the next few years will bring Congrats and thank you John for being our leader these last 20 years 14 Michael Stahl

John I want to thank you for all your years as managing partner and the impact you ve had on my life In looking back it wasn t until I went to FastTrack that I realized what a truly unique office and culture we had at MFG Since then I have certainly tried not to take it for granted Being a part of Comcom was impactful as it allowed me to see how you deeply care about the firm I always believed you were determined to do the right thing You personified servant leadership in many many ways and that is very rare in today s culture business world Thank you for all you have done and I wish you the best of luck in your next adventure I have no doubt you will continue to flourish and in doing so allow us to flourish behind your leadership David G Milonas Over the course of my career my most memorable experience was when he chaired The Annual Meeting and graciously allowed my father and me to speak at The Annual Meeting He provided unconditional support throughout the process and most importantly enabled one of my most memorable experiences with my father of which we still talk about today I remember right before we walked onto the main stage John said to me Adam just have some fun out there John has always known what to say with the perfect zeal and is truly a class act Jodie and I consider John and Vanessa family and treasure our time together John thank you thank you thank you You will be missed immensely in Chicago forever remembered and ALWAYS felt in our hearts Adam and Jodie Waitzman 15

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My fondest memory of John McTigue and there have been many was in September 2001 We were scheduled to leave for the annual New Client Trip on September 12 We all know what happened the day before John made the decision as our leader to postpone the trip We all know that John is not the type to cancel a party However he declared It is not appropriate for the men and women of our organization to spend 3 days celebrating when so many are suffering at this moment in time I always knew I trusted John to do the RIGHT THING no matter what As a young rep at the time just a couple years in and really looking forward to this trip this decision made a lasting impact on me At a time when so many of us were confused with what had just happened in our country John gave me the confidence that no matter what I could rely on him to do the right thing John s impact on me is immeasurable John has believed in me when I didn t believe in myself He has been a shoulder to cry on and a swift kick in the rear at the same time He has been more than a managing partner to me I often tell him I love him because I do I started my career at the age of 21 with no business or sales experience and very little confidence He asked me if I believe in my ability to follow instructions and do the work required to be successful John stuck with me through all of the tough times and the best of times He is truly a father figure to me and I am forever grateful to him for the message he continues to send which is If this thing were easy nobody would make any money any impact or have any fun Don t confuse a difficult task with one that isn t worthwhile Make this your life s mission and you will be rewarded You re only as good as those you surround yourself with Choose wisely Where else to you get to hang out all day with your best friends and get paid to do it Tom Rossi 17

No memory book could possibly be complete without a copy of the famous Bathroom Incident memo Ed Koznarek May 11 2001 To All Ladies Who Use the 7th 8th Floor Washrooms From Kathy Gaughan First of all I would like to apologize for the content of this memo I do not relish discussing such an unpleasant and graphic topic However for the second time in several weeks someone has had an accident in the ladies room that has left fecal matter on the commode and on the floor It is difficult for me to imagine that the person responsible for this would not make every attempt to clean this up herself As it was we had to have building maintenance come to do so and we were charged a hefty fee for the service I certainly was embarrassed to have them witness this situation We have had several other unpleasant situations in the washrooms as well I am loathe to think of the impression that this would leave upon a client coming in for a medical exam at this reputable company I would like to ask everyone to take responsibility for her personal hygiene Please before you leave the bathroom stall check to see that you have left it in the same manner in which you would like to enter it Please be sure that the toilet is flushed Please be sure that if you have had an accident you clean up after yourself Please do not dispose of sanitary products in the toilet there are containers for that If there is a problem with the toilet please notify us immediately And last but not least please wash your hands when leaving the bathroom I know that most people reading this memo are very diligent about personal hygiene and I again want to apologize that it was necessary to send out this memo to everyone It is my hope that I never have to address this issue again 18

John you have been an innovative and courageous leader within the Northern Mutual and in part have been responsible for the successful careers of many agents at the McTigue agency I wish continued success and good health to you and your family as you sail into the next 20 years Mike McGill My fondest memory of John was at a new client 3 s outing very early in his tenure John and Steve Holter wrestled each other in the corner of the dining room Like two brothers going at it they wrestled each other with boundless joy enthusiasm and laughs It was hilariously entertaining John was just another one of the guys John has helped me see the world with abundance not scarcity He has encouraged and cultivated a positive can do outlook on life that I can bring to myself my family and my clients Scott A Goldstein

20 Dear John Before the announcement of your move to the home office I had already written He s the definition of best practices in our business and a role model inspiration beyond the business I d like to add now that I remember your speaking years ago of your mixed feelings about how your leadership style would have to change as the agency grew But you succeeded in organizing your work through lieutenants while continuing to connect positively with anyone in front of you I join so many others in deep gratitude for your years in Chicago and in very best wishes for your next style shift Randy Huyck

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Hi John I have so many thoughts about our time together and thought this may be a good venue to share a few memories I recall your installation breakfast and how you came here with such energy enthusiasm and sheer courage I loved that moxie I recall thinking that someday I would work more closely with you and be a leader here Three years later you provided that opportunity to me by trusting me to help you develop our new reps Your successor was one of those new reps How funny is that That s awesome I recall your first New Client trip to Galena need I say more I recall when you had me in your office and asked me to succeed Effner and I thought to myself I can t do this Little did I know You really made us laugh as we spent a day together on our trip to see Phil Richards in Minneapolis and I recall our great dinner together there What a blast You have pushed me like NO one else in my life and I am forever grateful for that as is Mel Mel If I am not In management I may not have been able to develop such a nice friendship with Melanie Boy how did that work out in my favor or whaaatttt I love you like an older brother and forever will think of you as a friend and mentor Fondly Tom 22

Dear John In the 20 years that I have had the pleasure of working with you I ll always remember fondly collaborating with you when we both served as presidents of our respective associations While attending the numerous regional meetings I gained a heighted appreciation for being a member of your agency When reps from around the country asked me about our agency I found it easy to sing your praise I said things like John is a great role model to us as reps because he takes calculated risks to grow personally and professionally He understands that the best investment you can make is in people He leads by example in hiring great talent John would say if you can get 80 of what you need from an assistant then it s okay to let the other 20 go Don t sweat the small stuff When the record is written about your legacy I know with conviction at the top of the list of accomplishments will be the single fact that you led the agency with your heart You always put the needs of your reps above your personal interests and you were generous in more ways than I can count Of the three great GA s I had the honor of working with I feel lucky to have spent the majority of my career with you I will always cherish these times and I will always be your biggest supporter Good luck on your next chapter With warmest regards Steve Braun 23

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The setting of this story is the 3 s outing in Jamaica It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and we had decided to play a game of volleyball in the pool We were having a fun time drinking and playing when a beautiful woman came out to the pool to sun bathe She was in a very skimpy bikini with an American flag design John brought us all together at the edge of the pool called us all to attention made us salute and turn to the woman and led us in singing the Star Spangled Banner The woman absolutely split a gut as everyone else did at that the pool This is just another example of John s quick witted ability It took John only a nano second to concoct this fun little ditty Tom Jacobs During an annual meeting at Mo s if I m not mistaken my brother shared the news with John that him and his fianc were expecting The happiness that John expressed that came along with a big hug and held back tears made me realize that this is where I wanted to be forever Alberto Bolanos 25

John I remember when you were first diagnosed with prostate cancer You shared with me how you wanted to see your children grow up and how you felt that your son especially needed you My father also became a father later in life My father also struggled with prostate cancer I have a newfound appreciation for what my father may have gone through I am grateful that you were willing to be vulnerable with me about this It means a lot I am even more grateful that you have kicked prostate cancer s butt which is something my father was unable to do I appreciate that you gave me a chance when I was trying to get started in the investment business You took a chance on me and I am extremely grateful for that opportunity and hope you feel that I have repaid this favor I appreciate how you have made the time and worked with me when I needed your counsel I have appreciated your wisdom over the years I ve always appreciated that you understood my business model well enough to have great feedback on it I know that is rare in the system I ve always felt that you had my back Christina In the interview John s written white board explanation of the benefits of working for Northwestern Mutual including being a statutory employee had an impact on me P Timothy Uihlein My fondest memory of John was certainly when he was skiing behind me on the slopes in Breckenridge when he started yelling about how much he was enjoying looking at my backside John has had an impact on my life encouraging success work ethic accountability and family responsibility John is proof that a solid work life balance does exist and should be enjoyed by everybody John has been a great mentor and friend and I very much appreciate the opportunity he has given me by being a member of this firm 26 Jeffrey Freedman

I have really enjoyed the train time I got to spend with John on our FRA committee It is very apparent that John is extremely smart funny and cares greatly about all of us I m going to paraphrase something John said on a train ride that really struck me Everything I have ever dreamt of achieving in my life I have accomplished with hard work through this business and company That s very inspiring Benjamin Voigt 27

John has had an amazing impact on my life He has provided me the opportunity to control my own destiny which not many people can say My impact on this world will be greatly magnified by John s willingness to take a chance on me and open doors that I did not even realize were imaginable For all this I am forever grateful God bless Pat Joyce 28

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There are so many memories to choose from but my most memorable was having John join in me Tampa Florida for a conference this year We got a chance to party on a yacht in the rain We had so much fun that we gave the captain a bit of a scare That whole weekend was by far my fondest memory of John In a sense it was a foreshadowing of his new role I am so excited for him and there is no one else I would rather have not just representing me at the home office but advocating for me Marisa Joseph 30

John is very special to me and of course all of us but one moment stands out regarding how inclusive he can be Two years ago at new client trip about 8 of us had not been asked to do dinner including John so he ended up taking us all to dinner and we had a ball Rather than all of us being alone we had our own cool club The picture is from that night John leads from the front never afraid to show vulnerability and admit there is hard work ahead to achieve growth and success That attitude is contagious and makes us all better in the process Sara M Samuels 31

I don t know where to begin when discussing the impact John McTigue has had on my life As I now consider him moving on to great things at the Home Office my heart is filled with gratitude for all he s meant to me over the past 18 years I first met John in the early months of 1998 as a third year college student interviewing for a summer internship From the very beginning he was unlike anyone I had ever met He was kind and warm gracious and caring I couldn t help but be impressed by his presence and his success yet there was never an air of superiority about him and I was humbled that he would take hours of time to talk with me about the opportunity that existed with Northwestern Mutual There was never a doubt in my mind that I wanted to work not just for Northwestern Mutual but specifically for John McTigue Some of my fondest memories of John are from the early years of my career I remember that I was invited to the Sales Congress in Galena that first summer as an intern Due to some over aggressiveness by me I managed to break the front door of one of the homes in which we were staying When we got back to work the next week John called me to his office and like a loving father firmly but kindly discussed what had happened and much to my surprise told me he would pay for the cost of repairs I was so relieved The memories over the years are varied and joyful from new client trips Forum trips Black Tie events and many hours in his office receiving his counsel Those experiences and memories are some of 32

the fondest in my life as well as for Jaimie from the trips and events she s been able to attend But as much as these great events hold a warm place in my heart when I think of John I first and foremost think of the small acts of kindness over the years that aren t as obvious I think of the numerous times he s bought my lunch when we happen to meet in the cafeteria the drinks he s purchased when we bump into him at the annual meeting the jokes and stories we ve shared at Champ s in Lake Geneva and of course the hugs In fact the most emotional memory I have with John was from back in 2004 I had received a diagnosis of having a brain aneurysm that required more testing and observation and ultimately after about two months of testing it was determined that I was misdiagnosed and simply needed to change the migraine medication I was taking I m not sure how he found out that the initial diagnosis was incorrect but I saw him for the first time a day or two later in the cafeteria He spotted me before I saw him and came up to me in the middle of the room with tears in his eyes threw his arms around me and told me how much he loved me and how happy he was to hear that I was going to be alright For me that is the essence of John He cares deeply loves warmly and he s not afraid to demonstrate that publicly often and deeply And so I want to express my deep appreciation gratitude and love for all you have done for me John You told me recently that one of the best parts of your role as a Managing Partner was the opportunity to watch college kids grow into men and how proud of you were of me having known me from the time I was 21 to who I ve become today John the truth is that I wouldn t be nearly the man I am without your kindness care guidance and love you ve given me over the years From the bottom of my heart thank you and may God continue to bless you and your family as you begin this next chapter of your life With love and warmth John Roland 33

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Lots of laughs and good memories but my fondest memory is from the Specialist trip to Jamaica in 1996 It was very clear to everyone that you knew how to have a good time Between scuba diving group meals cocktails by the pool and cigars in between I think you were smiling or smirking the entire time But for me the specific memory came during a little competition that the resort organized on the beach one day The resort MC asked who would like to compete in the Goat Race event With a drink in one hand and a cigar in the other you agreed to participate Four or five goats were brought out each with a lead around their neck The rules were pretty simple first team to cross the finish line would win the event I m not sure what you did with your drink but when the starting horn unexpectedly sounded and the goats started running I witnessed the quickest smoothest cigar transition from your hand to your mouth that I had ever seen you needed both hands on the rope and you sure as hell weren t going to let a good cigar go to waste by pitching it I honestly can t remember if you won the race but I came away very impressed with your style I knew the agency was in good hands and that the ride was going to be a lot of fun Thanks for everything and good luck with your newest challenge Gordon Gruenes 35

My dear Friend John I remember the first time I met you It was at the Beckley Bash in Milwaukee when you tried to crash the Beckley Agency party where Ro and I were guarding the door With your charm and engaging wit you were able to talk your way into the party The photographer snapped a picture of you Ro and me to commemorate the moment As the picture was being taken you raised your leg for me to hold Thus my first impression of you was here is one wild and crazy guy Shortly after that Bill decided to go to the home office and the search to replace him began in Milwaukee Most of the candidates whose names were on the Home Office short list I knew by reputation only I wasn t sure I wanted to work for any of them I knew you only by our brief encounter memorialized in the picture I put my resume together It was at the Midland Hotel that you gave your introductory remarks as the new Chicago Managing Partner You were soft spoken humble and teary eyed throughout your speech I was dumbfounded I was expecting something quite different from the Minnesota cowboy What I later came to realize was that both of these images and more were parts of the complex persona of John McTigue You and I had a bit of a rocky start You didn t know me from Adam and here I was telling you that your money had somehow become my money Looking back on it I don t know why you didn t fire me right then and there But for some reason you didn t That was very fortuitous for me Somehow you overlooked my initial brash behavior and we continued to work together for sixteen more years until I retired I can t begin to tell you what it meant working for you for those sixteen years Most people could never imagine having a professional career where you work for someone for whom you have the most profound respect where you are respected for your efforts where you are continually challenged and where you absolutely love the people with whom you work Every day as my commuter train pulled into downtown Chicago my breath quickened there was a bounce in my step and my spirits soared because I was going to work at The McTigue Financial Group I don t think you realize the skills you possess because they are so innately part of who you are You are a true visionary which in itself is a rare commodity but you also have the strategic planning ability to make that vision a reality In addition you are able to articulate this vision so vividly to your organization that they heartily join you in the enterprise to accomplish this vision Who could imagine a Managing Partner saying his goal is for his Network Office to be the most productive agency in the world I don t think senior management at Northwestern Mutual would dare to say those words But you did in Chicago And everyone in the organization got on board and worked towards that goal Do you have any idea how exciting it was to be part of that dream 36

I know how fortunate I was to work for someone who challenges everyone to be his best It raises the bar for the whole organization You gave me projects I never thought I had the skills to complete and just expected that I would be able to do them I couldn t let you down You shared all of your skills with your management team constantly and helped us grow I appreciated that you communicated your strategic vision to each member of your management team and gave him the autonomy to implement it in the way he thought best You never insisted on micromanaging your team But neither did you abdicate your responsibility to lead For me this created the ideal working environment and I appreciated your management style I know how extremely unique this kind of professional environment is and I am eternally grateful to have experienced this in my career All of the above speaks to your professional expertise but it doesn t capture the entire persona of John McTigue Deep down I think you will always be a wild and crazy guy with the most amazing sense of humor and quick wit I have ever encountered But you learned to channel this energy as your career progressed What I most admired about you was your moral center and your integrity You always wanted to do what was right You truly cared about your employees and you made decisions to help individual employees that no business owner would have even considered And you never told anyone about your generosity Even in the downturn of 2008 when desperate people were making despairing choices you stayed the course You decided that none of your staff would lose his job regardless of the economic impact on you personally This was a heroic decision John I wish you the best in this new phase of your career I am so excited for you and for Northwestern Mutual now that you are going to be part of their senior management You are just what they need right now You have built the most successful Network Office of Northwestern Mutual in history and now you are going to bring your extraordinary gifts to the home office Of course NML has no idea of what they are really getting into Thoreau said Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them Thank God no one will ever say that about John McTigue Love Kathy Gaughan 37

John has had a huge impact on my career as well as personally I have always been independent and somewhat resistant to authority From the very beginning John understood me and what makes me function at a high level The last 20 years we have built a great friendship and an amazing working relationship I wish John all the best in his new endeavor and look forward to cracking open the Pappy Van Winkle soon in celebration Daniel Gould 38

John has made a tremendous impact on me and my Northwestern Mutual career I appreciate his confidence to invest in me to start my practice back in 1999 and helping me develop and grow as a business owner I cannot thank John enough for his leadership and words of wisdom and experience His jokes are cleaner and more politically correct today however there s always laughter surrounding John for which I will miss within our firm and monthly CBRT meetings I wish John McTigue much success at the home office continued good health and lots of humor Cheers your friend John Yale I ve always looked up to John as an exemplary leader because of his awesome ability to capture the attention of a room make someone feel special in a 60 second elevator ride and talk with someone as though they are the only person important in the moment John is awesome at uniting the family when it could feel like things are falling apart or it s the worst day ever I love his warmth and caring nature as well as his professionalism ethics confidence in being himself and confidence to be great He exemplifies all of the awesome things about this firm He will be greatly missed Lindsay Forbing 39

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Your clever anecdotes stories and metaphors will be sorely missed as will the occasional free tickets to the theater I want to thank you for helping guide my vision for success and belief in myself While it has taken me years to fully appreciate I believe that your greatest gift to me was that of high expectations When things felt great you challenged me to believe that I could accomplish so much more and when things were tough your minimums encouraged me to do what I felt was perhaps out of reach I am grateful for both your vision and the toughlove Thank you for the many opportunities you have enabled in my life through this wonderful career Joe Smith 41

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John my favorite memory of hanging out with you was when I went on my first Forum trip to the Greenbrier in 2012 I had never been on a Forum trip and didn t know what to expect but it turned out to be a trip of many firsts It was the first time I had seen a falconry show where the crazy lady had falcons and owls swoop down and eat food from her hand and the top of our heads It was the first time I had been fly fishing fortunately for us they stocked the pond with a thousand fish so everyone caught several fish and felt amazing about it And it was the first time that I went trap shooting perhaps the first time I held a loaded gun in my hand in our culture we only do that sort of thing when we serve in the military or go to war You had told me in the beginning of this career that if I followed the plan that you outlined and did the work that I would experience some amazing things You were right and wrong You were right in that I have experienced some amazing things including being able to do things for people like my dad that I never would have thought possible like buying him a home car and providing for his every need You were wrong in that you didn t emphasize enough how I would meet amazing people like you that would help shape not only my career path but the person that I am and am becoming which in turn will change this world for the better Richard Woo 43

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My fondest memory of John is when he initially came in to my internship training class and told us all the opportunities his career at Northwestern Mutual has allowed him to impact the financial future and security of the people he cared about It was so convicting and really allowed me to know that I was pursuing a job with a company that I could make a career John has impacted me most by his expectation that McTigue Financial Group is the pinnacle of Northwestern Mutual That drive for excellence drives my ambitions everyday Kenny Piccolo 47

I feel blessed to have come to MFG in 2004 I had worked for a slew of backstabbing bosses and took a leap of faith switching to a new career About 5 months into the business John saw me getting on the elevator and said Let me buy you lunch We went to 30 big spender and the first thing he asked me was How are things going and how can I help I had heard the question before at other jobs but the difference this time was that he meant it A few months back I was the only person on the elevator in the morning and shocked to be so lucky The elevator door had about 3 inches left to close when the tip of an umbrella came through and opened the doors My initial thought was great now 10 more people will get on and slow me down Instead it was John who came on larger than life grabbed me in a bear hug kissed me on the cheek and wished me a Good Morning Where else can you get that Thank you John for giving me the opportunity and for all that you have done to enable my career that has been more than I had ever dreamed Thank you for always expecting more of us than we ever did God bless you Dave Deegan 48

John I ve told you this before but I can t begin to tell you and can t share with you enough the impact you ve made on the people around you When you think about how many people you ve touched over a 20 year period from management to staff to reps to the clients of those reps none of us would be in the position we re in personally professionally or financially without you A few things that I ve learned from you that I will carry with me for the rest of my career are 1 The way you break down complex situations and make them seem so simple 2 The way you handled difficult conversations 3 The true care and sincerity you showed for everyone 4 For every negative comment you give give 2 positive ones Your vision leadership guidance expectation of success and the care you exude for others around you are all qualities that have made you the best Managing Partner in the country bar none Personally thank you for everything you ve done for me and my family It s been an honor working in your firm for 10 years Congrats on a great MP run Scott Evans 49

John I have been blessed with knowing the three greatest managing partners within the NML system since my career began with O Alfred Granum Bill Beckley and you Our careers started the same year as I began on July 5 1980 and you began sometime in August 1980 We are both concluding 35 years in the field and leaving at the same time I ll embrace retirement and you ll help lead the way for our great company I remember a couple of times you would call me about what wine to serve for your Christmas dinner party 2 hours before your guests arrived I had you as my guest to my International Wine and Food Society dinner at Les Nomades here in Chicago and remember when you were inducted into the Connoisseurs organization Your fondness for wine was something we could always talk about The Hartwell Cabernet magnums will be wonderful drinking experiences with each of your children and I know you and Vanessa will be so proud when you share these magnums with each of them The 1980 we shared 2 years ago at the retirement party was noteworthy and memorable You were very helpful when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer I appreciated the words of encouragement during that dark period of not knowing what to expect Thankfully we re both survivors along with Bill While you move to Milwaukee for the next chapter in your life you will not be too far from my wine storage locker at the East Bank Storage on Prospect Ave so when I come up I will make it a late afternoon so we can share a glass or three With gratitude Jamie 50

John Thank you for impacting and helping me create a better life for myself and family Dario Bolanos One of my fondest and favorite memories of John is when he took my wife and I along with a few others to dinner in celebration for writing 200 lives We had a lot of adult beverages that night John being the caring person that he is when he found out that Rosie and I were sharing a room with Chuck Volpentesta he immediately offered to have us stay in his connecting room He felt the need to bring Rosie up to his hotel to show off the space while he didn t realize we were at a different hotel all together Needless to say John is always looking to help others I am not sure I can appreciate today how much John has and will continue to impact my life He has always challenged me to do things I never thought imaginable I appreciate the amazing culture he has created within our firm and I try and bring those same values into building my own team The habits and core values he has instilled in me will stay with me for years and years to come Marc Rosenberg 51