Dan Amos Has Led Aflac For 35 Years
Dan Amos has led Aflac for 35 years.
In an era where the average CEO tenure is closer to seven, that longevity is a product of great leadership developed through self-awareness.
He scaled Aflac into a $19B business by staying grounded in three things:
• Clarity of priorities
• Consistency of culture
• Conviction in people
“I spend all my time hiring the right people.”
“If you don’t adapt, you’ll run off. Not changing is the kiss of death.”
Those aren’t just soundbites — they reflect how he actually leads.
His “management by walking around” style wasn’t for show.
It kept him connected — from Sunday check-ins with the team to decisive moments when brand risk surfaced.
When a crisis hit, he pulled all ads within 30 minutes. That wasn’t PR strategy — it was leadership in motion.
When I covered Aflac as a sellside analyst at Morgan Stanley in the early 2000s, I saw it firsthand:
→ Low turnover, high loyalty
→ Straight talk, no theater
→ Consistent execution
Yes, it was a family business — but Amos never coasted.
He was humble, focused, and always evolving.
At Eagle Talon, we look for the same traits:
→ Good habits that hold under pressure
→ Systems that scale beyond the founder
→ Leaders who grow with the role — not just stay in the seat
We don’t study résumés. We study patterns.
The markers of lived judgment — repeated over time, and tested through change.
We’re not chasing tenure.
But when it comes with adaptation and outperformance, it usually leaves a trail worth following.
Amos didn’t just hold the title.
He reshaped the company — and kept evolving his leadership with it.
🔗Read the full article: How this CEO built a 35-year reign at Aflac without burning out