In 1899, Alfred M. Best started working out of a one-room office in New York City. At the time, he didn’t realize he was not only starting a company but creating the world's first credit rating agency. Since then, AM Best has grown to become the largest credit rating agency in the world specializing in the insurance industry, as well as a news publisher and data analytics provider. We’ve come a long way from the one-room office where the company started in 1899, and we’d like to share the story with you.
The AM Best Business Trilogy tells the story of AM Best, its founder, and the credit rating industry.
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The AM Best Business Trilogy was printed by Taylor Corporation on text and cover stock that is FSC certified and contains 30% post-consumer recycled fiber. The printing process used clean manufacturing principles including green chemistry, use of low VOC (volatile organic compounds) inks, and recycling of residual materials.
*These estimated environmental impacts were calculated using the Environmental Paper Network's Paper Calculator. FSC is not responsible for any calculation on savings resources by choosing this paper.
Printing these books on paper made with post-consumer recycled fiber saves:
963 trees
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813,000 lbs of green house gas
23.9 acres of land
See what reviewers are saying about The AM Best Business Trilogy.
AM Best’s company story is developed through the words of those who devoted their lives to it.
—Clarion Review, The Company
Makes the life of the businessman fascinating.
—BlueInk Review, The Man
The book ultimately offers useful information not just on credit ratings, but also on the world economy.
—Kirkus Reviews, The Industry
This thoughtfully produced book would likely be appreciated most by those with an interest in business or finance, although it may also appeal to readers who enjoy learning about how events in American history impacted our country’s development and evolution.
—BlueInk Review, The Company
Its articulate and insightful presentation will make it a welcome addition to any bookshelf.
—BlueInk Review, The Man
It contextualizes the importance of credit ratings, showing how they spread across the globe, guiding investors through economic booms and crises.
—Clarion Review, The Industry
…the writing style is engaging, rather than dry, and delightful anecdotes about human nature are interspersed throughout.
—BlueInk Review, The Company
The Man is a robust biography that pays tribute to Alfred M. Best, the founder of a credit rating business.
—Clarion Review, The Man
Readers interested in learning how credit rating agencies got to where they are today will find this a useful reference.
—BlueInk Review, The Industry
Seamlessly weaving together the disparate components of Best’s complicated life.
—BlueInk Review, The Man
This series opener delivers a highly articulate look at the topic of credit and how it relates to the economy as a whole.
—Kirkus Reviews, The Industry
The Company is a hefty company biography, showing how AM Best revolutionized the credit rating industry.
—Clarion Review, The Company
The Man should capture an audience well beyond readers in the insurance trade.
—BlueInk Review, The Man
…the book lavishes emphasis on the race between credit rating agencies and the impact of congressional acts.
—Clarion Review, The Industry
The Man is a robust biography that pays tribute to Alfred M. Best, the founder of a credit rating business.
—Clarion Review, The Man
AM Best’s The Industry chronicles the credit rating industry’s past with diligence and a wealth of insider knowledge.
—Clarion Review, The Industry
…it is meticulous in its tracking of the industry into the present.
—Clarion Review, The Industry
…this weighty and ambitious book shows how credit rating businesses developed and evolved in the United States.
—Clarion Review, The Industry