Jeffrey Dailey
First American FinancialAbout Jeffrey J. Dailey
Jeffrey J. Dailey was appointed to First American Financial Corporation’s (FAF) board on November 4, 2025; as of that filing he had not yet been assigned to any board committees . He is a veteran insurance executive, notably serving a decade as CEO of Farmers Group, Inc., and currently sits on the boards of Verisk Analytics, Inc. and Liberty Mutual Holding Company; he holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and a BA in Economics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmers Group, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | “Decade-long tenure”; led acquisition/integration of MetLife’s P&C business | Customer-focused and innovation-driven transformation |
| Reliant Insurance | Founder & Chief Executive Officer | Not disclosed | Company later acquired by Bristol West Holdings |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verisk Analytics, Inc. | Director | Current | Public company board experience |
| Liberty Mutual Holding Company | Director | Current | Insurance industry board experience |
| Farmers Group, Inc. | Director | Prior | Prior board service |
| The Institutes | Director | Prior | Prior board service |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Not yet appointed to any committees as of the 8-K appointment filing .
- Independence status: Not yet disclosed for Dailey; FAF’s board determines director independence under NYSE standards and its corporate governance guidelines .
- Board meeting cadence and attendance: The FAF board met 6 times in 2024; no incumbent director attended less than 75% of combined board/committee meetings .
- Executive sessions: Non-management directors met four times; independent directors met once in executive session in 2024 .
- Board leadership: Chairman is Dennis J. Gilmore; lead independent director is Parker S. Kennedy .
Fixed Compensation (Director Program Structure)
| Component | 2024 Amount | 2025 Program Update | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $95,000 | $110,000 (effective Jan 2025) | Standard director cash retainer |
| Annual RSU grant (fair value) | $150,000 (granted 2/22/2024) | $160,000 (program increased Jan 2025) | Director RSUs vest over one year |
| Chairman of the Board additional retainer | $150,000 | $175,000 (effective Jan 2025) | Applies to board chair |
| Lead independent director additional retainer | $25,000 | $25,000 | Applies to lead independent director |
| Committee chair retainers | Audit: $25,000; Compensation: $15,000; Governance: $10,000 | Same (not changed in Jan 2025 update) | Committee chair fees |
| Committee member retainers | Audit: $15,000; Compensation: $10,000; Governance: $10,000 | Same (not changed in Jan 2025 update) | Committee member fees |
| Non-employee director total comp cap | ≤ $500,000 (cash + equity) per director per year | Cap continues | Plan-imposed annual limit |
Note: Dailey’s individual cash/equity awards for 2025 have not been disclosed; above reflects FAF’s standing program for directors .
Performance Compensation
- Not applicable for non-employee directors at FAF. Director equity grants are time-based RSUs that vest over one year; all outstanding awards vest upon retirement (irrespective of length of service prior to retirement) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current boards: Verisk Analytics, Inc.; Liberty Mutual Holding Company .
- Watchpoints: Potential information flow or vendor/customer overlap should be monitored; FAF’s related-party transaction policy requires review/approval for transactions >$120,000 involving directors or immediate family members, with categorical independence standards applied . No related-party transactions involving Dailey are disclosed to date .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic and innovative leadership of multibillion-dollar insurance businesses; deep operations and technology-driven transformation experience .
- Education: MBA (University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee); BA in Economics (University of Wisconsin–Madison) .
Equity Ownership
| Data Point | Value | Date/Source |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial common shares owned | 0 shares (no securities beneficially owned) | Form 3 filed Nov 12, 2025 |
| Derivative securities | None reported | Form 3 |
| Director stock ownership guideline | ≥ 5x cash retainer; RSUs count; 5 years to comply | Proxy 2025 |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for insiders under FAF policies | Proxy 2025 |
| Pre-clearance of trades | Required under FAF insider trading policy | Proxy 2025 |
Governance Assessment
- Positives
- Deep insurance and risk management expertise beneficial to audit/risk oversight and digital transformation strategy; prior CEO track record with major integration (MetLife P&C) .
- Strong director compensation governance: explicit caps, prohibition on repricing, dividend handling on unvested equity, and recoupment provisions under the plan .
- Robust board processes (majority voting in uncontested elections, regular executive sessions, annual evaluations) support board effectiveness .
- Watchpoints
- Initial ownership is zero; alignment expected to grow via RSU grants and adherence to stock ownership guidelines over a five-year horizon .
- Independence designation for Dailey not yet disclosed; confirm status upon next proxy/update .
- Multiple board commitments (Verisk, Liberty Mutual) warrant monitoring for time allocation and potential information/interlock considerations; no conflicts disclosed to date, but related-party policy governs .
- Red flags
- None disclosed regarding legal proceedings, related-party transactions, pledging/hedging, or option repricing; FAF policies and plan terms mitigate these risks .
Insider Filings Snapshot
| Filing | Key Details | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Form 8-K | Appointed to FAF board; no committee assignments yet | Nov 4, 2025 |
| Press Release (Ex. 99.1) | Background, current boards, education; rationale for appointment | Nov 4, 2025 |
| Form 3 | Initial statement of beneficial ownership; no securities owned | Nov 12, 2025 |