The tragic events of Sept. 11 rallied associates across the country to give blood and raise money for the relief efforts. Conseco announced that it would give up to $1 million to the families of the police and firefighters who were killed trying to help their fellow citizens.

Associates continued to work with determination. Wendt noted that progress on outsourcing, Cost Out and Process Excellence initiatives continues.

For the 29 Conseco associates who were working at exlService in Delhi, India the week of the attacks, there was just no place like home. Don Papp, assistant vice president, insurance operations, explained that when the group first heard that a plane had hit tower one of the World Trade Center, they didn't understand the magnitude of the situation.

"I felt disbelief at what was happening. I had a group of folks there and my first reaction was "What were they thinking?" I wanted to give them the support that they needed," he said.

The U.S. Embassy in Delhi was put on high alert and armed guards escorted the Conseco group to their hotel. Their immediate fear was that if America retaliated, they wouldn't be able to leave India. Late Thursday the group learned they had Saturday flights to Sydney, where they wouldn't be able to leave would stay until the following Wednesday. Many in the group returned to work in the U.S. the following Thursday.

"The support we received from exlService, HR, security and the travel group was overwhelming," said Papp. "They did an excellent job notifying our families and updating them. I couldn't praise them enough for what they did."

Bill Lissenden, vice president, Conseco Capital Management, recalled the skyline of lower Manhattan before the WTC was built in a CCM publication called Top Down. He went through the complex twice a day for 23 years while working in the financial district. The destruction of it devastated him.

"I had this empty, disbelieving feeling. The two images that stand out are what the skyline looked like before and after and seeing the second plane crash in real time. Few images have struck me so harshly. It reminded me of watching Jack Ruby kill Lee Harvey Oswald in real time. It hit me personally because I spent so much of my life there. I won't ever get over this," said Lissenden.

In his position, Lissenden travels a great deal but he's hesitant to get on a plane. "I will in the near future. It was difficult to concentrate the first couple of weeks. My job is to observe the financial markets, interpret the markets and come to investment conclusions that will help the company. With all of the emotion following that horrible attack, it was hard to keep your eye on the ball. But you get back to doing what you do. I'm most of the way there," said Lissenden.