Pros
NM is a company where people truly care about doing the right thing, from the top of the organization on down. Because we are not publicly held and are owned by the policyowners, we have the ability to make decisions for the long term. That affects how we use capital, how we develop employees, how we make day-to-day business decisions. I wouldn't own insurance from anyone else, and I wouldn't want to work anywhere else (though I have). NM will be around for the next 150 years and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Cons
Career movement can be a little slow, and sometimes the consensus-oriented decisionmaking can be frustrating. Our desire to do the right thing means that sometimes we take a long time deciding what to do. But having seen the alternative at other companies (who shoot from the hip and then are out of business), it's a small price to pay.