Griswell joined the company in 1988 as an officer and agency vice president. He became senior vice president in 1991 and executive vice president in 1996. He was named president in 1998, became CEO in 2000 and chairman of the board in 2002. Prior to his association with the Principal Financial Group, he served as president and CEO of MetLife Marketing Corporation, a brokerage and supplementary distribution-marketing subsidiary of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

A native of Georgia, Griswell received his bachelor's degree from Berry College, Rome, Georgia and his master's degree from Stetson University, Deland, Florida.

Griswell is active in various industry and community organizations, including his current service as Chair of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), a board member of The Business Roundtable and a board member of Herman Miller, Inc. He is a member of the board of trustees of the S.S. Huebner Foundation for Insurance Education. He is a current trustee of Central College in Pella, Iowa and Berry College in Rome, Georgia. He is a director of the Business Committee for the Arts, trustee of United Way of America Board, and is a current chair of the United Way of America National Tocqueville Council. Griswell is a past president of the Federation of Iowa Insurers, past Chair of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, past chair of Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA) and past chair of Life Underwriters Trainers Council (LUTC). He received his Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation, Chartered Financial Consultant (CHFC) designation and is a Fellow of LIMRA Leadership Institute (LLIF). Griswell is a 2003 Horatio Alger Association Distinguished American Award winner and the 2003 recipient of the Oscar C. Schmidt Iowa Business Leadership Award. He has been inducted into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame, is a recipient of the national Alexis de Tocqueville Society award, a 2004 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and a 2004 recipient of the Central Iowa Philanthropic Award for Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser.

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