For the fourth consecutive year, EMC Insurance Group Inc. is listed as one of the 40 best public companies for leaders in the January/February 2016 issue of Chief Executive magazine. EMC ranks second this year, moving up from fourth in 2015. According to the magazine, EMC finished “just a fraction below” General Electric Co. and remains listed among other notable companies including IBM Corp., Verizon Communications Inc. and 3M Corp. “Our investment in professional development enables us to fill a majority of open management positions with internal candidates, and our knowledgeable team members help give EMC a competitive advantage over other companies.” EMC President and CEO Bruce Kelley said in a release. The annual ranking is based on a survey of organizations worldwide conducted by Chief Executive in cooperation with GrowthPlay. Another Iowa-based company, HNI Corp., was ranked No. 29 on the list.