Tell us about your path at Selective so far.
It all started 21 years ago with an insurance career fair I attended during my senior year in college. I was getting my business degree, and I had no idea what the insurance world was all about. During high school and college, I worked for a construction company as a laborer and also helped with job site safety. When I saw that there was a position at Selective called "Loss Control" that included some of the activities I'd been exposed to in construction, I was intrigued. At that time, the local region wasn't hiring for any of those jobs, but through the Underwriter Trainee Program, Selective created a path for me to get into Loss Control.
After five years in the Underwriting department, I worked in the Field as a Risk Management Specialist for close to fifteen years. I truly enjoy helping our customers manage their risk by deploying strategies and controls to lessen or avoid the hardship that claims and losses bring to an organization. I've learned that insurance is more just bill pay... it's a promise to help put businesses back together when financial losses occur. Working with customers and agents that value this approach brings so much job satisfaction. I've recently been promoted to Risk Management Supervisor and now lead staff in NC, SC, and GA. It's my goal that we continue to implement strategies and value added services to help us "Be the Best" as a department and an organization. I owe it to my team to help them "Be the BEST" version of themselves because someone did it for me 21 years ago.
What qualities are "keys for success" for people on your team?
You need to have the mentality of two things: "How do I get to Yes," and "Run your territory like you own it." From trying to schedule a risk assessment with a customer, to explaining how a risk improvement has a positive benefit for them, "getting to yes" can be a challenge. Let's face it, within our industry, visits with "the safety rep" can either be positive (the customer sees value in our efforts to help manage their risk) or negative (the customer only sees the costs that may be associated with safety recommendations). By anticipating what the customer's response may be, creating a list of options, and explaining the benefits of the plan of action, we can "get to Yes."
Why is the work you do important?
Many of the customers we work with don't have budget for a full time Risk Director. Our Risk Management Specialists have the unique opportunity to act as risk management partners by educating customers about their exposures and the controls needed to reduce the possibility of a financial loss. When customers act on our guidance, they're protecting their businesses and positioning Selective to be more profitable because the opportunity for losses should be lessened.
You've been here a long time. What's different about Selective now compared to how it was when you joined?
There are so many new faces here compared to when I started, but the feeling that we are a family hasn't gone away. From my early days at Selective, I knew I wasn't just an employee listed on a spreadsheet - I am a person that is valued and recognized for my contributions. Selective's Management team often says that employees are our greatest resource, but more importantly, they show us through their trust in us, empowering us and ensuring we know we are appreciated.