How did you get started in the industry?
I’ve always been passionate about the environment and environmental issues. After graduation, multiple friends of mine began working in insurance. When I was approached to work for a leader in the environmental insurance industry, it was a great opportunity for me. Once I was able to find this niche, I knew working in environmental insurance was exactly what I wanted to do. Prior to my role at Burns & Wilcox, I led and worked in environmental risk at
AIG, among others.
What are the best parts of your job?
Being able to communicate with clients on a daily basis to help them best understand where their exposures lie is the best part. When I start explaining where certain exposures exist, clients often see their policies in a completely new light. Creating these relationships at Burns & Wilcox continually makes my job so special.
What challenges have you faced in your role?
Almost every insured faces some kind of environmental exposure, though most do not realize it. Clients believe that since they’ve not had an environmental claim, they don’t need coverage. Helping them to understand that absence of loss does not mean absence of risk is one of the greatest challenges we face in our industry. In addition, clients don’t realize there are coverage gaps on their GL policy.
What advice would you give to someone working their way up the insurance ladder?
My advice is to never stop learning. Continual self-education is vitally important. People who are hungry to learn and keep a sharp, crisp mind are those I personally look at when hiring and promoting at Burns & Wilcox. Whether it’s through continuing education, training courses, webinars, or events, activating the mind activates everything else.
If you weren’t working in insurance, what would you be doing?
Although I love environmental insurance, I think traveling to impoverished countries in a humanitarian lifestyle would appeal to me. Previously, I worked to help fund a program in Africa that provided shoes for the less fortunate. The idea of contributing to those who are not as fortunate has been rewarding.
What is your favorite hobby?
Traveling and spending my free time outdoors is what I enjoy most. I recently traveled to Italy and saw where my grandparents grew up, which was spectacular. Living in Colorado also presents itself with numerous opportunities to stay active outside. Hiking fourteeners – mountains of at least 14,000 feet – has become a weekend favorite, as well as visiting Lake Powell for family vacations.
