Entries by Tori Snoddy

Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Mohamed ElHelaly

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Meet Mohamed ElHelaly:

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: In addition to staying updated within the insurance industry, it’s valuable for professionals to have a basic understanding of the industry they serve. Learning about the specific needs, challenges, and terminology of clients in industries like aviation, healthcare, or entertainment can help insurance professionals tailor their services more effectively and build stronger relationships with their clients. It’s a well-rounded approach to providing comprehensive insurance solutions.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: I am a big fan of sports in general with no favorite team- Except football/soccer 😀

Q: What do you find motivating?

Achievements, appreciation, and making a difference.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: Keychains and fridge magnets from cities that I visit around the world

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: That I get to work and deal with different cultures on a daily basis.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: Expanding your knowledge across all the insurance areas is a great plus.

Q: Share a fun fact about yourself!

A: I am a Divemaster, Motorcyclist, Kitesurfer, Snowboarder, and a Darts Player.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: Giving back to younger generation, and hopefully making an impact.

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Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Jarrod Zea

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Meet Jarrod Zea, Settlement Advisor at Ringler:

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: Networking will become one of your most valuable skills. Work on it.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: I am not a sports fan, but I do love the Dodgers.

Q: What do you find motivating?

  1. Work that makes a real impact in my community.
  2. Working with people who push me to always strive for more.
  3. Competition
  4. Money

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: Historical Artifacts like posters, old equipment, book, etc.

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: The negotiation or mediation process. I love sitting down with all parties and assisting in negotiation to bring out settlement.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: It’s OK to admit when you don’t know something.

Q: Share a fun fact about yourself!

A: I have 573 parachute jumps/skydives.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: What inspired me was the opportunity to be a part of an organization that help prospective insurance professionals get the contacts and education they need to begin a successful career.   I wanted to be a part of an organization that has a direct positive impact on the industry.

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Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Petyah Triche

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Meet Petyah Triche, Assistant Manager of Worker's Compensation at Broward Sheriffs Office

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

  • Find people you can collaborate with.
  • Having mutually beneficial relationships with your peers can be just as beneficial to your career growth as having a mentor.
  • It’s helpful to align yourself with a peer at work, a peer outside your agency but within the insurance field, and even a peer outside of our field who has similar goals but a different approach.
  • Consider fostering long-term partnerships with peers you can grow with, learn from and build something alongside.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: Dallas Cowboys!

Q: What do you find motivating?

A: My family. I constantly want to be better and work harder so I can be an example to my children. I want them to be the best they can be.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: I would say nothing, I’m a minimalist. But my husband would say purses. Its all about perspective! *wink*

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: No claim is the same so its never a boring day. Workers’ Comp for first responders can get pretty interesting. But mostly, I like helping people get back to them selves and back to saving lives.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: I wish I knew that it was OK to ask for more money and advocate for myself in pay negotiations.

Q: Share a fun fact about yourself!

A: I’m obsessed with true crime stories and cults. In my past life, I was either a criminal or a detective. You choose.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: It is refreshing. There are many different associations, but none that feel this fun, innovative, engaging, and down to earth. I feel like I’m with my peers not my superiors.

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Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Scott Francis

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Meet Scott Francis, VP of Strategic Accounts at Ethos Risk-

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: Be intentional about your career and where you want to invest your time and energy developing your skills. Of course, it is necessary to deliver the best performance in your current role, as well as looking to future opportunities and the required skills/experience to succeed in progressive roles.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: The Iowa Hawkeyes will always have a special place in my heart, and you can find me rooting for them, regardless of the sport. Also enjoy watching the Green Bay Packers with my son who just recently started playing football.

Q: What do you find motivating?

A: I find challenges motivating. Whether it is a physical goal like an obstacle race or running a marathon, or a business goal such as developing a disruptive way to deliver a better product and/or service to customers.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: Memories and experiences. My wife, Katie, and I are purposeful about seeing new places and experiencing as much of the world as possible. It’s a great way to keep grounded and continue learning.

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: Working and cocreating with clients. This is such an exciting time to be in insurance. There are rules and guardrails, which are necessary, but within those boundaries companies are very open to exploring creativity and new ways of doing things.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: The abundance of opportunities regardless of past experience. Insurance provides a great opportunity to carve out the career that gives you the most satisfaction. So don’t wait for your dream job to find you, figure out what it is and go after it!

Q: Share a fun fact about yourself!

A: I am a published poet.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: The people and the mission. The insurance industry is a tight knit community with huge opportunity for folks starting their career and the RISE team has gone all in on helping this group succeed. I have thoroughly enjoyed and benefitted from working in insurance and wanted to do my part in helping the next wave of leaders.

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Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Walter Davenport II

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Meet Walter Davenport II, Head of Process Coordination & Strategic Data Anayltics at Allianz

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: Get involved early and often on as many different projects you can. Exposing yourself to diverse career experiences expedites the process of discovering both your likes and dislikes which enables you to select/craft roles that align with your skills and interests.

Unlike school which has a prescribed path for next steps, you have to intentionally build the career you want or be subject to the career someone thinks you should have.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: Any and everything Chicago. I feel obligated to also add Butler Basketball but I haven’t kept up as much the past year.

Q: What do you find motivating?

A: Helping our teams solve seemingly unsolvable problems on a day-to-day basis. When wrapped up in administrative tasks it easy to lose sight that our decisions impact real people, but I find it motivating that we provide solutions to address global risks that impact everyone on earth. That mission makes it easier to fill out expense reports.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: Not in the traditional sense. I enjoy collecting new experiences. This can range from a far-away trip to a remote location or something as simple as taking a different path back home from the office.

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: Two items stick out. The first being the spontaneity of my role. No 2 days are the same and we continually find ways to solve our customer needs regardless of what it takes. The second item is collaborating with everyone within the large Allianz ecosystem. We are truly a global company and seeing how we work together across several time zones and do so while having fun always makes it easy to come to work.  

 

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: Building strong relationships is just as important as doing your job well. Our industry relies trust and that trust extends outside of your organization. Taking the opportunity to network goes a long way in growing both professionally and personally.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: The energy within the RISE organization is too difficult to put into words, but it made it impossible not to join. You have to experience an in-person event to fully grasp the allure. What will forever keep me engaged with the RISE team is the mission to help solve many of the gaps within our industry.

 

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Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Lauren Fernandez

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: Network any and every chance you get. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative and reach out to people who are where you want to be. Also, don’t get stuck in a “this or that” mentality. There are many options for success and multiple paths to reach it – don’t restrict yourself. 

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: Not in the traditional sense. Growing up my family was into the Olympics, X Games, and MMA – I still enjoy watching them to this day.

Q: What do you find motivating?

A: Seeing people succeed and reach their goals and being part of the journey.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: Does dog hair on my clothes count? Haha, I have a Golden Retriever and Chocolate Lab it’s a never-ending struggle. 

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: I get to connect with and speak to some pretty amazing people on a daily basis.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: The insurance industry is VAST and it is constantly changing with new technology. It’s not dry and boring there is something for everyone room for all  to succeed. 

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: RISE has a great vision for supporting individuals entering the insurance space. They’ve been able to create an amazing collaborative space where like-minded professionals from all walks of life and career levels can come together and support each other’s growth.

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Embracing Change: Transitioning from a Law Firm to a Career in Insurance

Embracing Change: Transitioning from a Law Firm to a Career in Insurance

Jamie Carsey

Managing Director, Claims – Legal and Head of Litigation

Markel

People do not stay in one job forever these days: over the course of a professional career, it is common to seek new opportunities and explore diverse fields. However, I really believed I was the exception. I have wanted to be a lawyer my entire life. What I was going to be when I grew up was never in question. It was a dream come true when I landed at a fantastic civil litigation firm, where I eventually became an equity partner. I loved my law firm life and never thought about leaving it.

But, as they say, “never say never,” because out of the blue, an opportunity emerged for me to take an in-house role with an insurance company. Surprising everyone, including myself, I took it. It turned out to be a great decision for me.

Flexing your mental muscles

There are numerous reasons for lawyers to consider transitioning to a job in insurance.

For one thing, I started to realize that my skillset was not exclusively bound to the legal domain. As you move up in a law firm, you inevitably start getting more “business” or “law firm management” responsibilities. A lot of lawyers hate this; it is way outside of their comfort zone.

However, I found that after I joined the insurance industry, I started tapping into a business side of myself I did not know was in there. Abilities in critical thinking, analytical reasoning, negotiation, and problem-solving are highly valuable in most industries, including insurance. I could not ignore the part of me that wanted to flex my business solutions and leadership muscles beyond the law firm environment.

Similarly, as lawyers, our expertise can start to become a bit niche. Working at my former law firm, I would frequently get a crash course in the underlying matters at issue in the lawsuit—things like the chemical makeup of good versus bad coal; how levee systems work; or the structural integrity of a bridge or skyscraper. My focus, however, was necessarily on the legal aspects.

In insurance, by contrast, you can broaden your interests and expertise to whatever you are passionate about, and your scope is much more likely to be far-reaching. Some people may not think insurance is cutting edge or exciting, but that’s not the case. Insurance is the backbone of our economy. Without insurance, people and businesses wouldn’t be able to take risks. If you read the major headlines of what is going on in the world on any given day—overseas wars, natural disasters, financial crises, or even a big pile up on your local highway—you can be confident that insurance is involved, and that insurance professionals are at the forefront. 

Enjoying greater work-life balance

Another reason attorneys might want to consider transitioning to an insurance role is work-life balance. It is no secret that law firm life is demanding: many movies feature plotlines on how hard one has to work to rise through the ranks. Now, this was not a factor for me when I decided to leave the law firm: I was very happy there, and dare I say, I didn’t really have a lot of “mom guilt.” But once I transitioned into my in-house role, I realized I was missing out on more at home than I had thought. As a trial lawyer, you do not control your schedule; your cases do. You always tell your family that you can go on that vacation …  unless you are in trial. You will say you can definitely do that hiking trip with your friends from college … unless you are in trial.

When you work in-house, you can just say yes. That is pretty nice. Moving to an in-house role can also free up one’s time to explore personal interests outside of work. It gave me the bandwidth to foster and adopt our second child.

Advancing at your own pace

Along similar lines, insurance also affords professionals the opportunity to set their own pace for career advancement. Law firms can be pressure cookers that thrive on stress. Combining that intense environment with the commonly shared “up or out” mentality—meaning advance up the ladder or potentially be fired—is not every lawyer’s cup of tea.  The insurance industry, by contrast, offers opportunities to use one’s legal and non-legal skills in a less-stressful, more-stable environment with numerous, wide-ranging growth opportunities. The insurance industry offers a range of career paths, from underwriting and claims management to risk analysis and actuarial science. Professionals can explore various roles and find one that best aligns with their skills and interests; and they can advance at their own pace.

Speaking of advancement, I have definitely noticed that lawyers who transition to insurance can have very fulfilling careers. The skillsets for law and insurance certainly complement one another. Lawyers make good insurance professionals because both tend to be client centric. Also, insurance professionals deal with complex risk assessment and mitigation strategies daily. Legal expertise can therefore be instrumental in navigating intricate policy issues and crafting innovative solutions for clients. Even the more nuanced side of your legal knowledge can be leveraged in an insurance role, including contract drafting and negotiation, application of regulations, claim advocacy, risk assessment, and problem solving.

Conclusion: Consider broadening your horizons

Switching from law to insurance was a big step for me, but it has been immensely rewarding. Insurance is a dynamic industry that offers potential for growth and fulfillment. If you are a legal professional considering new opportunities, give the insurance industry another look. It provides a welcoming space to leverage your skills, make a difference in clients’ lives, and embrace fresh challenges. It has been a great experience for me.

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Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Douglas Bird

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: Keep grinding. The insurance industry is growing and there are a lot of folks retiring, this leaves a large void for those who want to grow and climb in their careers to do so – all it takes is hard work and time.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: I am a huge fan of The Braves, Steelers, and the defending 2x National Champions, The University of Georgia Bulldawgs! Go Dawgs!

Q: What do you find motivating?

A: Helping others grow. Every day I seem to learn something new about insurance. I love passing this information along to help others learn and develop.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: I keep all of my old concert ticket stubs. Each time I add one to the box I get reminded of the many awesome concerts I have been to throughout my life.

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: Negotiating resolutions of complex coverage situations.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: There are thousands of different jobs/roles in the insurance industry. Each role provides valuable experience and insight that can help in seemingly different roles. You don’t have to stay in one job family your whole career. In fact, you become more valuable the more hats you have worn!

Q: Share a fun fact about yourself!

A: During college I earned my Private Pilot’s License in addition to completing two Bachelor’s Degrees courses my senior year.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: I was nominated for and won the RISE award a few years ago. Prior to that I didn’t have knowledge of the program. The more I learned about RISE, the more I was drawn to it.

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Meet the Strategic Planning Board: Faith Mason

Hey there, curious minds! Step into the world of RISE’s Strategic Planning Board, where strategy meets personality. These movers and shakers are the architects behind our big-picture goals, collaborating with our leadership and Advisory Board. But this isn’t your typical spotlight series—it’s a backstage pass to uncovering what drives them beyond the boardroom. Think aspirations, hobbies, and what keeps them jazzed about the future of RISE. This series isn’t just about their roles; it’s about weaving together the stories of high achievers who are crafting a roadmap for RISE’s success. So, grab a seat and get ready to dive into the personalities shaping RISE, one interview at a time.

Q: What is one piece of advice for young professionals in the insurance industry?

A: One piece of advice is hard because success is not a single event, success is a lifetime professional journey. The thing that has stood out to me the most has been developing a smart, strong, and supportive network and this network should include but is not limited to a mentor – someone who can coach you up and teach you things, a sponsor – someone who has access to rooms you don’t even know exist and is willing to speak of your talents, a peer – someone who is going through the trenches with similar goals and aspirations, and a mentee – someone you are guiding along the way so there are more people like you in whatever rooms you enter.

Q: Are you a sports fan? What’s your favorite team?

A: I’m a casual sports fan. As a resident and proud Philadelphian, I am obligated to say I support The Sixers and The Eagles. If I had to chose between the two I would say The Sixers because I prefer Basketball to Football.

Q: What do you find motivating?

A: Hmmmm, I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t motivated and if that is the case I have to say that my parents have been my strongest motivators. I am my mother’s child and my father’s daughter. More than my parents I am the village that supports me (aunts, uncles, sister, brother, friends and chosen family) and I want to make them proud. So there’s always a fire inside me pushing me to represent not only myself but them.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: I would say no, unless experiences count. I’m more an experience something with people vs a material possession person. Don’t get me wrong, I like nice things but I value a great conversation or learning something new with family and friends over a physical object.

Q: What’s the most exciting part of your job?

A: I’m a problem solver. So the thing that keeps me coming back to my job is figuring out the puzzle of things or improving how things are done so not only are folks working smarter but also better serving our customers. Insurance, at it’s core, is really a people business and if what we do does not solve peoples’ problems or resolve pressing issues, why are we doing it? I also think I gravitate to the idea of the safety net, and that is honestly how I see insurance. Instead of the person you can always count on, it’s a system that we should always be able to tap into when something doesn’t go as planned. And that system should work properly without unnecessary barriers. I like to think of myself as a barrier breaker and that gets me excited to continue because there’s always a new barrier to break.

Q: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started in the insurance industry?

A: I wish I knew that it’s ok to not know something. It doesn’t make you look bad or hinder you from succeeding. The best leaders surround themselves with the best and the brightest because they recognize they alone will not have all the answers.

Q: Share a fun fact about yourself!

A: As a young kid I was obsessed with cowboy boots. I made my mom get me a pair and I wore them with everything…and I mean everything LOL. There’s definitely a Christmas morning picture of me as a young kid in a nightgown and cowboy boots pretending to play a guitar.

Q: What inspired you to join RISE?

A: The community and collaboration amongst the RISE network is second to none; aligning with RISE has allowed me new avenues to expand my own knowledge of the insurance industry and meet great people along the way.

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