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Careers

Feb 22 2023

Insurance Careers Month: Helen Shim, Private Flood Underwriter

February is Insurance Careers Month, and there are exciting opportunities available in our diverse, innovative and growing industry. As a recipient of Business Insurance’s Best Places to Work Award for three years in a row, Tokio Marine Highland is creating a culture and environment where employees with diverse backgrounds and skillsets can thrive and grow their careers. Here’s why Helen Shim, Private Flood Underwriter, chose a career in insurance:

Why did you choose a career in insurance?

I chose a career in insurance because of the numerous career opportunities it presented. Regardless of your interests, skills, or experience, the insurance industry offers a wide range of career opportunities. In addition, the industry promotes and prioritizes education and advancement through its many offerings, including mentorship. I have benefited tremendously from training and educational programs, and have been able to grow professionally and explore different areas of expertise.

What do you find most interesting or rewarding about your role?

Often in enterprise businesses, when a person is hired to fill a position, the duties and role become static and repetitive. This is not the case with my career in the insurance industry. No two days are the same as an underwriter working on various projects, managing a full production desk, mentoring junior colleagues, reviewing complex risks issues, and providing a high standard of customer service. Also, as an underwriter involved in various growth initiatives – it is extremely exciting and rewarding to work with a team of like-minded people building and creating a foundation for new products and platforms. This is especially true when the impact of the work can be seen and felt immediately.

For someone who may have never considered the insurance industry for a career, what would you say to change their minds?

It’s an industry that everyone should explore because it has a lot to offer. Many people have the wrong impression of the insurance industry because they don’t really understand it. I would encourage everyone to seek out people who are in the industry and see first-hand what it’s like to work in insurance.

The insurance industry is ever-changing and growing. There’s always something new to learn. As such, there is a big focus on development and growth – it’s part of the culture.

Discover how you can join our team and grow your career like Helen at Tokio Marine Highland. Visit our Careers page to learn more.

Written by Jacob Badagliacco · Categorized: Careers

Feb 08 2023

Insurance Careers Month: Chad Kerley, Private Flood Underwriter

February is Insurance Careers Month, and there are exciting opportunities available in our diverse, innovative and growing industry. As a recipient of Business Insurance’s Best Places to Work Award for three years in a row, Tokio Marine Highland is creating a culture and environment where employees with diverse backgrounds and skillsets can thrive and grow their careers. Here’s why Chad Kerley, Private Flood Underwriter, chose a career in insurance:

Why did you choose a career in insurance?

In the summer of 2012, I interned at WNC in the sales department under the leadership of Sheri Kordsmeier. The following summer, I interned under the leadership of Teri Garcia in the claims department. I later graduated college in the fall of 2013, and then became a full-time employee in February 2014 with the private flood department. Although I studied political science in college with the intent of becoming a lawyer, insurance has always been in my family – and after my internships at WNC, I switched career paths in my early twenties and never looked back.

What do you find most interesting or rewarding about your role?

I really enjoy the customer interactions that I have daily. Flood insurance is not always top of mind for agents, so being able to explain our products and the value they have for their clients is very rewarding. Every day is a learning experience – there are always new trends and technologies that reshape our job as underwriters. It can be fast paced, so being able to keep up is crucial.

For someone who may have never considered the insurance industry for a career, what would you say to change their minds?

I would say give it a shot! There will always be a need for insurance. It is something that everyone will have in their lives in one form or another. Insurance is one of the few jobs that offer a stable career in times of recession. At the very least, I would say get your insurance license and never let it expire. In doing so, you can get into the industry in one capacity or another if needed.

Discover how you can join our team and grow your career like Chad at Tokio Marine Highland. Visit our Careers page to learn more.

Written by Jacob Badagliacco · Categorized: Careers

Feb 01 2023

Insurance Careers Month: Elissa Gydish, Senior Underwriter

February is Insurance Careers Month, and there are exciting opportunities available in our innovative and growing industry. As a recipient of Business Insurance’s Best Places to Work Award for three years in a row, Tokio Marine Highland is creating a culture and environment where employees with diverse backgrounds and skillsets can thrive and grow their careers. Here’s why Elissa Gydish, Senior Fine Art Underwriter, chose a career in insurance:

Why did you choose a career in insurance?

When I first began in the insurance industry, I had a background that was strictly fine art oriented. Having graduated with a B.A. in Art History and Business Economics and then an M.A. in Arts Administration, I began my career in the gallery and auction house markets. I wanted to find a field that addressed the financial aspects of the art market rather than pursue a purely academic role; in 2000 I applied to a job as an “appraiser” with a large property and casualty provider (Chubb) and began my career as a Valuable Articles Coverage specialist in the Personal Lines Division.

What do you find most interesting or rewarding about your role?

The field of fine art insurance is a fairly niche one and involves much collaboration amongst a relatively small group of professionals. I encounter many colleagues from past roles in both insurance and fine art in the course of my work, and there is consistent information sharing about the art market – even in the competitive environment of the insurance product. I can truly say that we are a passionate group of people!

For someone who may have never considered the insurance industry for a career, what would you say to change their minds?

I would say – what are your interests? Chances are, there is a field within the insurance industry that would be an enjoyable profession for you. When I started, the market for the monoline insurance product was quite narrow; personal fine art collections were typically packaged in Homeowner’s policies and the unique insurance needs of museums and dealers were rarely adequately addressed in the Commercial area. Had I ignored insurance as a potential career, I would not have been a part of the growth in this market.

Discover how you can join our team and grow your career like Elissa at Tokio Marine Highland. Visit our Careers page to learn more.

Written by Jacob Badagliacco · Categorized: Careers

May 13 2022

Tokio Marine Highland’s Kiran Achen Named Chicago CIO of the Year

Chicago, IL – Today, Tokio Marine Highland’s Chief Information Officer Kiran Achen was named the 2022 Corporate Chicago CIO of Year. The ORBIE Awards, presented by ChicagoCIO, recognize CIOs who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.

“It is a great honor,” Achen said. “This is a recognition for everyone at Tokio Marine Highland and for all of our accomplishments. I want to thank my team, without whom these achievements would not be possible, our vendor partners who have helped us find success, and our business partners and leadership team. Without their support, empowerment and trust, I would not be here representing our organization. I want to congratulate all of my fellow nominees and finalists. It was an honor to be in your company and I am truly humbled.”

Photo of Kiran Achen.
Kiran Achen, CIO

Achen joined Tokio Marine Highland as CIO 2018, with the responsibility of defining and implementing a technology strategic vision aligned to the company’s growth and performance goals, and the challenge of transforming a family-run business into a data- and analytics-driven digital insurer. Under his leadership, Tokio Marine Highland’s IT organization has been instrumental in delivering solutions that have grown the company from $165 million in gross written premium (GWP) in 2017 to $322 million GWP in 2021.

“Winning this award in this competitive field is amazing,” said Pat Blandford, CEO of Tokio Marine Highland. “Kiran was judged by his peers against the best talent in the Chicago area. They saw what I see. His consistent approach to developing his team and listening to his business partners makes him an invaluable part of our team. I am incredibly proud and so pleased he is being recognized.”

The CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards were launched in 1998. Finalists and winners are selected through an independent peer review process, led by prior ORBIE recipients, and based upon leadership and management effectiveness, business value created by technology innovation, and engagement in industry and community endeavors.

For more information about the 2022 CIO of the Year Orbie Awards, visit the ChicagoCIO website.

About Tokio Marine Highland

Tokio Marine Highland is a leading property and casualty underwriting agency that offers distinct specialty risk management solutions, including private flood, construction, fine art, specialty property, real estate investment and lender-placed insurance. Tokio Marine Highland also includes Precise Adjustments, a wholly owned subsidiary that provides industry-leading claims capabilities.

Founded in 1962, Tokio Marine Highland Insurance Services, Inc. (formerly WNC Insurance Services, Inc.) is a wholly owned company of Tokio Marine Kiln, one of the largest carriers in the Lloyd’s of London insurance market, rated A+ by Standard & Poor’s for financial strength, and a member of the Tokio Marine Group. Tokio Marine Highland’s home office is located in Chicago, IL, with operating centers in Dallas, TX, Irvine, CA, Miami, FL, Naperville, IL, and South Pasadena, CA.

For more information, visit our website at www.tokiomarinehighland.com.

Media Contact:

Joshua Clifton
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
312-736-2351 (office)
773-230-1304 (mobile)
joshua.clifton@tmhighland.com

 

Written by Josh Clifton · Categorized: Careers, Press Release

Jul 22 2021

Tech Careers in Insurance: Andrew Leonard, Principal Solutions Architect – Data Engineer

The insurance industry is more than underwriting and claims management. Technology is transforming the way we assess risks, transact business and engage with our agents and brokers, and has led to new roles that specialize in data and analytics, robotics process automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence. There has never been a better time to consider the exciting opportunities available in our diverse, innovative and growing industry. As a recipient of Business Insurance’s Best Places to Work in 2020, Tokio Marine Highland is creating a culture and environment where employees who specialize in technology can thrive and grow their careers.

Here’s why Andrew Leonard, Principal Solutions Architect – Data Engineer, chose a career in insurance:

Why did you choose a career in insurance?

When I was looking at different industries to take my career, I wanted to find work that was challenging and interesting at the same time. The insurance industry offers lots of challenges when it comes to technology.

What do you find most interesting or rewarding about your role?

One of the most interesting aspects is the many types of data I get to work with. For example, I’ve learned how to leverage Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data for our company’s unique use cases. Additionally, I get to work with the Private Flood Division to help implement technology into their processes. Seeing the impact my work has on their business has been really rewarding.

How do you apply technology to your role? 

Technology is applied pretty naturally and organically in my role. In terms of resources we use, I am constantly taking classes to continue my professional development. We also learn about new technologies based out of need, utilizing technologies based off what the problem requires.

For someone who may have never considered the insurance industry for a career, what would you say to change their minds?

The insurance industry really poses many interesting problems and questions to us. If you consider yourself a problem solver or someone who wants to be challenged in your career, the insurance industry would be a great fit for you.

Discover how you can join our team and grow your career like Andrew at Tokio Marine Highland. Visit our Careers page to learn more.

Written by Josh Clifton · Categorized: Careers

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