March marks National Women’s History Month, a month dedicated to the contributions and legacies of women. It would be remiss of us to not recognize the women who make up our own field. The insurance industry is a women-dominated field, making up about 60% of the workforce each year. The kicker is women are underrepresented in leadership positions.

While there are all sorts of explanations for this disparity, the women who do dominate the insurance field stand firmly in their positions of authority and create legacies for the women to follow.

One such woman is Tamre Hileman, the personal lines underwriting manager at Central Insurance. Her work has inspired others through her lifelong leadership, positivity, and dedication. Hileman holds the following titles after 42 years in the industry: CPCU, AU, AIM, AIT, API, AINS, and CPIW. She now prepares to retire from the industry altogether and travel, camp, trail ride, and spend time with her loved ones and her garden.

Immediately after college, Hileman took a job in accounting for our friends at Central Insurance. From there, her work in management began early in her career. She went on to manage the personal lines agency services department. Her strong speaking skills and visibility in meetings made her stand out for promotion.

Hileman advises, “Use every opportunity to exceed expectations – do whatever it takes to stand out from the crowd. Be the one that everyone wants on their team.” Her philosophy is to have a positive outlook and her positive work environment only fueled that.

Through various promotions, Hileman found her way into her current position of Personal Lines Underwriting Manager. In her position at the regional office, she managed up to 11 underwriters across state lines.

She attributes her growth to lifelong learning and personal education. She found support through a local CPCU chapter and the International Association of Insurance Professionals (IAIP), which put her in touch with others in the industry throughout the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. As she developed her professional leadership, she found her way to serving on their national board of directors as a Regional Vice President and various other positions.

She offered, “Find a mentor that will not just tell you when you’ve done something well but more importantly will help identify your strengths, improve weaknesses and share their own stories for you to consider and learn from. There are so many who say they will be a mentor but are not actively committed to the role.”

While watching the technology and workforce change during her time, Hileman learned to be a leader that kept workers motivated and moving forward, embraced the efficiency of technology, promoted personal growth and new responsibility in her workers, and created balance in her own life. And part of the legacy she leaves in her retirement is mentored leaders she’s guided.

Hileman is an example of an accomplished woman in a position of authority. She leaves our friends at Central Insurance with a powerful legacy of lifelong dedication. We recognize her today in honor of great women leadership in insurance. Enjoy your garden and retirement!

Contact your Trusted Choice Independent Insurance Agent at Richey-Barrett Insurance to discuss your insurance needs.