Kathleen Crowe, 
AccountSpecialist II
AonRisk Solutions Inc.
Washington, D.C.

My start in risk management: Igraduated in May of 2012 from Butler University in Indiana with adual degree in political science and Mandarin. During college, Iworked for Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), and I knew I wanted to workon Capitol Hill. I decided to just move out there and I got a jobas a bartender. During that time, I put out some feelers to seewhat was appropriate for my education and experience. I got aninterview at [electrical power company] AES as an executiveassistant in the global insurance department. I ended up helpingwith insurance contracts and the global property captive, and Irealized that I really enjoyed the work and wanted to engage myselfmore. The following March, I started my ARM certification — Ifinished it in 2014 — and in July 2014, I earned a promotion to bean insurance analyst.

Speaking the language you want tohear: We had a rigorous underwriting process atAES, and I would ask our businesses — 72 generation and eightutility power plants worldwide — to give us profit and lossinformation so I could build out a template that details exposuresand determines premiums. The templates can look like a spreadsheetnightmare, so I would have to relay the importance of theinformation that I was gathering, and how the exposures andunderwriting affects them personally. If could speak to them in thelanguage they understood — and not necessarily in“insurance-ese”—that eliminates the potential for risk exposuresand creates a level of trust.

Transferring my risk managementskills: Last month, I decided it was time to finda role in which I could bring my background in risk management toanother facet of the insurance industry — the brokerage world. Imoved to Aon Risk Solutions as a senior account specialist. At Aon,I collaborate with account executives, specialists and brokers toprovide value and service to our clients and carriers. I work withsmall and medium-size enterprise companies to ensure they have thebest coverage for their individual types of risk. In this position,I have been able to apply the important skill I learned as a riskmanager — bridging language and understanding gaps — to developrelationships with my clients who do not have dedicated riskmanagement teams at their companies. The need to explain insurancein a thoughtful and proactive way is what will ultimately driveresults for the client as they make more risk-informed decisions,in addition to purchasing insurance for risk-transferringpurposes.

Planting the insurance seed early andoften: I'm a leader of the RIMS Rising RiskProfessionals advisory council and a member of the RIMS PotomacChapter in Washington, D.C. I'm working with the subcommittee oncollegiate outreach, which helps students find internships orapprenticeship opportunities in the greater D.C. area. At a youngage, it's great to have these networking opportunities. I'm also onthe board — as the only alum — for the Captive Advisory Board atButler University as the school determines the feasibility ofincepting a captive for the students to manage. The university isplanning on putting a captive together starting in 2020. Mostschools don't offer students that type of hands-on experience.

Related: 2015's best insurance pros under40

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