Rebecca C. Amoroso

Vice chairman, U.S. insurance leader

Deloitte L.L.P.

Parsippany, N.J.

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Rebecca C. Amoroso is responsible for the Deloitte's overall strategy and execution across tax, audit, consulting and financial advisory services, including client relations, service delivery, new business and ensuring Deloitte service offerings meet clients' needs. Ms. Amoroso has led the insurance practice's efforts to educate clients and ensure they operate effectively by forming a CFO peer exchange to aid client C-suite executives in understanding issues critical to their businesses and customers and by launching Deloitte's "NAIC Update," an online news publication geared toward keeping the industry informed. She was named Woman of the Year by the Assn. of Professional Insurance Women in 2008, and is a frequent speaker within the industry on diversity in the workplace, intergenerational issues, work environments that support different work and learning styles, and setting and achieving personal goals.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY: "I guess I have my husband to thank for getting me into the insurance industry. I was a math major in college and was thinking about going into teaching. My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, was already in the insurance industry. He was an insurance broker. He had suggested I look into the actuarial profession because at the time we didn't have schools with actuarial majors. The actuarial profession uses a lot of math majors. I looked into the profession and I actually studied for my first exam while I was in college. And then I started working as an actuary in the industry when I graduated."

THE BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED: "Don't wait to be recognized. I grew up thinking you work hard, you do a great job, and people will notice. And while that is not false, it is important to not be afraid to speak up and let people know what your aspirations are, let people know what you'd like to achieve if you have some goal in mind, and ask for their help."

ADVICE FOR THOSE STARTING IN THE INDUSTRY: "Inevitably in anyone's career you're going to be faced with certain challenges and obstacles. When you're faced with those challenges, work hard to overcome them. Persevere. Don't give up, and don't be afraid to stretch yourself. Try to get out of your comfort zone as much as you can and if you do that, you'll be surprised at what you can achieve."

WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE PROFESSIONALLY WHILE GROWING UP: "A tap dancer or Olympic star ice skater, but since I couldn't skate, tap dancing was going to be my best choice. I achieved neither and I'm an insurance professional. When in doubt, go to insurance. I still have been known to take tap dancing every other decade of my life. I loved tap dancing. I just loved to dance."

Diane Askwyth

Senior Director of Risk Management and Insurance

Schering-Plough Corp.

Kenilworth, N.J.

Diane Askwyth was named senior director of risk management and insurance in 2005, bringing more than 25 years of risk management, brokerage, profit center management and risk consulting experience to her role. Previously, she was director of risk management for Avaya Inc. in Basking Ridge, N.J., and before that, a senior risk management consultant for PricewaterhouseCooper's L.L.P. In addition, she spent many years on the insurance brokerage side with Marsh Inc., J&H Insurance Services Inc. and Willis Group Holdings Ltd. Ms. Askwyth is a current member and past president of the Assn. of Professional Insurance Women, an organization dedicated to the advancement of women in the insurance industry. She is also on the board of the New York chapter of the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc., and is its vp of programs. She is also an active participant in the Risk Managers Roundtable and the Drug Industry Group.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY: "I fell into the insurance industry quite accidentally. During my senior year of high school, I enrolled in a work-study program at Travelers Insurance Co. in personal lines. That was my entrée into the insurance (world).... I continued at Travelers partway through college and then I moved on to other insurance jobs during college and after college. I thought there was a tremendous amount of opportunity in the industry."

THE BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED: "I grew up when women didn't have as many opportunities as they do today, so I was told to walk into a room like you belong there and people will think you do. Take risks and seek out opportunities. Accept challenging opportunities. Keep learning and never stop building and nurturing your network. I've taken all that advice to heart. It's all been used and reused."

ADVICE FOR THOSE STARTING IN THE INDUSTRY: "Have a very open mind. I think there are amazing and diverse opportunities in the insurance business. Be flexible, keep learning, and move around. Seize opportunities, don't wait for them to come to you, and play to your strengths. In doing so, you will always have a job you love. That's been my game plan and it's always worked well for me."

WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE PROFESSIONALLY WHILE GROWING UP: "I was very artistic. I loved to paint, draw, sculpt and experiment with different media. I attended a magnet school. I intended to major in graphic arts. Then I decided I wanted to be a rich capitalist instead of a starving artist and transferred to a public school in high school. No regrets on that."

Bonnie Boone

Senior Vp and Practice Leader

Alliant Health Care Solutions,

Alliant Insurance Services Inc.

Chicago

Bonnie Boone, who has more than 30 years of industry experience, leads teams of professionals in Chicago and New York that act as brokers and consultants on medical malpractice insurance and other commercial lines for the health care industry. Ms. Boone specializes in developing and placing reinsurance for captive programs for large healthcare systems, physician groups, long-term care organizations and managed care companies. Additionally, she has trained and been a mentor to numerous well-respected health care executives and is an author and lecturer. She has spoken about numerous health care topics at industry meetings for organizations such as American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc., and the Institute for International Research.

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY: "I was in college, and an insurance company came on our campus to recruit students. It sounded interesting. I had wanted to be a pediatrician, and I've always had a fetish for finance. I needed a job and I could combine finance with health care."

THE BEST ADVICE YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED: "I've been advised to always do business with integrity; that a broker has to be fast on his or her feet; and to always be technically competent--knowing your contract language and policy forms. Understand what you sell from a brokerage perspective. From an underwriting perspective, you need to understand the industry you underwrite"

ADVICE FOR THOSE STARTING IN THE INDUSTRY: "Always try to maintain your integrity and reputation because at the end of the day that's all you have. You must always maintain your integrity and dignity and treat people the way you want to be treated."

WHAT YOU WANTED TO BE PROFESSIONALLY WHILE GROWING UP: "I wanted to be a pediatrician."