Women to Watch: Karen V. Sothern

Karen V. Sothern

Senior Vp and Regional Executive Officer

ACE USA

Boston

Age: 43

Karen V. Sothern began her career in the insurance industry at CIGNA Corp., where she held various underwriting, business development and management positions including serving as senior vp of CIGNA Global Risk Management. Since ACE Ltd.'s acquisition of CIGNA's property/casualty business in 1999, she served as a senior vp in ACE USA's international division before taking her current position as senior vp and regional executive officer for ACE USA's New England Region in 2002.

What would you like to change: "If I could change something about the insurance industry it would be its image. Ours is a sophisticated global industry which has significant positive impact on our economy. In simplest terms, we help people and businesses fulfill their regulatory obligations to purchase insurance. The greater impact is our industry's affording people and businesses the opportunity to focus on their priorities--home, family, safety, running businesses, developing products, offering jobs and finding cures--rather than on risk, which we help mitigate."