2006 Women to Watch: Janice Ochenkowski
Jones Lang LaSalle Reprints
Risk Manager
Jones Lang LaSalle
Chicago
Janice Ochenkowski moved from teaching high school English and French in 1980 when she joined the risk management department of a predecessor firm of her current employer, real estate services and money management firm Jones Lang LaSalle. Currently, she is responsible for global risk management. In addition, Ms. Ochenkowski is vp of the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. and is slated to become president of RIMS in 2007.
Q: Who has had the greatest influence on your career and why?
A: "My father. He never placed a limitation on me because I was a girl. He always encouraged me to explore my interests."
Q: What advice would you give young women entering the industry today?
A: "Learn as much as you can about the business of your employer and its position in the industry. Develop relationships with key business units in your firm so that you are seen as a resource within the company. Involve business stakeholders in evaluating options when they are faced with a tough problem that is risk related and say 'no' only when all else fails. Develop good networks and contacts within your industry and with other risk managers and use them wisely."
Q: If you had the ability to change one thing about the industry what would it be?
A: "I would like to see more respect for the discipline of risk management from the C suite."
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Business Insurance's report on "Women to Watch" is our attempt to identify some of the women who are leading change in commercial insurance, risk management, employee benefits and related fields.
