2006 Women to Watch: Lara Mowery
Posted On: Oct. 8, 2006 12:00 AM CST
Managing Director
Guy Carpenter & Co. Inc.
Minneapolis
Age: 37
Lara Mowery is head of Guy Carpenter’s property specialty practice in the mid-America regions specializing in developing solutions for difficult risks. She is the firm’s acknowledged expert in the Florida property market and has served on the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. Ms. Mowery has served as the business leader on the development of i-aXs, Guy Carpenter’s online risk management platform. Before joining Guy Carpenter, she worked for E.W. Blanch Co. Inc. and its sister company, Paragon.
Q: Who has had the greatest influence on your career and why?
A: "My grandmother has had the greatest influence on how I approach the work environment. She owned her own business, and while I never consciously thought about it when I was young, she shaped most of my ideas of how women behave in the workplace. As I saw her, she was very in control, confident in her ability to make good decisions and conveyed a sense of belonging in any environment. Since starting my career, I have had several mentors who have provided invaluable advice and opportunities. I can’t imagine trying to successfully negotiate all the decisions that make a career without guidance from people you respect and who appreciate your skills."
Q: What advice would you give young women entering the industry today?
A:"Don’t be afraid to take chances; you can gain very valuable knowledge and opportunity by doing something seemingly unrelated to the path that you are on. Cultivate a mentor. Having someone at a senior level who understands and believes in your abilities is incredibly valuable. Work towards doing something you really find interesting because it is much harder to excel at something you are not passionate about."
Q: If you had the ability to change one thing about the industry what would it be?
A: "There are still instances where the reinsurance broker’s relationship with the client is by far the most heavily weighted criteria in deciding who to do business with. If I could change something, I would create an environment where a broker’s skills and the resources they bring to a client would consistently be an equal criteria in judging who to do business with."