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Choosing Women to Watch was no easy process

Posted On: Jul. 29, 2007 12:00 AM CST

Choosing the 50 women profiled in the 2007 Women to Watch feature was a tough task for Business Insurance.

The magazine invited readers to nominate women working worldwide in commercial insurance, reinsurance, risk management, employee benefits and related fields, such as law and consulting. Readers responded by submitting hundreds of nominations. BI staff also contributed information about women in the industry, from which an overall list was compiled. A panel of senior Business Insurance editors then pored over the list, with an eye to identifying the "Women to Watch."

The selection process took several weeks and applied criteria including: professional achievements within the past three years, influence on the marketplace and contributions to the advancement of women in business. BI editors gave special consideration to the contributions of women in leadership positions that have a direct impact on the buyers of commercial lines insurance, reinsurance or employee benefits programs. For this reason, women doing outstanding work within their organizations but chiefly in administrative roles generally do not appear on the list. Reflecting Business Insurance's editorial focus, women executives at organizations that specialize in personal lines business were excluded from the list.

BI's goal is to make the Women to Watch an annual feature, spotlighting the achievements of a new set of women leaders each year. The list is not intended to be exhaustive or imply that only those on it are worthy of note.