Patricia Kagerer
Posted On: Nov. 30, 2008 12:00 AM CST
Vp-Risk Management and Safety
C.F. Jordan L.P.
El Paso, Texas
Age: 43
Patricia Kagerer directs C.F. Jordan’s risk management functions, including safety management systems, wellness initiatives, insurance and litigation. Her specialty is safety management system implementations that directly affect corporate culture, insurance procurement and overall corporate performance. Ms. Kagerer has received numerous awards, including the Dallas-Fort Worth Associated General Contractors safety director of the year in 2007, a scholarship in 2007 from the Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc.’s Spencer Educational Foundation and the American Society of Safety Engineers national risk management practice specialty safety professional of the year. She is completing a master’s degree in dispute resolution at Southern Methodist University.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE INDUSTRY: "I started out as a workers compensation claims adjuster right out of college. I was looking for something I could make a career out of. I thought it would be something interesting and I thought it was something that offered a career path within the industry. It sounded interesting, so I thought I‘d give it a shot. After doing that for about three years, I was asked to take over safety and claims and establish a risk management department at a stone-washed denim manufacturing company. What I realized with claims is you can only do so much because the incident has already occurred. With safety, you can actually prevent things from happening. By learning and growing in that position and by establishing a risk management department at that company, then that is what Jordon construction hired me to do as well."
THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED: "My mother was my role model and my rock. She passed away in December of last year. She always said treat others as I wish to be treated and to make a difference in my corner of the world. No matter what the circumstances are, there is something you can always offer and you can always do."
ADVICE FOR THOSE STARTING IN THE INDUSTRY: "Make sure you continue to learn and educate yourself. I’ve always prided myself in learning as much as I can and educating myself in whatever I do. Education and having a strong desire for learning really helps you get your career to the next level."
WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE PROFESSIONALLY WHILE GROWING UP: "I wanted to be a lawyer when I was growing up. My cousin was an attorney, and I always thought that would be something interesting where I could debate and fight for the common good."