Gayle Falvey
Chief operating officer, commercial lines
The Hanover Insurance Group Inc.
Worcester, Massachusetts
Age: 58

It was a daunting task when in 2010 The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. acquired OneBeacon Insurance Group Ltd.’s renewal rights on a book of business worth more than $300 million.

Fortunately for The Hanover, they had Gayle Falvey, who had wide experience in operations management at both insurers.

At the time of the transaction, Ms. Falvey was an operations executive at OneBeacon, having left The Hanover seven years earlier. When The Hanover purchased the renewal rights, Ms. Falvey was asked to rejoin the insurer to help lead the integration of OneBeacon’s Canton, Massachusetts-based business.

She now serves as chief operating officer of commercial lines for The Hanover.

“When Gayle got here, the leadership and capacity of work effort that she put forward to pull off one of the biggest renewal rights transactions in the industry was incredible,” said John C. Roche, The Hanover’s president and CEO. “She was all in.” 

Ms. Falvey currently manages a team of more than 400 employees and oversees the insurer’s operations sourcing capabilities. She also manages business change integration and governance while leading all its U.S. commercial lines service operations. In addition, she is responsible for personal and commercial lines financial operations, The Hanover’s enterprise operations steering committee, and the development and execution of its broad service strategy and initiatives.

Ms. Falvey said that a persistent attitude and willingness to listen have contributed to her success.

“I think you have to have an openness and willingness to always be learning and keeping pace with how quickly the world is changing,” said Ms. Falvey, who graduated with a degree in criminal justice from Westfield State University in Massachusetts.

Ms. Falvey was born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she still lives today. Since 2012, she has also been an active board member of the nonprofit Bottom Line, a community organization that helps high school juniors and seniors get into college.

“Gayle is really one of the most earnest people I’ve worked with,” Mr. Roche said. “She shows every day that she cares deeply about the company.”

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