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2019 Women to Watch: Michelle Bennett

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Michelle Bennett

Michelle Bennett
Director, risk management and director, internal audit
Cable One Inc.
Phoenix
Age: 42

Michelle Bennett, who is director, risk management at Cable One Inc. in Phoenix, was promoted in August from interim to permanent director of internal audit at the internet and cable service provider.

But she still considers among her major achievements her success in “evangelizing and educating my colleagues and our executive staff on the holistic nature of risk management and how risk management can be a tool and a resource for doing some really complicated things, and doing them well.”

Ms. Bennett grew up as a “military brat” whose parents both held investigation roles in the U.S. Air Force. Her first introduction to insurance was in college, by which time her father had retired from the Air Force and was working in loss control. She agreed to earn some “spare change” by transcribing his reports.

“It was a great introduction into the world of insurance” and led to her first job as a claims adjuster. Her participation in the Atlanta chapter of the Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. led to her first risk management job and eventually to her current position at Cable One in 2015.

“I don’t know that coming to work every single day being motivated by a dollar sign is going to bring joy for the long term, so finding a way to be an agent for change for an organization and helping the organization and its leadership” is “a very good result, especially as an individual contributor,” says Ms. Bennett, who attributes her success to “stubbornness and perseverance.”

Ms. Bennett lives with her husband Ryan, a principal mechanic with Northrop Grumman Corp. who helps build satellites, and two “perpetual 3-year-old” dogs. The couple enjoys live music and traveling.

“She’s one of the smartest and most savvy risk managers that I know,” said Sandy Little, who is director, risk management at Phoenix-based Bar-S Foods Co. and president of RIMS’ Arizona central chapter.

“She’s just a very well-rounded, knowledgeable and skillful risk manager and is a great benefit and actually a counselor to me” as a RIMS president, said Ms. Little.

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