2016
| NOTABLE WOMEN IN REINSURANCE
ARLENE KERN
Strategic Innovation Leader Munich Reinsurance America , Inc .
Arlene has come far in the reinsurance industry – a field she knew little about when a student , as she suspects is the case with many of her colleagues . After receiving dual degrees in accounting and economics , she began looking for accounting positions . Soon , she landed a job at State Farm Insurance within the company ’ s accounting finance division . At the time , she had not planned on a career in the insurance and / or reinsurance space .
After State Farm , Arlene moved to accounting at the international reinsurance company Munich Reinsurance America , Inc . That ’ s where her natural curiosity got the better of her : she realized she wanted to become more active in the company ’ s core business . She immediately took advantage of the organization ’ s formal mentorship program and focused on developing a broader background in areas such as underwriting and portfolio management .
Throughout her career , Arlene points to mentorship as a key component to her success . Fifteen years later , she still has the same mentor . “ We were one of the first pairings , and he and I still meet a few times a year ,” Arlene says . She had such a good experience as a mentee that over the years she has served as a mentor to others through the same program . “ I ’ ve been more than happy to be on the other side of it ,” she says .
Arlene has successfully evolved her role within Munich Re during her tenure there . In 2003 , she assumed the title of Head of Business Intelligence ( BI ) Consulting , a position she held for more than six years . Subsequently , she served nearly seven years as Vice President , Property Underwriter , assisting national clients . “ When making the transition into my third position at Munich Re , I was not fixated on making an upward move ,” she said . She was committed to transitioning to the business unit that supported the core offerings of the company , noting that experience would be worth more than a bigger title . I decided to go well outside of my comfort zone – and those are big risks , taking on new challenges and new partners ,” she says . People questioned it at the time , but she found that expanding her knowledge base in this way paid off . “ It ’ s one of the advantages of working for a large company ,” she says . “ It ’ s possible to transition to a new career while staying within the same firm .” path forward doesn ’ t have to be upward ,” she says . Even in advising two of her children , both in their twenties and working for large companies , she suggests thinking about careers as nonlinear . “ You sell yourself short if you don ’ t recognize the potential growth in experience that can come from lateral moves ,” she says . “ I think of it as creating space for new possibilities .”
For Arlene , directing a career depends on priorities . “ If your values are to be at the top of the corporate ladder , then your decisions will grow out of that ,” she observes . “ If you value constant learning , and building your experience base , then those lateral moves can make a lot of sense .”
She advises examining your own skillsets and inviting your network to be honest with you . “ There is tremendous value in acknowledging your own gaps ,” she says . “ The skills you build through breadth of knowledge are equally important as those built through depth of knowledge . Opportunities at the top get tighter and tighter , a broad-based background can be a real asset .”
Several volunteer organizations have recognized Arlene for her service and leadership in the industry . A breaker of glass ceilings , she will become the first female president of the Intermediaries and Reinsurance Underwriters Association ( IRUA ) in April 2017 . As for her current role , she serves as part of an incubator team where she creates a disciplined , sustained innovation practice to generate economic growth for her company ’ s US property / casualty ( P & C ) operations .
She attributes part of her success to her willingness to make nontraditional career moves . “ It ’ s important to realize that your
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