Meet Michael Chandler, VP, U.S. Excess Casualty, North America
Please tell us about your career journey and your path to Sompo.
Unlike many of my colleagues, I chose the path to insurance earning my BBA from Georgia State University with a degree in Risk Management and Insurance. However, it wasn’t until I took my first elective course in Risk Management that I knew the direction I was headed after college. From there, I started my professional career at Fireman’s Fund and shortly after went through their Excess and Special Risk underwriter trainee program. After my time at Fireman’s Fund, I spent several years at Great American, Liberty Mutual, and finally at Swiss Re – all within the Excess Casualty segment. In 2018, I was ready for my next challenge, and Sompo was expanding in the Southeast which is when our paths crossed. I can truly say that the past five years have flown by since joining the company that I now call home.
What advice do you have for prospective Sompo candidates?
I encourage prospective candidates to research our initiatives, values, and opportunities, because not many organizations match up. Sompo empowers you to take ownership of your career path while taking advantage of numerous opportunities to grow, advance your skillset and even lead others if that’s what you aspire to do. Collaboration is encouraged, various viewpoints are valued, and opportunities are endless. Our organization is lean enough for the talent to shine without getting lost in the shuffle.
Tell us about an initiative at Sompo that you are most excited about in 2023.
I am most excited about the rollout of Workplace. We talk a great deal about “One Sompo” and I truly believe that the Workplace platform is bringing us much closer together while shrinking the geography between our many office locations. Greater communication and collaboration is key pillars for our success!
What is your idea of a perfect day outside of the office?
My perfect day outside of the office starts with my wife and two boys (15 and 11) and usually involves the warm sandy beaches of 30A in Florida; the vast mountains of Montana; or the raucous crowds at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia on a Saturday in the fall. Any of the three are perfect in my book. Go Dawgs! Back 2 Back!