Meet Shannon Bell, Manager, Workflows & Processes
Please tell us about your career journey and your path to Sompo.
My journey to Sompo began years ago when I joined, back then, Royal Insurance which became Royal and SunAlliance. Because of my prior experience at Penn National and Bankers & Shippers, I started off in Employees Insurance rating auto and property policies. However, this department eventually moved to Florida and I stayed in the Charlotte office working in Marketing and Agency Licensing. This led me to working in the Asia branch in Risk Control assisting the account managers with Workers Compensation loss trending reports as well as assisting with the development and training of a product for the company and clients to export their own loss data from our internal system.
Working in the Asia branch brought experience with Japanese business, their culture, and lasting connections with some wonderful people. After over 11 years at Royal, I went out to have my beautiful daughter and ended up moving to Florida.
I never lost some of those amazing connections from my years at Royal – Asia Branch. Fast forward to 2015, through those same connections, I applied for a position back in Charlotte at former Sompo America in Home Office Underwriting, wearing many hats. This journey has led me to where I am today.
I began at Sompo working with some of those same amazing people from the Royal days. Although many have moved on now and my position has changed, I have enjoyed every step of this journey. The learning experiences and growth I have gained at Sompo and the connections I have made are priceless. Today in Multinational, thankfully the trend continues, I am still with a great team and wear many hats!
What advice do you have for prospective Sompo candidates?
My advice would be to be transparent and ask questions. Why, what, where, when and how is a great place to start! Understanding the details surrounding your position will allow you to not only gain the knowledge to do your job well but also help your team excel. Insurance, such as at Sompo, is team driven. We depend on each other to effectively do our own part. So, when you have the answers to the above questions, your part becomes clearer, more meaningful and you gain a confidence that allows you to reach out for more.
Insurance has many layers and avenues which change frequently. So even if the position you have chosen doesn’t seem to fit, hang in there. In asking questions you may find another spot that is exactly what you are looking for.
Tell us about an initiative at SI that you are most excited for in 2023.
I am excited about Sompo’s ESG initiatives. From the environment policies set forth in underwriting to the corporate governance of making business decisions based on high ethical standards shows the heart of Sompo, which most companies can’t reach. Sompo is a large successful company and utilizing its global platform to reach out to the concerns of the world makes Sompo’s purpose personal, reaching to the individual.
What is your idea of a perfect day outside of the office?
The perfect day outside of the office for me would be spending time with my daughter trekking though the hills of the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains! I’m from the “High Country,” a place called Boone. I am only a couple of hours away, so I go up every chance I get. The fresh mountain air and the peaceful sounds of nature are more than enough to clear your mind of the business it collects through the week. And the views from the top of any mountain are more than a photo can capture. We grab the camera and try anyway!