For the last several weeks I've been immersed in the stories of women who have achieved enviable success in the insurance industry (see more at propertycasualty360.com/tag/top-women). Their stories, backgrounds and life situations are all very different, but all of them share great skills and a dedication to an industry that wasn't always that conducive to having them around.
Several of the women I spoke with have been in the industry for 30 years or more. Two familiar names are Donna Pile and Sharon Emek. Both of their stories are characteristic of the times in which they came of age.
Pile started her career in 1977 after a divorce left her with three small sons to support. Her dad owned an agency, and she managed to balance a growing career with raising her kids. “My sons went to many a company meeting and clients' houses and stayed in the agency with me for preschool years,” she said.
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