Newsletters
Risk Central
Digital EditionFor Risk Manager LaToya Lee, Keeping People Safe Is a Source of Fulfillment
R&I: What was your first job?
Steak ’n Shake.
R&I: How did you come to work in risk management?
I was planning a weekend getaway with my husband, and an Indeed job alert popped up on my computer for a claims manager role at Raising Cane’s. I was very familiar with the company, as it was a restaurant we visited often.
I read over the job description and was surprised how closely related it was to my role at the time [claims supervisor at Gainsco Auto Insurance]. I knew nothing about risk management, but I did know claims and insurance. The hiring manager told me he chose me for the job based on my admission that “a claim is a claim no matter what the line of coverage.”
R&I: What is the risk management community doing right?
Communicating. Every company is being met with similar challenges, and risk managers are reaching out to their counterparts in the industry more than ever, seeking tips and best practices on how to navigate the issues. It’s so great to see problem-solving happening amongst different organizations simultaneously.
R&I: What could the risk management community be doing a better job of?
Branding outside of the industry while promoting the key roles and responsibilities within risk management. More should be done to recruit new talent outside of the traditional risk and insurance space. We must look for talent from all business sectors.
R&I: What’s been the biggest change in the risk management and insurance industry while you’ve been in it?
The lack of capacity the insurers have and the cost to provide coverage. It is a struggle. Having to piece together insurance programs has been increasingly difficult.
R&I: How much business do you do direct versus going through a broker?
Almost all the business goes through the broker. We are in the people business, so we can make connections and foster relationships, but ultimately it is the broker that gets the deal over the finish line.
R&I: What emerging commercial risk most concerns you and why?
The uptick in crime and, notably, the mental health crisis the world is exhibiting is very concerning.
Companies are forced to look at risk management differently, bringing previously unspoken issues to the forefront and having open dialogues about safety in the workplace. Risk managers are tasked with coming up with proactive solutions to these challenges while keeping their company’s culture top of mind.
R&I: If you could point to two people who served as mentors to you, who would they be and why?
I don’t have individual mentors; I have a board of directors. The board serves a dual purpose in my life: Half are within my professional network, and the others are key players in my personal life. My professional group provides encouragement and continues to stretch my way of thinking. My personal group keeps me grounded in my faith and is my safe space. I need both groups to continue to be the best version of myself.
R&I: What about this work do you find the most fulfilling or rewarding?
Without question, working diligently each day to make sure our crewmembers, customers and the communities we serve are safe.
R&I: What have you accomplished that you are proudest of?
Becoming the first female African American vice president for Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers!
R&I: What do your friends and family think you do?
Keep people safe. &
Hello, Risk Management Community
Just a note to keep this space in mind if you or a colleague would like to share your risk management career journey and thoughts about the industry with our readers.
We here at Risk & Insurance are passionate about many things, and one of them is making sure we tell the best stories about the people who are making a difference in this vital profession.
If you would like to be considered to be interviewed for our Profession page, or if you know of a colleague who has a great career story to tell, please email us at [email protected].
Thanks — and keep doing the important work that keeps workers and companies on the right track.
