How does this affect us today? We tend to take for granted what we have and the hard work and courage that was necessary to get us to where we are. We forget women weren’t allowed to take maternity leave, run in the Boston Marathon or become an astronaut, to name a few things.

Last fall, Holmes Murphy started a new initiative called Women Optimizing Women (WOW). The goal of the initiative is simple, to ensure Holmes Murphy is best in class as it pertains to embracing the success of women who have joined or will join our organization. When we started the initiative, I interviewed women from our offices around the country. A common theme was there wasn’t a problem that needed to be “fixed.” So, was there still a need for a diversity/inclusion program focused on women?

We met with all our women shareholders to brainstorm on how we could make a difference. Recruiting, advocating and ensuring benefits aligned with the special needs of women were all discussed. A few weeks later, our Dallas office launched “lunch with a shareholder.” An invitation went out to all female employees with the intention of having a group of five join two women shareholders. The spots filled up in minutes. There’s still interest!

Insurance is an industry that’s been around for a very long time. Building a team that includes women in leadership and sales takes a long time. It’s still too frequent that women are less than 5 percent of the attendance at key industry events.

Whenever I think of challenges women face in the workplace, I go back to my first interview after obtaining my CPA. I anxiously awaited the call in hopes of breaking into public accounting. When it came, I was told, “We were very impressed with your interview. So much so that we’d like to introduce you to a group of doctors who need an office manager. That would be a better fit for a young woman your age.” Thankfully, I chose a different path that ultimately led to the position I have today.

The support I received from women leaders when I started at Holmes Murphy is unforgettable. Holmes Murphy’s top executives are committed to leaving good footprints and ensuring opportunities are equal for all. It’s our hope the WOW initiative will meet its goal and ensure we
embrace and celebrate the success of women in our company and the industry as a whole. We may not be fighting for the right to vote, but we will make a difference!