Monica Birchmore
Account manager
Hylant Global Captive Solutions
Personal bio: Some say I am from the middle of nowhere, and I would have to agree, but I wouldn’t want to call anywhere else home. I am from Addison, Vermont, where there are more cows than people and everybody knows either you, your parents, or your grandparents. Being from a small town located on Lake Champlain, I enjoy all the lake has to offer including boating, kayaking, and fishing.
Professional profile: After attending Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont from 2012 to 2016 where I received a Bachelor of Science in accounting with a minor in finance, I joined the captive industry full time as an assistant client services specialist and later an account manager. In 2018, I completed the requirements to become a Certified Public Accountant. In June 2020, I joined the Hylant family as an account manager and couldn’t be more excited to be a part of such a great company.
How did you end up in the captive industry?
During a short flight to Florida in 2014, I was introduced to the captive industry through discussions with a woman that was sat next to me. This discussion led to an internship opportunity during the third and fourth years of my undergraduate programme. Not long into my internship, I knew that the captive industry would be a great fit for me and was excited to learn as much as I possibly could.
What has been your highlight in the captive industry so far?
Meeting and building working relationships with new people who each have different strengths and areas of expertise has been my favourite part of being in the captive insurance industry. Being from a small town, this industry has exposed me to so many new people, companies, and industries. Working within a variety of industries, I truly can say that each and every day is different and I am constantly learning.
What/who have been your influences in the captive industry?
The captive industry is full of talented, intelligent professionals, but I have truly been inspired by some of the strong women who I see as pillars of the captive insurance industry. I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to work beside a number of them day in and day out.
What is your impression of the industry?
I have always been proud to work in the captive insurance industry, not only because of it’s economic contributions to my home state and many others and the fact that it is a green industry, but because it provides creative and efficient risk management solutions for each client. Captives can play an important role in ensuring the health “Monica has a tremendous appetite for learning, networking to find solutions and developing herself and others around her. She has been voracious and diligent on studying and learning the captive insurance industry to expand her own personal knowledge while being highly professional and a quick learner. She has constantly asked me and others for tips and tricks for professional speaking and presentations to the board of directors for the captives she manages. Monica is motivated, outgoing, innovative and fun-loving. She goes the extra mile for anyone who requests her time and experience.” Anne Marie Towle, global captive solutions leader at Hylant and success of companies and I enjoy being a piece of that process.
What are your aspirations for your career in the captive industry?
The fact that captive insurance companies can be so customisable to each client’s situation is a major part of the reason they are so effective, but when no two captives are the same it can be difficult to learn, and even further become an expert. It is my goal to be able to use my experiences and knowledge that I have gained thus far in my career as a building block to becoming an expert in the captive insurance industry to assist clients with their everchanging risks. Joining Hylant has been great in helping me progress as I am being involved in projects and conversations beyond the day-to-day management aspect of captives to expand my knowledge and exposure to the feasibility, consulting, and beginning stages of captives. Another step to achieving this goal will be obtaining my Associate in Captive Insurance (ACI) designation, which I will be working towards in the coming years.
What advice do you have for someone considering a role in the industry?
If you enjoy new challenges every day, problem solving, and meeting professionals in various industries, the captive industry could be a great fit. There are also many career avenues that fit within the scope of captive insurance whether it be captive management, service providers, state departments, and many more. After working in the industry for the past five years, I could confidently say that it has been important in fostering my professional skills that could be applied to various positions within and outside of the industry.
Anne Marie Towle, global captive solutions leader, Hylant “Monica has a tremendous appetite for learning, networking to find solutions and developing herself and others around her. She has been voracious and diligent on studying and learning the captive insurance industry to expand her own personal knowledge while being highly professional and a quick learner. She has constantly asked me and others for tips and tricks for professional speaking and presentations to the board of directors for the captives she manages. Monica is motivated, outgoing, innovative and fun-loving. She goes the extra mile for anyone who requests her time and experience.”
