Diana Hardy
Audit manager
Rives & Associates
Personal bio:
I was born and raised on a farm in a small town in Eastern North Carolina. Growing up the youngest and only girl of three, I enjoy being the aunt to my eight beautiful nieces and nephews. I enjoy being active either through running, dancing or hot yoga. Most importantly, I love giving back to my community and being surrounded by friends and family.
Professional profile:
As a graduate of North Carolina State University, I currently work in the Greensboro office of Rives and Associates. I practice in the areas of auditing and attestation and have nine years of experience in public accounting. My experience has allowed me to provide value to a broad spectrum of entities within the insurance industry including reinsurance considerations, complex and unconventional investments, complicated accounting topics, and mergers and acquisitions. I manage multiple captive and traditional insurance teams within Rives and Associates. Additionally, I serve as a board member of the Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina and is the assistant treasurer to the board and a member of the Greensboro Rotary Club. I was recently awarded the IASA’s ‘Top 30 Under 30’ 2018 award.
What has been your highlight in the captive industry so far?
Meeting new people. I meet someone new who is smart and captivating almost weekly. Meeting these people makes me excited to be in an industry which recruits individuals who are abstract thinkers. Our industry is centred on the basic premise of minimising risk while maximising returns. Every risk profile is different and finding creative ways to accomplish this is stimulating. There is so much to gain from just talking with others in this industry.
What/Who have been your influences in the captive industry?
I’d have to say my biggest influence is the driving force behind the industry: correlating risk taking with anticipated profit. Being a numbers person, putting numbers to identified risk really excites me. Three particular women in the industry immediately come to mind: Debbie Walker, North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI); Leane Refalko, NCDOI; and Anne Marie Towle, JLT. Having the honour to listen to presentations from them and getting to know them has influenced me to want to become a female leader in the industry and follow in their footsteps to be at the forefront of the industry.
What are your aspirations for your career in the captive industry?
I hope to be a ‘go to’ industry leader and on the forefront of understanding and communicating complex accounting standard updates affecting both financial reporting and tax reform. Our industry is full of very smart people, but even with that being the case, complex topics arise and therefore the proper treatment is in a grey area. I love figuring out the best way forward.
What advice do you have for anyone considering a role in the industry?
Dive in! It is an ever changing, diverse, and sometimes challenging industry that can only make you a better professional.
Frederick Marcks, consultant, Synergy Insurance “Diana Hardy is very collegial, well spoken, and highly knowledgeable about the ever-changing regulatory landscape, and GAAP financial reporting requirements. We were very impressed with the level of professionalism and the timeliness in responding to our inquiries. Diana will take the necessary time to understand the processes, procedures, and transactions that occur to provide a high quality audited financial report, consistent with the requirements of and domicile. I would highly recommend Rives & Associates and more specifically, ask for Diana.”
