Authored by: Regina Lemanowicz
Rae Lynn Zachary, ARM, CPCU, CLP, DAE, CPIW- Co-Assistant to the Region VII RVP Terri Brennan
Rae Lynn Zachary, Region VII member of Insurance Associates of Fresno. I have been a member since 1996.
What inspires you to be part of Insurance Professionals and what prompted you to join?
I joined back in 1996 after attending a meeting with one of my AON colleagues. My first official meeting I was seated at the table with Martha Loesius and she was the chair for our IAIP Day event, and she roped me in to help and I was hooked! I stay involved because of the great people I have had the honor of meeting and making my friends. The networking opportunities have given me an advantage over other colleagues and the CWC helped me get over my fear of public speaking – to the point I’ve actually taught classes at International!
Describe a memorable collaborative effort, such as a committee, task force, or program, where you worked effectively with others to achieve a common goal.
I had the honor of working with Christine Chandler Tillett on the Sponsorship Task force and we were able to get sponsors for ALL the International Awards that year, including my employer Lockton. I am very proud of the work we did on this initial push to have the awards sponsored. And even more proud that the Region VII members really stepped up that first year and their employers were the majority of the initial sponsors.
What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had as a member, whether it was a meeting, a specific project, or a challenging situation you encountered?
There have been many memorable projects – Helping HI with their Region VII Conference in 2023 – I did most of my work remotely working with the different committees and brought it to the Conference with me. I hope I helped make the conference the success it was. Working with everyone was a joy.
The other major one is acting as Assistant to Terri Brennan, our RVP – for her first term and now for her second term. Even though she doesn’t delegate as much work as she should, I love helping where I can. And running the CWC is always a highlight.
What is a good tip on how to share the benefits of membership with an employer?
Don’t be afraid to ask them to support you in your membership! Even though employers are cutting costs, the benefits they get out of an employee being a member has a good return on investment in education and soft skill. However, on the flip side, if the employer supports them – the member must take responsibility for actually being engaged in their membership and take advantage of all the resources.
What Insurance Professionals programs have you taken that you would highly recommend to another member?
By far the best program for me is the CWC. Being comfortable speaking in public has had benefits I never even imagined when I took the course. I no longer have any qualms about speaking to the leadership of my company, where I was pretty intimidated when I started in the industry.
Another benefit, I have gotten comfortable raising funds for my charity of choice – I will ask anyone to support me in my annual fundraising efforts and have been pretty successful for all my walks.
I was able to pay it forward a few times helping to run/and running CWC classes in San Francisco and training members and Lockton colleagues how to be more confident speaking to groups.
Our organization’s vision statement includes: Insurance Professionals is the leading provider of education, skills enhancement and leadership development to members and partners of our industry. Which part of our Vision statement do you feel has had the biggest impact on your personal or professional growth?
For me personally, it has been the leadership skills, both in the association by serving as President of SFIP for two years, serving in various capacities at the Council and Regional levels; and at Lockton where I now lead a team and have
6 direct reports.
What are your hobbies, interests, or a particular cause you are most passionate about?
I love taking photos and have had a few shown in digital exhibitions around the world; reading and making beaded jewelry. I’m also a technology/gadget nerd. Finally, call me a big foodie… Most who know me, can confirm I really enjoy
going to new restaurants and trying all types of food. I always seek out new places when I’m traveling (and often drag lots of my IAIP peeps with me) and review them on Google and Yelp.
The Hidden Heroes of Insurance Professionals is a collaboration of the Member Engagement and Services and Marketing and Publications Task Forces.