Kimberly Foltz, MA

I attribute my success to resilience, perseverance, and being open to feedback throughout my career. I always say feedback's a gift, and if you're not open to it and you're closed-minded, you won't take those little nuggets and carry them forward to improve yourself. I've had some tough bosses who really looked out for me holistically, and while some people might be offended by that kind of comprehensive feedback, I wasn't. I wanted to do better. I had mentors who gave me feedback not only on specific skills but also on how I carry myself, how I present myself, and the perception others have of me. I'll never forget one boss telling me, 'when you go up to training in Connecticut, you're gonna be in a fishbowl.' He would describe things that nobody typically cared to talk about, and I appreciated that honest guidance. I've also learned to be adaptable and embrace challenges. Even after 30 years in insurance, when I can tweak things a little bit - like working with a company that has a perpetual policy versus a traditional one, or managing direct-to-consumer versus working through independent agents - I find myself challenged, and that's what I like. I believe strong mentorship, personal discipline, and maintaining a growth mindset have been instrumental in my professional development.

The best career advice I've received came from my mentors who taught me that feedback is a gift. I had a boss at Travelers who really looked out for me holistically, and while some people might be offended by that kind of comprehensive guidance, I embraced it because I wanted to do better. He gave me feedback not only on specific skills but also on how I carry myself, how I present myself, and the perception others have of me. I'll never forget him telling me, 'when you go up to training in Connecticut, you're gonna be in a fishbowl.' He would describe things that nobody typically cared to talk about - the subtle aspects of professional presence and leadership that make a real difference. That willingness to give honest, complete feedback helped me grow not just professionally but personally as well. The lesson I took from that is to always remain open to feedback and not let a closed mind prevent you from taking those little nuggets and carrying them forward to improve yourself.

My advice to young women entering the insurance industry or any business field is to have the resilience and the courage to go after what you want. Don't allow any fear that you might create in your own head, and any barriers, to stop you from pursuing those dreams. I also encourage young women to remain open to feedback and embrace continuous learning. Feedback is a gift, and if you're closed-minded and won't take those little nuggets and carry them forward to improve yourself, you'll miss out on tremendous growth opportunities. Be willing to step outside your comfort zones and don't be afraid to pursue leadership opportunities. Throughout my career, I've learned that growth often comes through mentorship, honest feedback, and being willing to take on challenges that might seem daunting at first. Even after 30 years in my industry, I still seek out new challenges because that's what keeps me engaged and growing.

One of the biggest challenges in the insurance industry right now is execution - being able to take great ideas and actually get them out the door to benefit operations. I think the biggest challenge for many executives is that you can have great ideas, but if you don't know how to execute on them and get them out the door, then it doesn't do the operation any good. I'm very sensitive to identifying why things aren't moving forward, finding the bottlenecks, and then working to eliminate those bottlenecks so that strategic plans can continue to be executed. At the same time, there are tremendous opportunities for professionals who can successfully adapt and help modernize traditional business operations. In my current role, I'm working with a company that has a very different model - they have a perpetual policy rather than traditional insurance policies, and they're direct-to-consumer when I'm used to working through independent agents. Even after 30 years in the industry, when you can tweak things and work in a different model, you find yourself challenged in new ways. That kind of innovation and willingness to do things differently creates real opportunities for growth and improvement in our industry.

The values most important to me in both my work and personal life are resilience, continuous growth, faith, service, and mentorship. I believe strongly in being open to feedback and maintaining a growth mindset - I always say feedback's a gift, and being willing to learn and improve has been essential throughout my career. Faith plays a central role in my life, as I lead a life group at my church, usually composed of women, where we do various studies in the spring and fall. I try to stay involved and active in my church community wherever I can plug myself in. Service and giving back are also core values for me. I serve on the board of the Virginia Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, and I'm particularly passionate about connecting the insurance industry with Future Business Leaders of America students to help introduce young people to opportunities in our field. I believe in helping others grow professionally while maintaining authenticity and accountability. On a personal level, I value continuous learning and self-improvement - I even set a goal to read 100 books in a year as I approach 60. I also prioritize physical fitness and staying active, whether that's through body pump classes or walking three miles every day with my lab, Bella. These values of growth, service, faith, and resilience guide both my professional decisions and my personal life.