3 minute read
Diverse Supplier Spotlight: Lyons Companies
BY AMANDA SCHIMMEL
In the male-dominated insurance industry, Lyons Companies sets itself apart with a female owner and predominantly female senior management team. When Kate Lyons stepped into the role of president and CEO of Lyons Companies four years ago, she made it her mission to diversify the company. Lyons recognized an opportunity to expand the company’s leadership through obtaining a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certification.
The process is rigorous. Applicants must be for-profit organizations located in the United States; 51 percent owned by a woman, or a group of women who are verified owners and U.S. citizens or legal residents; and have a woman top executive officer with technical expertise. Lyons explains that the application process itself “requires a significant time commitment, extensive documentation, and an interview.” Additionally, the company undergoes recertification every year to ensure that the ownership remains diversified and in compliance with WBENC standards.
For Lyons Companies—one of the mid-Atlantic region’s largest insurance and risk management brokers—this certification sets them apart from their competitors because it highlights a commitment to reinforcing the place of women in the insurance industry. “I’m glad we invested the time to earn the WBENC certification,” Lyons reflects. “Many of our clients have federal contracts, and this certification helps meet their supplier diversity requirements. My employees benefit from a level field of opportunity and our partners recognize a commitment to advancing women in business.”
Not only does the WBENC certification solidify the company’s values, but it also supports internal growth and career development for Lyons Companies’ employees. “We are fiercely committed to independence with a focus on professional development and advancement from within. This is probably the most rewarding part of what I do,” says Lyons. “There was a time when I would sit in on meetings and be the only woman in the room; some of our partners actually asked who was running the company. Often, they didn’t know who to make eye contact with.”
With Lyons Companies stationed at the frontline, the progress in diversity has become increasingly tangible. Instead of male-dominated conversations and meetings, a WBE certification encourages a 360-degree outlook and fresh perspectives in the workplace. Lyons concludes, “It is really exciting to speak with these women who have started their own companies, many in fields that didn’t exist five years ago. There is real energy behind that.”
