Member Profile: Tamika Reed and Jennifer Hill

Challenge Accepted

“I am confident the skills and experiences I obtained as a practicing attorney over 12 years influenced my decision to embark upon a career in a male-dominated business that I undoubtedly would not have otherwise considered.”

TAMIKA REED

Hailing from New Orleans, Tamika Reed came to Montgomery in 2006. She’s making her mark on the capital city, first as an attorney, now as a team member at The Frazer Lanier Company and as partner and wife to Mayor Steven L. Reed.

What are your primary responsibilities at The

Frazer Lanier Company? I engage in all aspects of municipal bond transactions for institutions throughout the Southeastern region. The Frazier Lanier Company continues to lead the market in underwriting transactions in the state of Alabama for another consecutive year.

What’s your favorite aspect of your work?

I enjoy developing new relationships and providing financial avenues through which entities can accomplish their established goals.

What is your impression of the environment for women in business in the River Region?

I believe the River Region is on a good path regarding its quest to increase the number of women in positions of power and influence. However, more attention and emphasis are needed to dispel the stigma that women’s family roles are somehow different than men’s, which can prohibit women from maintaining a stable, healthy work/life balance. This can be accomplished by providing support and consideration for women’s needs (i.e. flexibility) in order to facilitate faster career growth.

What are your priorities and goals as the

mayor’s wife? My top priorities and goals as the mayor’s wife encompass building a physically fit, productive environment available to our entire community. My health and wellness initiative is expanding and obtaining drastic growth. Attendance and active participation are exceeding my expectations. I also intend to create a women’s empowerment movement designed to enhance young professional females’ perceptions of self worth and social networking skills. Finally, plans are forthcoming to engage Montgomery’s children in order to produce determined, productive citizens of whom our city will be proud.

What are your interests outside of work?

I enjoy spending time with my family, cooking, running and traveling. frazerlanier.com

JENNIFER HILL

After time working in big insurance firms in big cities, Jennifer Hill came to Montgomery. When she looked for a job, she found a small company and worried it wouldn’t be a good fit. More than 20 years later, she now calls joining Harmon Dennis Bradshaw, where she’s a shareholder and Vice President, “her best career decision.”

When did you start working at Harmon

Dennis Bradshaw? In 1999, two weeks after arriving in Montgomery. There was only one global insurance broker that had an office in the city, and it was small compared to the major global brokerages in Orlando and New York City I had worked at. I have always been career-driven so I was wary to take a job at an independently owned agency. I was convinced that larger insurance brokerage firms were better. What convinced me to try HDB was their vision for the firm and the knowledge and integrity of the partners.

What all does your job entail? I lead the design and development of property and liability insurance programs for our business clients. This entails diving into a client’s business to really understand their needs, then leveraging our strong relationships with insurance companies to customize a risk solution that fits. I also work closely with HDB’s President, David Dennis, in developing and implementing HDB’s long-term strategic initiatives, and I sit in on two insurance carrier agent advisory boards.

What are HDB’s primary services? Providing all insurance products for businesses including property, liability, auto, workers compensation, management liability, group employee life, health, vision and dental. We also provide HR services such as employee handbook review and complimentary HR compliance guidelines as well as free access to labor law experts. Additionally, we offer loss control assistance from a former Assistant Area Director for OSHA. Our claims team is headed up by an attorney who has more than 20 years of experience in insurance and contract litigation who will advocate on our clients’ behalf.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

Being able to help protect businesses and their employees. I am curious, business-minded and a problem solver, so I love digging in and learning about clients’ businesses. It’s fascinating and makes insurance the opposite of boring. I also love the people aspect of my work.

It Runs in the Family

Jennifer Hill is a shareholder in HDB, but Hill noted how that doesn’t make her unique in her house. “We’re a family of business owners. Brad [her husband] has his own side IT business, and Isabella [her daughter] has her own Etsy business, where she just surpassed 300 sales.”