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HOME ~ NEWS/EVENTS ~ JUNE 19, 2007


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2007

 

Top Executive from The Hanover Appointed to the Advisory Board for New Female Leadership Interest Council, Inc.


WORCESTER, MA. _ Marita Zuraitis, president of The Hanover Insurance Group’s property and casualty companies was recently appointed to the Advisory Board for the Female Leadership Interest Council, Inc. (FLIC). Zuraitis, a proven leader in the property and casualty industry who has served in senior leadership positions for the past 25 years, will serve on the Council’s Board with other female leaders representing private and public companies, nonprofit organizations and public agencies.

 

FLIC is a non-profit organization founded on the principles of female leadership, mentoring and the belief that when you can help someone else succeed, you personally grow and prosper. The Council’s mission is to provide educational instruction to women to assist in developing their capabilities in the business world, which will increase the likelihood that their successes will benefit the community.

 

“Marita depicts high-level leadership, and her success demonstrates that women can achieve top-ranking corporate status through hard work and perseverance. She does not have a glass ceiling above her because she’s either crashed through it, or never believed in it in the first place. She values corporate performance, remains on the cutting-edge of management trends, and keeps her life-balance priorities in order,” said Deborah Penta, founder of FLIC and CEO of Westborough-based marketing firm, PENTA Communications, Inc.

 

“She [Zuraitis] is a multi-dimensional person, and it is that quality, which FLIC wants women to appreciate within themselves, in an effort to achieve more in their careers and more in their lives,” Penta continued. “We have a cast of powerful women on our Advisory Board, all of whom bring an eclectic mix of leadership styles and experiences to the table.”

 

Despite the fact that there were few women in the insurance industry when she started out, Zuraitis was able to develop a successful career from the beginning.

 

“When I began at Aetna Life and Casualty in 1982, our branch office had just hired its first female underwriter, but I still never worried about whether I would be taken seriously as a woman. Instead, I was confident that my performance would speak for itself,” she said.

 

And, while the financial services sector has traditionally been a sector where few females rose to the top, Zuraitis sees that slowly changing.

 

 “As more and more young women are taking an interest in the industry and moving through the ranks, we will see an evolution,” Zuraitis said.

 

Zuraitis’s career has always been in the insurance industry, having held senior level positions at United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Aetna Life and Casualty, and most recently at St. Paul Travelers where she was  president and CEO of the commercial lines division.

 

Zuraitis attributes her successes in the industry to hard work and perseverance.

 

“In my entire career I never thought about gender differences,” she said. “There is no ‘silver bullet.’ Whether you are male or female, your competency is most important. You have to do your job, work hard and be consistent.”

 

“I agree with Marita,” Penta said. “I cannot remember experiencing any male/female issues in my career either and most of that originates from not believing in that issue to begin with. When you have expertise and work hard to continually develop and evolve, you will inevitably reach higher levels of success. Focusing on what you need to do and keeping your eye on the ball doesn’t allow for too much time to think about non-issues.”

 

Zuraitis said it was listening to Penta and hearing her philosophy on FLIC that made her want to join the Advisory Board.

 

“FLIC provides us with a means to give back to women who can benefit tremendously from our hindsight, experiences and those leaders we will bring to the table for our members to meet,” Penta said “It offers all of us an opportunity to give back in one of the most ultimate ways – through the power of mentorship.”

 

“Sure – you can do a lot as you get older, wiser and more successful,” said Penta.  “The pinnacle or the summit is reached when you can help others along the way who have dreams and goals, but need help to make it.”

 

“I believe that successful women should share their experiences and advice to help others follow their own path to success,” Zuraitis added. “For that reason, I look forward to supporting Deborah and her mission at FLIC, to help foster more female leaders in our community and beyond.”

 

Zuraitis is someone who denounces the “superwoman syndrome.”

 

As a person who raises horses, has three daughters, a husband and a highly successful career, she said it is balance; compromise and perspective that have been the mainstays in helping her attain her goals.

 

“I think you can have it all, but you have to decide for yourself what it is you want and what is important,” she said. “With focus and prioritization in my life I have been able to work, achieve success for my organization and enjoy my family at the same time.”

 

Today, Zuraitis’ daughters are older, with two at Worcester Academy and one in college.

“We all have dinner together when I’m home, I insist on it. We all enjoy the horses, and my girls and I all competitively ride,” she said. “I really do think it is all about balance and compromise.”

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