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Here’s to a well-deserved and happy retirement for three ladies within our team – Ann Edwards, Carol Gell and Sue Wager. You will all be deeply missed and remembered for your hard work throughout the years. Thank you for your dedication to the team. Enjoy your retirement!
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Looking back: a retirement interview
with Ann, Carol & Sue
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Ann, Carol and Sue are very busy preparing their handover for a smooth transition with other client team members, but earlier in the week, we managed to catch up with them and have a chat about their time at Aon and what their future plans might look like…
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Ann started her career with Royal Insurance – working in Marine Cargo. She then joined Minet, placing midsize US / Canadian programmes before moving to Claims, working with the ‘Big 6’ accounting firms (as it was back then). It was at Minet where she first started working with (current) Aon colleague Rosanna Truffa on policy review and placement. Her last move meant teaming up with Sue Wager and they have enjoyed a long-standing working relationship which, they have found, nicely complements each other’s styles ever since.
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A little bit about Carol…
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Carol began her professional life working for Hogg Robinson & Gardner Mountain (Insurance) Limited in November 1985 as a PA to two directors that arranged personal stop-loss for Lloyds names. 36 years on, that one and only interview for the PA role evolved into where she is today – an Associate Director at Aon. Carol arranges Professional Indemnity insurance for retail clients, specialising in solicitors and accountants, and other miscellaneous errors and omissions insurance.
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In July 1981, Sue left education and immediately secured a role at Architects Benevolent Society as a Claims Administrator. Following acquisitions by Minet and then Aon, Sue became a Senior claims Advocate specialising in claims against large accountancy firms, which has been her passion for the last 30 years.
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What drew you to insurance?
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Ann: “I left college and started working part time, then applied for my first full-time position at Royal Insurance. It was my CV that caught their eye as they spotted I had studied Latin ‘O’ Level, and they told me I stood out, as none of the other candidates had this qualification!”
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Carol: “I was drawn to the role and not particularly to insurance and, to be honest, at that time the impressive building Hogg Robinson & Gardner Mountain were in, was the main attraction (Lloyds Chambers!) for me. When the old Lloyd’s building on Lime Street was closed in 1985, I still remember the farewell party being a crazy celebration!”
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What is your favourite memory of Aon?
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Ann: “When I was working with the large, global accounting teams, there was a lot of interaction with our New York, Montreal and Bermuda colleagues for market access, and it was necessary to conduct business in person from time to time, especially in preparation for renewals. I’ll fondly remember the perks of travelling to Montreal to see our colleagues, spending time in a different country and meeting the teams and clients in-person.”
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Carol: “The friends I’ve made along the way and the people I’ve met. I’ve met some wonderful characters.”
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Sue: “From starting work at the age of 16, I have experienced all of my personal life events while working here at Aon – celebrated birthdays, engagement, marriage, births, anniversaries, new homes and now, finally, retirement. Aon has always been my constant and I will always have fond memories of my time here. I feel very lucky to have built such good relationships with both clients and underwriters along the way, they have all helped make my role and working carer what it is, today.”
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The biggest changes I’ve seen…
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Ann: “How we dealt with the technology and communications: I still remember sending faxes off and sharing computers as we didn’t have our own! We didn’t know what IT was when we first started really so things have changed a lot over the years.”
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Carol: “Definitely technology! Back in the day, face to face meetings were the main way to get deals done. I still remember the buzz from 4:30pm in the office when the Brokers returned from the market. We used to type (yes, using a typewriter!) out the terms and make edits by hand. The slips were long narrow bits of paper that were sometimes concertinaed for, which felt like, miles! Now, everything is done electronically using systems which is a big, big change from how it was 36 years ago. Also, the emergence of women in the business. When I started not many women were Directors or Underwriters.”
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What will you miss most about the team at Aon?
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Ann: “The people – Rosanna, Carol were so great to work with and will be missed. I’m still in touch with people who have been 30 years in the market and I’m looking forward to travelling back to London and re-connecting with old colleagues and friends.”
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Carol: “The people, the comradery and the expertise of just getting things done.”
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Sue: “I work with some fantastic people and will be sad not to be part of such a great team.”
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What are your plans for retirement?
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Ann: “I’m planning some major projects in the garden which I will now have time for, and I’m looking forward to that. I’m also (once COVID permits) planning to head out to Australia for up to 3 months to visit family and friends for some quality time, and also catching up with my family in Wales, as I’ve not seen them for 16 months now!”
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Carol: “I intend to do some travelling.”
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Sue: “I plan to take my mother on a 14-day Caribbean cruise and take some time-out to enjoy the things I love like yoga, pilates and swimming in the sea.”
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