Victoria Andler '18
On Monday February 8, Lisa Tepper ’82 returned to her alma mater to speak to students as a part of the School of Business Lecture Series. Tepper graduated from Siena with a marketing/management degree and has since had 34 years of experience in the insurance business. Tepper began her career with Aetna as a Marketing Representative and was eventually brought over to Travelers Insurance. She served in many roles at Travelers, including her most recent role as the Regional President of Downstate New York/New Jersey.
The main theme of Tepper’s keynote lecture was, “Success is about Passion: Find Your Passion.” She explained that for her, “insurance is the best business because it’s a relationship business,” and that “it is a business that sustains our economy.”
Tepper also stressed to students the importance of finding sponsors in the professional world, someone who supports and believes in your career path. Tepper shared that during her career she was offered a job as a Regional Executive for Travelers in Downstate NY/NJ but she turned it down to keep her family from having to relocate. Soon after, the CEO of Travelers called to tell her that he believed in her and that they needed someone like her to take the job. Tepper described this moment as a time where someone saw something in her that she couldn’t and she is thankful that he made that call.
Tepper gave three pieces of advice for students who are about to enter the “real world.”
“Do the job you have today, well,” she advised. Next, when discussing how to choose which company is the right fit to work for, she suggested to interview the company while they are interviewing you. And lastly, she discussed social media and the importance of Linkedin, but also advising to be aware of your social media presence.
Towards the end of Tepper’s presentation she discussed how Siena helped her become the person she is today. During her time at the College, Siena’s Franciscan values made a lasting impact on her life. Tepper is currently involved with many non-profit organizations, where she enjoys giving her time and knowledge.
Finance major Greg Beckwith ’18 noted how much he resonated with Tepper’s advice to seek out sponsors during the professional pathway.
“It’s reassuring to know that there are people out in the workforce that want to help you with your goals and endeavors,” he shared.
