Bringing Value to Every Situation
As president of the Global Preneed business unit at Assurant Inc., a Fortune 500 company, Tammy Schultz has stewarded the business to nearly $1 billion in annual policy sales and administration of about 2 million insurance policies in the United States and Canada.
Schultz fosters strong relationships with industry professionals, customers and employees. Rising through the ranks since joining Assurant in 1995, Schultz’ career trajectory has taken her from advertising and communications to negotiating multi-million dollar deals. The area of the company she’s accountable for offers consumers a way to prefund the cost of a funeral, cremation, or burial. She’s successfully mastered the challenge of working in a historically male-dominated industry.
Schultz says the most important quality a woman leader should have is feeling confident in the value they bring to every situation. She adds that being a woman in a male-dominated industry is not something she spends a lot of time thinking about, since her focus is on what she brings to every situation and interaction regardless of who might be in the room. “Working hard to earn everyone’s respect is what has helped me to build the relationships I have, create the opportunities for the business, and continue to drive our business,” Schultz said.
Her colleagues say her ability to communicate, connect, and lead have been instrumental in restructuring and improving customer service operations, strengthening client relationships, and developing the strategic vision to grow the business. To help others succeed, she fosters a collaborative and inclusive culture and helps employees in their career development paths as a coach for Assurant’s Center for Emerging Leaders. Her enthusiasm for coaching extends beyond the company and onto the ice, where Schultz is a certified hockey coach serving as coordinator for South Dakota’s Rushmore Thunder Girls Hockey Team. She’s also a volunteer for several community initiatives, including Habitat for Humanity and United Way Day of Caring.
Schultz holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising from South Dakota State University. She also holds the Fellow, Life Management Institute designation.
