Ryan Shroyer, Vice President of Casualty at Admiral, answered a few questions about his career and heritage in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you, and why is it important to celebrate it?
Growing up, it was a time to learn about your roots and where your family comes from. I was always extremely proud of my diverse heritage and still view it as a time to educate or learn from others and their experiences.
How did you get interested in insurance?
We lived in Bermuda for a few years (reinsurance), and I would go to my dad’s office every day after school. I started asking questions and talking to others about insurance and reinsurance, hearing and seeing where they came from and what led them to the insurance industry. The department that my dad worked in was focused on Central and South America and hosted people from all over the world. That is where the interest started. But I never thought I would actually end up in insurance until I took an internship at Admiral.
Do you and your family have any traditions that are important to you?
Two traditions stick out to me: Mexico fútbol games and pozole around the holidays. The soccer games are intense, and it was normal to lose your voice when watching with friends and family.
Pozole is another small tradition that we had growing up in my family around Christmas/New Year’s, and was a sign for us that the year was over and we were entering into a new one. It is a very old dish dating back to ancient Aztecs and is a soup/stew made from hominy, pork or chicken, and various garnishes, chiles, and spices, served alongside tostadas. Pre-Spanish conquest, pozole was prepared differently; feel free to Google the history!
What makes you the proudest or gives you the most joy about your heritage?
It is hard to come up with just one example, but sharing my heritage with my kids through food and language has given me a lot of joy. They are already learning Spanish from their abuela (grandmother) and love when she cooks Mexican food for them. It gives me hope that the traditions and family-first culture will be passed along to the next generation.
How does embracing diversity in the workplace strengthen our company culture?
Diversity encourages different experiences, backgrounds, and ideas that we might not have seen or thought of before. It promotes a great learning environment to understand each other and what makes us all unique.
