Bermudians working in the international insurance industry have advantages over their US counterparts, according to J&H Intermediaries vice president, Mrs. Catherine Lord.

For one thing, the companies are eager to work for the good of the community and hiring highly-skilled Bermudian labour suits them just fine.

And although companies are apt to lean toward the best people for the job, there are smaller numbers here in competition for that job.

And there are other ways.

Mrs. Lord, 47, said, "I was working for an insurance company here at one stage, which required me to travel to the US quite a bit. I recall working with US staff there on a day to day basis, and getting to see how they were handling this book of business.

"They were often surprised about what I knew about different parts of the business. That was when I realised that we in Bermuda have the opportunity to be involved in a lot more than they do.

"That helped to broaden the way I looked at things. The realisation that Bermudians in the industry are exposed to a lot more, conditioned me to try to take advantage of the opportunities here.'' She believes that women have been able to prosper under the leadership of Director of Johnson & Higgins, and chairman of Johnson & Higgins (Bermuda) Ltd., Mr. Brian Hall. She has been there 16 years.

She said of Mr. Hall, "He has an open door style of management. In the early days, when I was fortunately here, people had a really close relationship with Brian.

"Now with the size of the staff today, it will be a little more difficult for new people joining the firm to get to know him well and benefit directly from his interpersonal leadership.

"But he is a real cool guy, very easy going.'' She says her job is stressful, but she enjoys it. "It's a very stimulating environment. It's kind of crazy. Some times you are overwhelmed and your adrenaline goes up, but then you actually accomplish what you need to do and there is a feeling of exhilaration.

"Every day there is a different problem. It is not a stagnant job. It is one in which you are trying to find solutions to every problem put before you.

Every client has different needs. This is not a mundane job.

"We bring two parties together, the client and the underwriter. We're the middle men trying to negotiate what's going to be the best programme and best structure.'' She has been vice president for about ten years and loves her job because it is a people-oriented business, meeting different people every day, helping to solve different problems.

"And if you can seal a deal then, that's the ultimate, because you are producing some type of income for your company. A broker is a selling job.

It's a salesperson's job.'' Married for 12 years to lawyer, Mr. Darcy Lord, she has no children but admits she admires women in her industry who have been able to function at a high level, while raising a family.

"I was always a career person. I didn't have this need to feel that I would be fulfilled by having a child. I wasn't married until I was 34 and I think that the longer you are single, the more selfish you become. There just wasn't the need for children.

"I've had some experience with mothering because my husband's son was living with us for a couple of years. I do enjoy my family life.'' She has real concerns about the status of black men. She said she might question whether or not they have been afforded the same opportunities, or at least to the extent that Bermudian women have.

"Black men are painfully missing out of the picture in the business world.

That might be changing though, because there seems to be a greater number of black, younger men, who are in positions where they may have an opportunity to climb the corporate ladder.

"I've seen men in this business who didn't hang in there, when the market slowed down. Women tend to be a lot more tolerant and resilient, trying to rise above hurdles. A lot of men just won't take it.

"But there was a friend of mine who had a senior position four or five years ago in this business, who has tried to get back into this industry and every time he tries, the door is slammed in his face. I must admit sometimes I have to question some things that happen, but then I don't have all the details to take a position.

"Black men are an unknown quantity and an unknown quality. Some companies may have executives who just prefer to hire women,'' she said.

MRS. CATHERINE LORD -- Advantage to Bermudians.