Women can no longer use past injustice as an excuse for not succeeding today, says an executive of Aon Risk Services (Bermuda) Ltd.

Senior vice president and group financial controller, Mrs. Pauline Richards, declared that women bring an essential element to the collective board room thinking.

"Women tend to cringe a bit when challenged by men in authority,'' she said.

"Sometimes they need to be more assertive.'' It is not a problem she suffers. She was born in Barbados to Mrs. Gertrude Eastmond, a businesswoman turned politician, installed in the Senate and later an elected junior Minister.

Mrs. Richards said, "I don't think the glass ceiling argument holds water anymore. Women can get past it. Oh yes, there are still men out there who just don't have the respect for women that they should have. But it's changing and I have seen a lot women moving right on up with great confidence and dignity, who are able to complement the work men are doing.

"Women bring a softness and a different approach to things. They are full of ideas. Every team needs a woman on it. Nowadays, you can not afford to miss out on the opportunity to have a woman on your team. You are cutting out too much and doing yourself in, because women bring a different perspective. They are an integral part of running an operation.'' Mrs. Richards said that women will no longer see themselves as having to be unduly "pushy'' to be heard.

She said, "The professional woman is no longer rigid, and is becoming more polished and dignified in her approach, while maintaining her femininity.'' Mrs. Richards does not strike you as rigid, herself. She is the epitome of polish and professionalism. She has worked hard, but she gives some credit to men for getting her where she is today.

She is married to Mr. E.T. (Bob) Richards, president of Bermuda Asset Management and general manager of INVESCO Global Asset Management Ltd.

His father was a former Bermuda premier, Bermuda's first black Government leader, Sir Edward Richards.

She has suffered recent family losses, including adopted son Christopher and Mr. Richard's mother. Their passing only added to the challenges she faced.

The couple have two other sons, Victor, 17, and 13-year old Kevin.

Mrs. Richards said her husband has been a source of great support for her, even back in the days when she was studying to obtain her accountancy degree, at one point while even dealing with the day-to-day routine of being a pregnant, working mother.

She also cited support from Mr. Robin Spencer-Arscott, chairman and CEO of Aon Risk Services (Bermuda) Ltd., who she said has helped her, and other women, by providing opportunities.

She earlier worked for the Bank of Nova Scotia in Barbados and Toronto. When she came to Bermuda with her husband 18 years ago, she spent a year with the Canadian firm, Alcan Aluminium, as an accountant, before leaving to join Blades & Company, the firm eventually bought out by Crum & Forster.

The Bermudian woman followed Mr. Spencer-Arscott to Frank B. Hall at the beginning of the eighties, moving from accountant to controller in the eight years, during the significant growth period for the firm.

Then, for five years she was with Rollins, Burdick, Hunter, before that company bought out Frank B. Hall. It was a reunion for her with a lot of one-time colleagues.

"You make your job into something that you can live with and something that you can enjoy. I try to bring out new ideas as to what I can offer, something that is rewarding.

"There is always something more that can be done in any job. You must look for ways to enhance the operation or the environment in which you work.

"There are some 44 people working here, but they are sometimes separated into the three niche areas for the firm. It is great to be able to just bring them together for social functions. I think it is important.'' Apart from varied responsibilities to the captive management, broking and reinsurance aspects of her firm, Mrs. Richards is also the chairperson of Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE), an organisation she said she joined seven years ago because of the changes in society and how they impact parenting.

She said the organisation is making progress in the community. She joined at a time when she didn't feel "street-wise'' about Bermuda and felt as a mother it was important that she get more information about what was happening in the community.

PRIDE, she said, is a vehicle from which parents can learn about the changing conditions in society, and how drugs can get too close to their children.

She sees significant interest by business leaders in PRIDE's related organisation, Council Partners.

Where does she get her energy? She said, "I was fortunate to be born to a very dynamic woman. My parents were grocers, who built the business into a major supermarket. She was the sort of woman who could take on Goliath.

"She eventually became Parliamentary Secretary under Prime Minister Errol Barrow, to a long serving Minister in a large Ministry, dealing with Health and Social Services. That was in the seventies.

"My mother was hardworking and very ambitious, who encouraged all of her children to get educated. She expected a lot from all of us.

"She encouraged all of us to leave Barbados. She felt that the fact that we had grown up in a small community was not enough. She said we needed to expand our horizons. So all of us (five girls, one boy) spent some time, at one point or another, out of Barbados.'' After leaving high school in Barbados, she was out working for the bank, and then moved to Toronto and again worked for the bank there, doing computer programming courses in the evening.

She opened a fast food business back in Barbados when she was 22, but just like computers, she knew it was not for her. She did not feel fulfilled, and decided to go back to school.

In Toronto she enrolled in a Certified General Accountancy programme, before meeting her future husband. She said his support and encouragement to continue studying was gratefully welcomed.

She was into her second year of a five-year programme, when she came to Bermuda, settled down and had her first child. But she continued studying, even though she had an infant and a four year old step son from her husband's previous marriage.

"I had an instant family,'' she recalls. "Somehow, I managed. I always had some help in the home. I never tried to do it all myself. I had wonderful in-laws and they stepped in and supported whatever I was doing.

"In 1978, I had two young children and I was still relatively new to Bermuda.

The studies had to be put on the back burner.

"It was three or four years into my marriage that I decided to resume my studies, with the Queen's University programme at the Bermuda College. I did my Bachelors in Psychology. That took five years of part time study, while working.

"But eventually, I told Bob that I had to go back to school part time to complete my CMA while continuing to work.'' IN THE BOARDROOM -- Mrs. Pauline Richards, of Aon.