Kim Riley Named a Winner of Business Insurance's Women to Watch Awards

TOLEDO, Ohio, Nov. 9, 2020 – Business Insurance magazine has named Kim Riley, president of Hylant–Cleveland, a winner of its annual Women to Watch awards program.

Business Insurance started the program in 2006 to recognize women leaders doing outstanding work in risk management and commercial insurance. Nominated by readers based on their accomplishments, expertise and leadership, honorees are selected by a panel of editors.

“Kim is an amazing leader,” said Partnership Leader Patrick McDaniel. “She is incredibly talented in the way she brings people together. She lives our values.”

From 2004 until her tenure with Hylant, after 20 years in the business, Riley served as president of First Horizon Insurance Group and First Tennessee Insurance Services. There she championed a strategic plan to take the agencies to best-in-class, which included the divestiture and purchase of several entities. A banking recession forced her to sell and she set her sights on Hylant–Nashville.

The office was new, so Riley built it a strategic plan that focused on leveraging the strengths of the team. She hired high performers, acquired then integrated the sales and service teams of two employee benefits firms, and spoke daily to clients on cyber exposure, alternative risk financing and risk mitigation. Within 18 months, Riley increased the office’s revenue volume by 300% and the bottom line to 20%.

She became president of Hylant–Cleveland in 2016 and grew it a record 20% each of the last three years. Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus, she is on pace to do it again.

“Kim moved from one community to another. She immersed herself in Cleveland, all while mentoring and supporting others internally,” said Chief Talent Officer Deborah Bubp.

This year’s 30 honorees will be celebrated at a virtual event in December.

A message from Kim Riley: