From Underwriting to CRO: A Career Built on Curiosity and Growth

In this Career Spotlight, we feature Lorie Graham, Senior Vice President & Chief Risk Officer at AmericanAg®, who shares how she built a career in risk management and insurance from an entry-level underwriting role to serving as Chief Risk Officer. Her journey highlights the power of continuous learning, curiosity, and building expertise over time. 

How did you get started in risk management and insurance? 

My journey didn't start with a grand vision of the C-suite. It started at a primary insurance company, in a junior underwriting position, where I honestly wasn't sure what I was doing. At the time, my only concept of underwriting involved bank loans. I had taken risk management classes in college and loved them but applying that to the real world felt like learning a new language. 

But here is the secret – I leaned into the silence. I chose to embrace not knowing and become a student of the industry. The company offered to pay for my courses, and I realized that if I wanted to move, I had to master the craft. 

I started with my CPCU and Associate in Underwriting (AU). Then, I just kept going. Within 10 years, I earned nine professional designations: CPCU, ARe, AU, AIM, ARC, ARM, ARM-P, AIAF, and ALCM. Those letters after my name weren't just for show – they were my future. Each led to promotions, moving me from the entry level to Agribusiness Underwriting Manager and eventually Research and Product Development Manager. It demonstrates that when you invest in your own expertise, the company will invest in your career. 

By 2005, the industry was changing, and I wanted to be involved in the change. When my company needed its first Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program, they didn't look for an outside consultant – they looked at the person who had spent a decade mastering risk management and our business. I was able to build the program from the ground up. 

In 2008, a new door opened at a reinsurance company. I took a role as Underwriting Manager, but I wasn't there just to manage. I was there to build. I worked with the leadership team to develop a robust ERM program, launched turnkey products for our clients, and established our research and product development department. 

Today, I serve as the Chief Risk Officer (CRO). My entry-level beginning in Underwriting has evolved into overseeing Corporate Risk, Underwriting, Research and Product Development, Agency, and Marketing. 

What Does a Chief Risk Officer Do? Inside the Role 

As Chief Risk Officer, I am responsible for developing and maturing a framework for identifying, assessing, and mitigating the internal and external threats that could jeopardize our organization's financial stability, operations, or reputation. I serve as a strategic lead, balancing the company's appetite for risk with its growth objectives to ensure both compliance and long-term resilience. 

What might surprise you about this role. 

It is a human job. People think being a CRO is about being a human calculator. In reality, it’s about culture. You spend your time talking to people, building trust, and making sure everyone in the company feels responsible for its safety. You can have the best models in the world, but if people are afraid to speak up, the models won't save you. 

I am a professional futurist. I spend time researching things that aren't even in the news yet—like how AI might change liability or how new technologies will impact global supply chains. It’s good to have an imagination. 

And despite what many believe, the CRO is not the person who says “no.” The job is to say, “If we want to do this, here is how we make it happen safely.” You aren’t a gatekeeper — you are a navigator. 

Career Advice for Students and Early-Career Professionals 

Don't worry about the title you'll have in ten years. Focus on being the person who asks the best questions, who never turns down a chance to learn, and who looks for ways to build bridges instead of walls. If you do that, the growth part of your career will take care of itself. 

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About Lorie  Lorie Graham, CPCU, ARe, ARM, AIAF, ALCM, ARP, ARC, AIM, is Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at AmericanAg®. Lorie has over 30 years of experience in underwriting, risk management, and research. She is a frequent presenter at insurance industry events on ERM and emerging trends. She has served as Chair of the RIMS Strategic Enterprise Risk Management Council and Chair of the IASA ERM Subcommittee. She currently serves as a Director on the IASA Advisory Board. Connect with Lorie on LinkedIn.