Building Resilient Communities: Texas Mutual CEO Jeanette Ward on Workforce and Childcare

What does an insurance company have to do with child care and workforce development? At Texas Mutual, the answer is: more than you might expect. 
 
Host Tamara Atkinson, CEO of Workforce Solutions Capital Area, welcomes Jeanette Ward, President and CEO of Texas Mutual Insurance Company. As chair of Early Matters Greater Austin and recipient of the 2023 Philanthropic Leader award from the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, Ward is a leader who understands real-world workforce challenges personally. Ward brings a unique perspective as both a teenage mother who put herself through college and the leader of a mission-driven insurance company focused on building resilient communities across Texas. 

The conversation explores Ward's journey from dance instructor and small-town cashier to CEO, emphasizing lessons in problem-solving and hard work. Key discussions include Texas Mutual's uncommon investment in workforce development initiatives like the Austin Infrastructure Academy and the expansion of affordable child care, Ward's leadership of Early Matters Greater Austin, and her personal battle with imposter syndrome. Ward shares how vulnerability and confidence transformed her leadership style while advocating for public-private partnerships to address Austin's workforce challenges through data-driven collaboration. 

Jeanette Ward is President and CEO of Texas Mutual Insurance Company, where she has spent over 30 years rising from receptionist to CEO. A UT Austin graduate and single mother, Ward has become a leading voice in the insurance industry, workforce development and community investment. She chairs Early Matters Greater Austin, received the 2023 Philanthropic Leader award from the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, and was named to Forbes 50 Over 50 – Investments list. 

In This Episode: 

• (00:00) Jeanette reveals how imposter syndrome is really about self-confidence 

• (07:18) Texas Mutual's unique mission connects insurance with workforce development 

• (13:29) Austin Infrastructure Academy partnership fills workforce gaps through collaboration 

• (24:04) Early Matters Greater Austin brings business voice to childcare solutions 

• (36:59) How vulnerability and confidence reshaped her leadership style 

• (42:00) Why resilient communities depend on public private partnerships 

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About the show: 
Austin Hires Local, powered by Workforce Solutions Capital Area and hosted by WFS CEO Tamara Atkinson, dives deep with the trailblazers who are shaping the future of jobs in our city, our state, and even nationally. We pull back the curtain on the challenges we all face – the anxieties, the roadblocks, and what's holding us back from filling those critical open positions. But hey, it's not all doom and gloom. We also celebrate the victories: the ingenious solutions, the unexpected collaborations, and the best practices that are making us all sharper. You’ll hear guests from all sides of the table – elected officials with a finger on the pulse of the economy, industry leaders from booming sectors like tech, healthcare, and skilled trades, and educators shaping young minds in our schools and post-secondary education programs. So, tune in and get ready to be informed, inspired, and maybe even surprised by the future of work in Austin. 

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