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Get to know New York Life’s head of Corporate Resilience and U.S. Army veteran Jack James.
New York Life | November 11, 2024
James discusses how taking risks helped him move up in both his civilian and military careers.
Being able to make difficult decisions will get you noticed. That was the case with Jack James, head of the Corporate Resilience team, when he was tapped for promotion to two-star major general in the Army National Guard. We caught up with James, who lives in Tampa with his wife and three children, to learn more about what makes him tick both in the office and at HQ for the Guard’s 15,000-strong 42nd Infantry Division, which he now leads.
What do you and your team do at New York Life?
My team is responsible for business continuity, disaster recovery, incident and crisis management. We coordinate actions during crises and disasters by working with other risk stakeholders throughout New York Life, such as Information Security, Corporate Security, Technology and Real Estate. We try to ensure everyone is aligned and working together. There are 10 of members of our team spread out across the company — which, in itself, is a resilience best practice!
How have your military skills translated into your job here?
I’ve found that the skills that make you successful in the Army will also make you successful in the civilian world — things like taking the initiative, being a self-starter and with a bias for action. The military is really good at some things, such as mentorship, building a strong culture, and being process oriented. These are things I try to instill in my own team. My experience in the military also helped me deal with ambiguity and solving problems when there are more unknowns than knowns. This helped a lot during our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What is your management style like?
It’s collaborative and team-based. The true testament of leadership success is if your team can operate without you but within your intent and the goals you’ve established. This all goes back to team culture and mentorship. It’s about letting people’s voices be heard and challenging them to be accountable.
Talk about your civilian career path.
Moving to Risk five years ago was a big career change for me. I had been working in operational roles for NYL Direct, our direct-to-consumer insurance business, for several years.
I wasn’t looking to switch to Risk, but I was well-known in Tampa and had become involved with business continuity, security, and managing the campus. Probably because I was the only military guy. Over the years I provided a lot of feedback to the Corporate teams in these areas, so eventually I was approached about taking on a risk role. I decided to take the plunge and it’s been a great experience.
What about your military career path?
I graduated from West Point and started my career flying attack helicopters. I loved flying and deployed a few times. But my plan was to do my time and then get out. I always knew I wanted to try something new and different, and when I ended my active duty, I had no intention of joining the Guard or Reserves. Then 9/11 happened. I was living in New York City and I went down to Ground Zero to help out after the first plane flew over my head that morning. After what I experienced that day, I made the decision to rejoin and renewed my service by joining the National Guard. I’ve been there ever since.
What’s it like to be a general?
The military entrusts general officers with an incredible level of responsibility. I’m responsible for the division’s readiness and for completing all assigned missions. At the same time, I am responsible for care of our soldiers, strategic planning, and stewardship of the institution. It’s a huge privilege and responsibility to be able to serve as this level.
I never planned to become a general. I just tried to do my best at each Army job I was in, and to do well by my people. I got put into progressively more challenging positions where I had to make some tough decisions. That’s what got me noticed and tapped for Brigadier General, and later, Major General. The jump to a two-star was a big change for me and my family. It’s a much larger commitment. I’m away more often, but my family is behind me 100%. It’s a real balancing act. It’s not for everyone, but I am happy to do it.
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Media contact
Kevin Maher
New York Life Insurance Company
(212) 576-7937
Kevin_B_Maher@newyorklife.com