Business Women Awards 2022
Woman to Watch Financial Services Julie Hencler, Falvey Insurance Group
Julie Hencler was looking for a small company with career growth potential when she joined Falvey Insurance Group in North Kingstown as a staff accountant in 2005.
“I knew it was going to be a great fit. Anything that came up, I would volunteer to do it,” she said.
That willingness led to a variety of positions and a promotion in 2011 to her current role as corporate controller. Hencler now leads the finance team of senior and staff accountants and is responsible for oversight of the daily financial operations.
Having moved through the company gives her an advantage in managing the department.
“I never want to be a manager and not know the struggles of the day-to-day,” she said. “I want to know how to help [the staff] when they have a problem.”
After listening to the team’s struggle with outdated systems, Hencler spearheaded the implementation of Concur, a travel and expense management software, and Sage Intacct, a cloud accounting software product and financial management solution.
The switch increased efficiencies across the finance department, automated reporting, decreased days to close by 10 days, and decreased the accounts payable cycle to three days.
Falvey Chief Financial Officer Mike Edwards says Hencler’s team approach “has allowed her to work with our business groups to improve workflow through all the different steps.”
Hencler was recently called on to moderate a panel of female corporate leaders during one of the quarterly discussions hosted by Falvey entitled “Women at the Helm.”
“I was very nervous – it was a big event – but one of the women there gave me some advice. She said, ‘Don’t let the event get bigger than you.’ It was really helpful,” Hencler said. “I like to throw myself into new things. I learn more when I struggle through than when things are easy.”
Hencler is a member of Falvey’s Diversity & Inclusion committee, which aims to share culture and tradition through companywide activities and events. As a manager, she can help make change.
“I want to help everyone here feel at home,” she said. “I enjoy working here so much, I want to make sure that everyone does.”
