When Tariq Mohajir first graduated from college, he only knew a single development language: C++. But then he joined CNA.
In his tenure with the commercial property and casualty insurance company he has picked up languages and technologies like SQL, Java and Kubernetes alongside others that have gone by the wayside, like Visual Basic, while also advancing nontechnical skills like public speaking, project management and written communication.
The opportunities and challenges may have changed with time, but CNA’s commitment to professional development and culture of continuous learning has been a constant since Mohajir first joined the company 23 years ago.
Career growth at CNA is a multifaceted journey, characterized by diverse opportunities, robust support systems and a culture that values continuous learning and professional development. Mohajir’s experiences, along with those of his colleagues Lior Rafalovitz and Donne Hreben, exemplify the dynamic career paths and growth opportunities available at the company.
Embracing Technological Evolution
Mohajir has had a long journey in the IT industry, with most of his career spent at CNA. His path from a software engineer to his current leadership role as vice president of cloud engineering is a testament to the company’s dedication to employee growth.
When Mohajir first joined the company, he didn’t envision himself taking the path toward people management, but as his goals changed, the company’s support shifted to help him grow.
“Early in my career, I wanted to focus on being a technical individual contributor, but in more recent years, CNA has supported my transition to managing teams of engineers,” he said. “I’ve taken on many challenging stretch assignments over the years, including leading engineering efforts on enterprise-wide upgrades, helping to stand up our first eXtreme Programming team and operationalizing public cloud for CNA, including building the team that manages and operates it for the enterprise.”
Mohajir emphasized that CNA’s approach to professional development, which combines hands-on opportunities with training and mentoring, has been pivotal in his career. The company’s support in learning new skills and embracing modern technologies has enabled Mohajir to lead significant projects, such as operationalizing public cloud for CNA and establishing DevSecOps principles that enhanced organizational agility.
“Throughout my time at CNA, I have been presented with opportunities for growth across a wide variety of disciplines and technologies,” he said. “Change in technology is a constant, and CNA emphasizes providing on-the-job assignments that allow for professional growth and development supplemented by training and mentoring. I have personally found that these assignments are the fastest and most efficient way for me to practice and gain mastery over new skills, as training or mentoring alone rarely leads to actual mastery of skills.”
“Change in technology is a constant, and CNA emphasizes providing on-the-job assignments that allow for professional growth.”
That culture of growth helped keep Mohajir at the company over time by providing ongoing opportunities and challenges for him to increase his breadth of knowledge, deepen responsibilities and build a strong foundation for professional mastery. As he has grown as a people manager, he has been passing along these supports to his team, as well.
“At CNA, development of our people is a core part of people management,” he said. “Leaders formally discuss career goals with employees, work with them to determine development plans and help find opportunities, training and mentoring to meet those goals.”
Nurturing Future Leaders
Product Owner Lior Rafalovitz joined CNA through its rotational new-hire program after graduating from Illinois State University in 2022, and her journey also showcases the company’s commitment to nurturing talent and providing comprehensive professional development opportunities.
“This program’s training sessions on insurance, technology, business analysis and more provided a comprehensive foundation that has been essential to my career advancement,” she said. “Throughout my time at CNA, I have learned and refined several key skills, including critical thinking, facilitation, communication, organizational abilities and relationship building. These skills have been invaluable in my daily responsibilities and overall professional growth.”
This comprehensive understanding of CNA’s work, technology and position in the industry has been crucial, as Rafalovitz’s role involves bridging the gap between business needs and technological solutions, ensuring that the products developed align with CNA’s strategic goals.
Beyond the formal training program, personal connections have helped Rafalovitz build a strong foundation for growth at CNA.
“One of the most valuable aspects has been the extensive network of individuals I’ve connected with and the exceptional mentorship I’ve received,” she said. “Whenever I seek advice or need help to achieve my career objectives, I can rely on this supportive network that I built throughout my time at CNA. Everyone is always eager to help, providing insights and guidance that have been crucial in my development.”
As Rafalovitz looks ahead, she is confident that CNA will continue to support the next steps on her professional journey.
“The culture of growth and career development is ingrained across all the teams I’ve worked on since joining CNA, and my time at the company has been transformative, enhancing my professional capabilities and personal growth,” she said. “I am continuing to grow by saying yes to new opportunities. Embracing new challenges and responsibilities has been crucial to my professional development, and I am excited about the challenges and learning opportunities my new role as a product owner will bring.”
“The culture of growth and career development is ingrained across all the teams I’ve worked on since joining CNA, and my time at the company has been transformative.”
Leading Through Transformation
VP of Global Tech Governance Risk and Control Donne Hreben’s career growth at CNA has been marked by a series of challenging assignments and leadership roles in major initiatives. Her transition from finance to technology showcases CNA’s commitment to leveraging diverse skill sets and providing opportunities for cross-functional growth.
Through roles in investment operations, underwriting transformation programs and technology governance, Hreben has developed a comprehensive understanding of global budgets, risk management, vendor management and governance.
CNA’s emphasis on professional development is evident in the resources available to employees, which include learning management systems, professional licenses and various informal learning opportunities, which have contributed to Hreben’s own comfort in taking on ambitious stretch projects.
Her involvement in leading the remote work initiative as the company shifted to a hybrid model in 2020 and her work developing a talent strategy for the technology department drew on these resources and underscore her ability to drive impactful change and contribute to CNA’s success.
“At CNA, I have honed my existing skills and learned new skills, which are valuable across many industries,” Hreben said. “Working in technology has kept me abreast of the latest advancements and how they can be utilized to improve business processes. Over time, I have increased my responsibilities, expanding my knowledge broadly and becoming a more versatile employee. As my career has progressed, these experiences and knowledge growth have helped me strategically align my career with my goals and provide more value to CNA.”
“As my career has progressed, these experiences and my knowledge growth have helped me strategically align my career with my career goals and provide more value to CNA.”
Like Rafalovitz, Hreben credited her colleagues with helping to build a supportive environment and culture that fosters learning and growth and encourages employees to engage with CNA’s system for personalized development plans and career paths — all of which has contributed to her own growth and CNA’s success, as well.
“A company that fosters a culture of growth and career development ensures that employees feel valued, supported and motivated. This encourages employees to experiment with innovative ideas and learn from failures as much as successes,” she said. “CNA has leaders that encourage their teams to take calculated risks and recognize achievements. I have been provided incredible opportunities to learn and grow professionally into different fields of expertise.”
