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It was just a side project, Jayne Rothman says. Just a little challenge she set out for herself that would be neat if it came to fruition. This is how Integrity’s chief legal officer and C-Suite Leader Award winner details going three for three in what should have been an impossible task: securing a service mark, domain, and company name for the word “integrity.”
Think about it. The word “integrity” is so prevalent in corporate America, self-help materials, social media, and public life that it can easily lose its meaning. Trying to claim it as a company name seems as challenging as trying to rename your organization “car” or “incredible.”
But Rothman made it happen. The process took years, but the organization’s name changed from Integrity Marketing Group to, simply, Integrity.
“I didn’t want to tell our CEO until I was pretty sure it was going to happen,” Rothman remembers. “When I finally disclosed it, he asked me what I wanted. Anything. And I knew exactly what to ask for.”
Rothman’s reward for doing the impossible three times over? An ice cream cake. The chief legal officer had such a big slice that the sugar rush made her sick.
While the Integrity rebrand was a career-defining win, Rothman sees it as an example of what’s possible with a strong executive team. “I’ve worked at several companies, and this is, hands down, the most impactful team I’ve ever been a part of,” Rothman says. “Our senior leadership team is incredible. Teams here are open and vulnerable with each other. They can share their strengths and weaknesses. They’re honest with each other in a way that makes everyone better.”
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The attorney has spent two decades in corporate law. She says if she were in a role where she wanted to clock in at eight and leave at five, she would have been bored long ago. The CLO says only caring when clocked in just isn’t her style. She lives and breathes what she does because she loves it. She came to Integrity to drive meaningful change for employees and clients as well as in the insurance industry.
“When I think about Integrity, I immediately think about the rest of America,” the CLO says. “There are millions of us in similar positions. Most people don’t know the intricacies of life or health insurance any more than I did before coming here. It’s humbling and frustrating to me that all Americans don’t yet have the access to the information they need to make informed choices and to protect themselves and the ones they love.
“But we are working on changing that. We will change that. When my husband and I started talking about Medicare options with his parents, it was a great reminder of how complicated Medicare is, and I even have a level of familiarity now that they don’t. We need to change that for everyone.”
Integrity is working to simplify life, health and wealth planning. The company is making it easier for individuals and families to understand health and life insurance services, retirement planning and wealth management products so they can make informed decisions.
“Integrity can help you start planning earlier in life. We can help you combine your planning for retirement, taking into account your health insurance and life insurance needs as you get older and be proactive about it,” Rothman says. “We can make that process easier and more navigable for all Americans, not just those with ready access these days. I see it now every day: we’re actively making people’s lives better for them and their loved ones.
“I need to reiterate that there is so much about this that I did not understand even after working here. And I had already worked as a general counsel for four years at an insurance software company and for fourteen years on the purchasing side of corporate commercial insurance. I’ll reiterate: at Integrity we are working tirelessly and we will make this easier, more personal, accessible, and transparent and provide choice to everyone,” she says.
“We are proud to represent Integrity and are sky high on Jayne Rothman, who is brilliant and wonderful to work with,” says Mike Lynn, chairman and founding partner at Lynn Pinker Hurst and Schwegmann. “She is a quick study and understands what she wants and how to achieve it. Congratulations to Jayne for this well-deserved recognition.”
Aside from her excitement over making life, health, and wealth planning more accessible, what continues to inspire Rothman is the creativity she gets to bring to her role. The CLO says it makes her sad when she meets attorneys who don’t seem to have any interest in thinking differently about what they do. She loves thinking about enabling business from different vantage points and derives real joy from that process.
Had Rothman’s mother had her way, Rothman would have taken a different path. Rothman’s mother played in the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and passed her musical abilities down to her daughter. In what may be the only time you’ve ever heard this version of the story, Rothman’s mother wished her daughter had forsaken law school to become a concert pianist.
“I see it now every day: we’re actively making people’s lives better for them and their loved ones.”
Jayne Rothman
But Rothman found different ways to channel that creativity through her work. The CLO clearly thrives in high-stakes environments and loves what she does. But that doesn’t always mean it was easy.
Rothman will never forget her first real crucible in the corporate world. In her words, it tested her “mettle” and “taught me how I respond when my back is up against the river and there’s nowhere to go.”
“It took a lot out of me,” Rothman remembers. “I wasn’t sure I would be able to go through something like that again. It really shook me. But it taught me the importance of tenacity and fortitude. I learned I was stronger than I ever imagined I could be.”
That openness, the same kind Rothman lauds her executive team at Integrity for employing, is what makes the CLO such a strong leader. That leadership includes countless volunteer experiences and board membership for organizations like Sojourn Services, a nonprofit that supports victims of domestic violence and abuse, and a number of other groups that have benefited from Rothman’s passion for using the law to bring more good into the world. Whether it’s a major corporate transition or a “little” project, Rothman finds a way to make a massive impact.
Egan Nelson LLP is a boutique law firm that provides sophisticated legal services through its elite team of attorneys known for their efficient, accessible, and solutions-oriented approach that maximizes client outcomes and builds long-term relationships. With a modern, purpose driven team consisting solely of attorneys who formerly worked at the some of the world’s most prestigious laws firms, Egan Nelson serves a broad range of discerning clients including private equity firms and their portfolio companies, Fortune 500 companies and early-stage startups. Egan Nelson is honored to have been chosen by Integrity Marketing Group to handle its mergers & acquisitions and insurance regulatory work.
Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann is relentless, always. We bring focus, experience, and an unrivaled standard of excellence to complex commercial litigation. The will to win propels us. We are dedicated and determined. We operate with ingenuity and integrity. Our preparation for each case and commitment to each client is unparalleled. Every member of our team brings trial-tested experience and is ready to stand in court, making our attorneys among the most effective, efficient, trusted and respected advocates. Our consistent track record of success on both sides of the docket sets us apart. We are your law firm when your litigation truly matters. Learn more at lynnllp.com.
