Gloria Garcia turns operations experience into executive leadership

Gloria L. Garcia, a Senior Executive Assistant and Project Manager at Lockton Companies in Benicia, has built nearly two decades of insurance-industry experience around executive support, operations, and mentorship. Her profile highlights how preparation, boundaries, and self-care have shaped her leadership style and helped her guide others in a fast-paced, historically male-led field.

Why it matters: - Gloria L. Garcia's career shows how executive support roles can drive day-to-day business performance, not just handle administrative tasks. - Her approach combines operational discipline with mentorship, which matters for companies trying to keep teams organized and retain early-career talent. - Her story also reflects broader pressures faced by women in insurance and other traditionally male-led industries.

What happened: - Gloria Garcia was profiled by Influential Women for her work in executive operations and leadership. - Garcia is Senior Executive Assistant and Project Manager at Lockton Companies in Benicia, California. - She has nearly two decades of experience in the insurance industry. - Before Lockton Companies, Garcia spent more than 11 years at Travelers Insurance supporting regional leadership and operational work.

The details: - Garcia supports executive leadership, oversees office operations, coordinates projects, and helps teams maintain efficiency and organization. - Her background includes executive support, project coordination, event management, travel logistics, budgeting, onboarding, employee engagement, and cross-functional communication. - Garcia developed a reputation for discretion, reliability, problem-solving, and composure in complex business settings. - She says her early life as the oldest child in a Latino family shaped her sense of responsibility and her habit of planning ahead. - Garcia says that tendency to over-prepare helped build a strong work ethic and a readiness for multiple scenarios. - Her professional philosophy now includes self-care, boundaries, and the ability to step back when needed. - Garcia believes strong business decisions should rely on rational thinking, facts, and long-term outcomes. - She encourages young women entering insurance to stay composed and make thoughtful decisions in difficult situations. - Garcia also mentors early-career professionals and helps with internal culture initiatives that support the transition from school to the corporate world. - Her leadership style centers on service, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and practical problem-solving. - Fitness is part of her routine, and she works out every day as part of her mental health and discipline practice. - Garcia has become more intentional about saying no, protecting her time, and avoiding negative or draining environments. - She says her definition of success now includes balance, presence, and helping others succeed.

Between the lines: - Garcia's story is less about promotion headlines and more about the value of steady operational leadership inside large organizations. - Her comments suggest a shift from perfectionism toward sustainability, which is a common tension for high-performing professionals. - The profile also frames emotional intelligence as a workplace skill that can coexist with discipline and judgment, rather than replacing them.

What's next: - Garcia continues her work at Lockton Companies while expanding her influence through mentorship and workplace culture efforts. - Her profile points to a continuing focus on progress over perfection, with success measured by impact as much as by title.

The bottom line: - Gloria Garcia's career highlights how preparation, balance, and service can turn executive support into a strategic advantage.