Jessica Granzeau:
CLASS OF 1993
Downers Grove North High SchoolClass of 1993
Downers grove, IL
MacMurray CollegeClass of 1999
Jacksonville, IL
Herrick Middle SchoolClass of 1989
Downers grove, IL
Highland Elementary SchoolClass of 1987
Downers grove, IL
Jessica's Story
Life
After high school, I went to Mac Murray College in Jacksonville, IL, thinking I might want to be a teacher. Yeah, not so much. Switched majors and after a few false starts, stayed there way too long and finally left with an (almost entirely useless) English degree in January of 1999.
Stayed in Jacksonville for a year after college was finished and accidentally worked in an insurance office in various capacities during that time. Got myself ready for the "real world." You know, seeing as that English degree wasn't likely going to be raking in the big bucks.
Then in January of 2000, I had an epiphany and moved back home. Briefly did the "live with relatives and get back on my feet" thing.
Started working at Wausau Insurance as a customer service rep for a bunch of sales guys in February of 2000, met my husband, Gonzo, a couple months later thanks to an internerd personal ad, and the rest is history.
We were married 5.17.03 in a lavish backyard ceremony and now reside in our lovely little house in the western suburbs with our crazy cat, Tilly, and our goofy little demon dog, Shima.
No kids but furry ones yet, though I am an auntie now thanks to my middle brother.
I still work at Wausau, have been there7+ years, though now as an underwriter, which is actually a lot of fun. Kind of like putting puzzles together all day long, though with more people to deal with.
We travel here and there (went to Japan in 2004, which was amazing - Boston in 2005 - Paris in 2006, Japan Part II in 2007), spend a lot of time hanging out with friends and relaxing and wrangling the animals.
Just waiting to see what the next few years will bring - hopefully more of the same.
College
Wow. Weird to think it's bee...Expand for more
n almost 14 years since I first moved my junk on campus.
There's an unforgettable day - sweltering heat at the end of August and three flights of stairs to walk up with three carloads of stuff to unpack. Yay!
Lots of good times and even more bad behavior in the five and a half years I stuck around. Definitely don't miss the shared bathrooms with the shower curtains that didn't quite provide enough privacy and being awakened by fire alarms or random visitors in the middle of the night but the people and atmosphere and a time without much responsibility, yes.
Definitely good times.
Workplace
So I never thought I would end up working in insurance. It was an accident - more like a way to pay the bills right after school ended, what with that useless degree and all.
I lasted a year in that first agency and then I made my way to my current company.
Started out as a CSR in the sales department, which became unchallenging after a year and a half - a lot of repetitive stuff that was more just data entry and not making me use my brain as much as I would have liked.
Next stop underwriting, where I was an assistant there for a couple years. A lot of new stuff to learn - basically the beginning of the process that I had been completing as a CSR.
When that proved to no longer be a challenge, an underwriting spot in the work comp unit opened. Comp first and then auto and now everything. I like it a lot - it's like putting puzzles together all day long, big, expensive and sometimes very complicated puzzles.
Sure, I could have been a teacher like the original plan said but I'm glad to be an insurance geek and I'll probably stick with it until there's no more challenge - don't see that happening, though =)
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