Jamie Hammill graduated from the South Carolina Honors College in 1983 with a B.A. in elementary education. Jamie is the Vice President at Lexis Nexis and currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband, Lanny and beloved cat, Maximilian.
Jamie is passionate about sharing her knowledge and championing others to help them achieve their goals.
Jamie shares with us her experience, advice and how the Honors College encouraged her to be a lifelong learner.
As the Vice President at Lexis Nexis, what does an average day look like for you?
There is no average day, and that itself is a positive thing! I lead an organization within LexisNexis Risk Solutions that blends people, processes, and technology to improve our teams’ productivity, delight government customers and increase sales and revenue generation. I like to say that we take the difficult or complicated situations, and we “untangle the crazy” to resolve issues and move the business forward for greater success. For me personally, I thrive on the new challenges presented to me and my organization each and every day.
In these post-Pandemic times, I continue to spend a great deal of time in virtual meetings, and I welcome the efficiency and positive changes that we have gleaned from the use of virtual platforms. At the same time, I encourage my colleagues to fully understand the value and effectiveness in making that genuine human connection, that human spirit. In my view, the best answer is striking the perfect balance of virtual efficiency with traditional human interaction to achieve the best possible outcomes in our business.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love people. I love working with people. I am a teacher at heart, so I thrive when I am able to take knowledge and insights from 32+ years at LexisNexis and help others to achieve their own professional goals.
In my organization, we recognize that our employees are an amazing group of diverse, highly skilled and engaged talent who are committed to our customers’ risks and needs. I am most proud when my group makes a significant impact such as meaningful employee development, or delighting customers with over-the-top service, or providing technology and other tools to contribute to the effectiveness and success of the teams in the government business.
What inspires you to work toward your goals and accomplishments?
Each day brings an opportunity to reevaluate what is important, and to consciously make the choice to focus on what matters. I give my attention to those who rely on me to set the priorities and pace to exceed our collective goals. Especially recently, I lead with an empathetic spirit, especially given the fragility and uncertainty in these post-Pandemic times.
How did UofSC – and specifically the Honors College – prepare you for the challenges and opportunities you’ve encountered in your career so far?
I have always been a student at heart, possessing a strong desire to continue learning new things. When I was a young girl, I can remember late night, hiding under the bed covers in the dark with flashlight in hand, determined to finish whatever book I was currently reading – and just hoping not to get caught.
Fast forward some years later, and the Honors College continued to fuel my passion for learning. The Honors courses were unique, invigorating and more personal. The faculty and staff were committed to helping students become their best possible selves, and the close knit Honors College atmosphere on the Horseshoe provided a special sense of “home” and camaraderie among classmates.
This same notion of teamwork and encouragement has followed me through my professional career. I understand now more than ever that when people feel special and successful, so grows their own passion and drive to achieve more and exceed expectations. I am committed to investing in others, just as the faculty and staff at the Honors College invested in me.
What is your favorite memory from your time in the Honors College?
I cherish my conversations and mentoring sessions with Dr. Harold “Hal” French, my faculty advisor and senior thesis sponsor. Dr. French encouraged me to take interesting studies outside of my normal choosing, to establish stretch goals for each semester, and to always enjoy the moment as time passes in a flash. He reminded me that even when teaching others, it is important to learn just as much from the students. I will always be indebted to his wisdom and foresight, and I am grateful that Dr. French and I kept in touch through the years until his passing in 2014.
I also loved springtime on the Horseshoe, when people went outside and spent time visiting together, throwing a frisbee, or even studying in groups in the bright sunshine. The Honors College was a tight knit community of students and friends, who also interacted with each other outside the classroom.
If you could give freshman Jamie any advice, what would it be?
Soak it in. Learn as much as you can in many different areas. At this point in life, you may not know your exact path ahead, so stay open minded and learn from others. Engage a trusted mentor for advice and guidance. Focus on your personal best self, and the rest will fall in place. Enjoy the journey!
As you may have seen, we now have therapy dogs here at the Honors College. Do you have any pets and if so, what are their names?
Pets are amazing! They enrich our lives and provide unconditional love, meaning, and joy to us humans. We are blessed to share our home with Maximilian, our four year old Siamese cat who epitomizes the expression, “He’s the cat’s meow.”