Simao Cabral ’22 Gets Down to Business at the Travelers Corporation
By Judith Kelliher
When Simao Cabral ’22 arrived at Springfield College as a first-year student, his initial desire to pursue a Physical Therapy degree faded after taking Introduction to Business as an elective. In addition, business-related classes in high school and his relationship with teachers who pushed him into business clubs had made an impact on him.
“I felt that Finance was a good major for me to pivot to where I could use my business skills that I gained in high school and combine them with my interests in those finance areas,” said Cabral, who also enjoyed investing in and learning about the stock market with his dad.
Once he started taking classes related to the Finance major, Cabral was already setting himself up for a successful career. (He currently works as an analyst in product management for the Travelers Corporation.) In the Business Information Systems course, he gained in-depth knowledge on excel functions for the first time.
“This class was very key for me as during my day to day. I am constantly in Excel using the exact same functions that I learned in this class. Having this experience prior to starting my career I felt like I was a step ahead in my development,” he said.
In the Strategic Management course, he worked on weekly group Case Studies and presentations. Such opportunities helped him develop time management skills that he uses when he has deadlines to hit. He also gained the exposure of working in a team where everyone has a different skillset, and learned how to best collaborate with his team.
One of the most valuable experiences was his junior year internship with the Springfield College vice president of finance through which he had his first experience reporting to a manager.
“This helped me prepare for that next summer when I had my first-ever internship with Travelers, as I now came in with experience working in a corporate setting with a manager that looked over my work,” Cabral said. “I gained a lot of knowledge from the College internship simply through the conversations that we had, as he taught me valuable soft skills and professionalism, which I apply in my career.”
As an analyst in product management at Travelers, he works on the California Personal Insurance team, which he is primarily responsible for the state’s auto business. His main focus is ensuring that Travelers’ personal auto insurance offering in California, Quantum Auto 2.0®, remains profitable. Cabral conducts daily analyses to identify opportunities for profitable growth while accounting for regulatory nuances and broader market dynamics. He regularly develops and presents recommendations to business partners on topics such as product and pricing changes, influencing strategic decisions that impact the business.
“I have the freedom to identify problems and develop creative, data-driven solutions. Problem-solving has always been something I’ve enjoyed, and the skills I gained at Springfield College—particularly in critical thinking and tools like Excel—have been instrumental in helping me analyze complex issues and positively influence business outcomes in support of our organizational goals,” he said.
Cabral sees the field of finance becoming increasingly driven by technology and data innovation, especially through the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI). As an example, he notes, companies like Travelers—along with many other leaders in the industry—are investing billions of dollars in AI and digital transformation to enhance efficiency, manage risk, and make smarter, data-driven decisions. Cabral believes as finance continues to evolve, professionals who can combine financial expertise with technological understanding will be the ones leading the future.
“Springfield College does an exceptional job preparing students for that reality. The coursework challenges us to think critically, analyze complex problems, and apply ethical decision-making — all of which are essential in a tech-driven financial world,” he said. “Beyond academics, Springfield’s close-knit community and emphasis on leadership, teamwork, and service develop personal and interpersonal skills that truly set its graduates apart. Together, these experiences create well-rounded leaders who are ready to adapt, innovate, and guide the next chapter of the finance industry.”
