TIMELY NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM ACUITY

w w w . a c u i t y . c o m

SEpTEMbER 2014

AGENCY FOCUS page 4 EmplOYEE FOCUS page 10 millENNiAl GENErAtiON page 14

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BiS-pAK mANUFACtUriNG prOGrAm DEBUtS

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What if independent agents could offer a product tailored to the needs of machine shops, cabinetmakers, tool and die companies, and many other types of small- to medium-sized manufacturers across the country? What if they had access to a policy for manufacturers that was: •Easytorate—evenonline. •Atrue business owners’ policy (BOP), complete with allthefeaturesagentsexpectinaBOP. •Backedbyacompanythatfocusesonmanufacturers andoffersthelosscontrol,claims,andotherservices thosebusinessesneed. “Itwouldbeagamechanger,andit’savailablenow,”saysBen Salzmann,PresidentandCEO.ACUITY introduces our Bis-PakManufacturingprogram,designedspecificallytomeetthe needs of independent agents looking to expand their book ofmanufacturingclients.

program Features “ACUITY’s Bis-Pak Manufacturing program is a true BOPpolicy—notastripped-downcommercialpackage,” says Ed Warren,VicePresident-CommercialLines. The program features: •Broadbusinessclasseligibility. •Onlinequotingcapabilities. •ISOspecificpropertyrates,usinganautomated interfacewithISO. •BusinessIncome-ActualLossSustained. •ELP-ratedliabilityclassifications,wherethe underwriterprovidestheactuallosscostfor theexposure.

Special Coverages, Broad Eligibility InadditiontothebroadcoveragesoftheBis-Pakform—includingactuallosssustainedonbusinessincome—ACUITY offersournewManufacturer’sPropertyEnhancementEndorsement.ThisendorsementcanbepurchasedwithACUITYAdvantagesorACUITYEnhancementsandoffersoverahalf-dozenimportantcoveragesforanannualpremiumofjust$250.(SeeCoveragessidebar,page3.) Additionally,Manufacturers’ErrorsandOmissionscoveragewillbeaddedinthefirsthalfof2015. ACUITY’sBis-PakManufacturingprogramisavailabletobusinesses that meet the following criteria: •Minimumof3yearsinbusiness. •Maximumtotalinsuredvalue(buildingandpersonal property) of $5 million per location/$10 million perpolicy. •Maximumpayrollof$1millionforpayroll-basedclasses. •Maximumgrosssalesof$5millionforsales-based classes. “ACUITY’s new Bis-Pak manufacturing program is one more way ACUITY is making it easier for agents to do businesswithus,”saysWally Waldhart, Vice President - SalesandCommunications.“Wewanttobeagents’go-tocompany for all our target classes of business, including manufacturers.”•

new bis-pak program targetsmANUFACtUriNG

ACCOUNtS

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S E p T E M b E R 2 0 1 4 P A G E 3

mANUFACtUriNG ACCOUNtS Coverage Limit

Brands & Labels Included in BPP limitManufacturers Consequential Loss Included in BPP limitBusiness Income & Extra Expense – Dependent Properties $50,000Dies & Patterns $50,000Employee Tools $50,000Property on Display / Trade Shows $50,000Precious Alloys & Metals $50,000Sales Representative’s Samples $50,000

mANUFACtUrEr’S prOpErtY ENHANCEmENt

ENDOrSEmENt COVErAGES

EliGiBlE ClASSES•BakeryPlants•Bolt,Nut,Rivet,Screw,orWasherMfg•CabinetMfg-Wood-NoInstallation•CabinetMfg-Wood-WithInstallation•CandyorConfectioneryProductsMfg•CheeseFactories•ClothingMfg•CommunicationorRecordingSystems orEquipmentMfg-Industrialor Commercial•CommunicationorRecordingSystems orEquipmentMfg-NOC•ComputerMfg•ComputerSoftwareMfg-Prepackaged•Concrete-MixedinTransit•ConcreteorPlasterProductsMfg- NotStructural•ConcreteProductsMfg-Prestressed•ConcreteProductsMfg-Structural- NOC•DairyProductsMfg•DoororWindowMfg-NOC•DoororWindowMfg-Wood•ElectricalParts,Components,or AccessoriesMfg-NOC•ElectronicComponentsMfg•FoodProductsMfg-Dry•FoodProductsMfg-Frozen•FoodProductsMfg-NotDry-InGlass•FoodProductsMfg-NotDry-InOther ThanGlassContainers•Fruit,Vegetables,orNutProcessing

•FruitorVegetableJuiceMfg-No BottlingofCarbonatedBeverages•FurnitureMfgorAssembling-Other ThanWood•FurnitureMfgorAssembling-Wood•GlassorGlasswareMfg•JewelryMfg•LightingFixtureMfg-NOC•MachineShops-NOC•MetalGoodsMfg-NOC•MetalGoodsMfg-Stamping-NotSigns•MetalWorks-Shop-Decorative or Artistic•PlasticorRubberGoodsMfg- Household-NOC•PlasticorRubberGoodsMfg-Other ThanHousehold-NOC•PlumbingFixturesMfg•PlumbingSuppliesMfg-NOC•PrecisionMetalProductsMfg•Radio,Television,orSoundSystem Manufacturing•SignMfg-Electrical•SignMfg-NOC•StoneCuttingorPolishing•ToolMfg-Accessories-NOC•ToolMfg-HandType-NotPowered•Tool&DieShops•WireGoodsMfg-NOC•WoodProductsMfg-NOC•WoodTurnedProductsMfg-NOC

SixandGevingVice President Joe Doyle makes it a point to remind the agency’s staff that they are in the businessofproblem-solving. “When clients need to contact us, there normally is a probleminvolved.It’sourjobtosolvethatproblem,andIbelievewe’vedevelopedareputationforbeingabletodothat,”hesays. Founded by Wayne Six and Randy Geving in 1990, the Colorado-basedagencyhasalsodevelopedareputationfordeliveringsuperiorcustomerservice.In2014,SixandGevingwas named Best Commercial Insurance Broker by the Colorado Springs Business Journal. “Ourmissionfromtheverybeginninghasbeentoservethecommunity and, in particular, the small business community thatisoftenunder-servedbyotheragencies,”saysGeving,ExecutiveVicePresident. “Small-andmedium-sizedbusinessesneedagoodagentand risk manager to really be on their side, to understand their business,andtoknowhowtopresenttheirneedseffectivelytoaninsurancecompany,”Doylesays.

Following the Golden rule “Wewanttodountoothersaswewouldhavethemdountous,”Gevingsays.“Thatmeansstandingbycustomerswhentheyhaveaclaim.Itmeanstakingextracaretoidentifywhattheirneedsareandwritethepoliciesthatfitthoseneeds.Itmeansputtingcustomersfirstinallthatwedoinbusiness.” Althoughasageneralist,SixandGevingwritesabroadarray of commercial lines accounts, the agency also has establisheddivisionstowriteinsuranceforchurchesandministries, transportation companies, and medical professionals’ liability.About95percentoftheagency’sbusinessisincommerciallines,withtheremainderinautoandhome. Inseekingoutnewproducers,SixandGevinglooksforpeoplewhoretainanentrepreneurialspirittobusiness.“We

are in tune with people who are self-startersandhaveagreatworkethic,”Doylesays. The agency encourages an entrepreneurial attitude among its producersaswell.“Wedon’tgiveourproducersquotasforwritingbusiness.Weallowthemtoselectthe markets that interest them and to focusonthose.Wegenuinelywanttosee our people succeed, and we see the role ofmanagementasprovidingtheresourcesandinfrastructuretohelpthembesuccessful,”Doylesays. “We’veneverhadabetterstaffthanwedorightnow,”Gevingadds.“Wehave33employeesbetweenourColoradoSpringsheadquartersandLakewoodoffice,andtheprimaryqualitywelookforinhiringpeopleisaservicefocusandpositiveattitude.Insuranceknowledgeissomethingthatwecanprovide,butaservicementalityhastobethere.”

Faith in the Future “Wehaven’tsethardandfastgrowthgoals,butwewanttobeonastrong,steadygrowthpath,”Gevingsays.“Ifeelwearewell-positionedtodothat.Particularlywiththepublicrecognitionwe’vereceived,wearegettingmoreopportunitiestowritebusiness.Peoplearecontactingus.” Whilemaintainingitsgeneralistfocus,SixandGevingwillbe seeking out new segments in the Colorado marketplace, includingthegrowingsectorofgovernmentandmilitarycontracting.Regardlessofthetargetmarket,theagency’sapproachtobusinesswillbeguidedbyitsservicefocus. “EverywhereIlook,Iseealackofcustomerservice.Thebarisgettinglowered,”Gevingsays.“Webelievecustomersdeservebetter,andthatphilosophyiswhatwillcontinuetoguideus.”•

SiX AND GEViNG’S miSSiON OF CUStOmEr SErViCE

AGENCYO F T H EMONTH

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entrepreneUriaL spirit gUiDes

mercantile AccordingtotheNationalRetailFederation,theaveragefamilywith children enrolled in grades kindergarten through high school willspend$669.28inback-to-schoolsupplies,up5percentfromlastyear,resultingin$26.5billioninsalesnationwide.Theaverageback-to-school spending for a college student is expected to rise 10 percentto$916.48,sendingtotalcollegespendingto$48.4billion.The two categories with the highest increase are supplies (up 12 percentto$101.18)andelectronics(up7percentto$212.35). Althoughconsumerconfidenceisup,moreshoppers–25.4percentofthosesurveyed–arewaitinguntilthelasttwoweeksbeforeschoolinordertotakefulladvantageofsaleprices. The good news for parents is that more kids are planning onforkingovertheirownmoneytohelppayforschoolsupplies—althoughtheaverage13-to17-year-old’scontributionwillonlybeabout$34.30.But,it’sastarttowardindependence,right?

manufacturing AreviewofACUITY claimsoverthepastfiveyearsrevealedthat one-third of all workers’ compensation claims and costs were attributedtoimproperliftingandmaterialhandling.Thebestmethodofpreventinginjuriesistoavoidliftingaltogetherbyusingamechanicalliftingaidsuchasaforklift,dolly,orlifttable.Ifyoumust lift: 1.Planahead:gethelp,clearapath,thinkbeforeyoulift. 2.Keepfeetshoulderwidthapart. 3.Bendknees;keepbackstraight. 4.Liftwithyourlegs,notyourback. 5.Keeptheloadclosetoyourbody. 6.Don’ttwistwhencarryingtheload. Watch and direct your ACUITYclientstothedetailed13-minuteProper LiftingwebinarontheSafetyMaterialssectionofourwebsite.Whilethere,checkoutotherwebinarswithtopicsrangingfrom return-to-work programs to fall protection, free of charge to ACUITY customers and agents!

Construction ACUITYsupportsouragentsandpolicyholdersbyprovidingknowledge, tools, and training to promote a safe working environment.WecontinuetodeveloptheSafetyMaterial,SafetyWebinar,andSafetyVideosectionsofourwebsite.Severalsafetywebinarscurrentlyavailablearerelevanttocontractors,suchasReturn to Work I & II, Lifting Techniques, GHS/HazCom, and Pre-Employment Screening. Asanexample,GHS/HazCom was produced by our Loss Controlstaff.ItdigsintotheuniformapproachtohazardidentificationandnewlabelingstandardsandalsocomparesMaterialSafetyDataSheetstothenewlynamedSafetyDataSheets.Wecreatedthisvideobecauseitwasatimelyandimportanttopicduetonewregulations.Webinarslikethisandmanyotherfreesafetymaterialsandvideosareavailabletoagentsandcontractors

through ACUITY.Ifyouhaveanideaforavideoorothermaterialyouwouldliketosee,contactyourterritorydirector.

trucking In an effort to continually expand our trucking knowledge, ACUITY’s Central Claims and Underwriting departments recently participatedinatruckdrivingtrainingcoursepresentedbyFoxValleyTechnicalCollege. DozensofclaimsrepresentativesandmanagerstraveledtothecollegeinAppleton,Wisconsin,tolearnandexperiencethechallengesofdrivingatruckonadailybasis.InadditiontoclassroomtrainingonDOTregulations,demonstrationsofpre-tripinspectionsandloadsecurementwerealsocovered.Participantswereabletodriveatractortrailerthroughtheonsitecourseandmaneuveravehiclethroughaskid. InstructorsfromFoxValleytraveledtoACUITYwithavanandflatbedtrailertoprovideacustomizedworkshoptoover150underwritersandmanagers.SimilartothecourseatFoxValley,participantswereabletoreceivetrainingonpre-tripinspectionandloadsecurement.TimewasalsospentdiscussingDOTregulationsanddefensivedrivingskills. Bothtrainingsessionswereextremelyvaluableandgavetheclaimsrepresentativesandunderwritersanadditionalperspectiveonthetruckingprofessionthatwillpositivelyimpacttheirdealingswiththeseaccountsgoingforward.•

mArKEt FOCUS

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S E p T E M b E R 2 0 1 4 P A G E 5

ACUITY staff gained behind-the-wheel experience in Fox Valley Technical College’s truck driving program. Pictured at the FVTC campus are (left to right) Al Edwards, Patrick Phillips, Erin Rickard, Lorna Johnson, Les Ann Jones, and Tom Moore.

ACUITY’scelebrationofLaborDay,atimetopaytributetothecontributionsworkershave

made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our

country,generatedalotofbuzzinsocialmedia.With

over1,700likesand224shares,ourpoststruck

a chord with our fans!

Tojoininthediscussion,visitourMadeinAmerica

page at facebook.com/acuitymanufacturing.•

ACUITY has expanded its co-branding program! You can nowincludeyourlogo,agencycontactinformation,orevenanimageuniquetoaparticularcustomeronover125safety-relateddocuments.Fromavoidingbackinjuriesandcarpaltunneltofleetsafety and return-to-work tips, ACUITY’s library of safety materials providesemployersafreeandvaluableresourcetoincreaseemployeeawarenessandimprovesafetyintheworkplace. TryittodaybyvisitingourSafetyMaterialswebpageat acuity.com! If your agency has not already submitted a logo,simplyemailahigh-resolutionversionofyourlogo to logos@acuity.com.Acceptedfiletypesincludejpeg, pdf,png,andeps. •

CO-BrANDiNG prOGrAm FOr AGENtS EXpANDS tO iNClUDE SAFEtY DOCS

WOrD OF mOUtH

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S E p T E M b E R 2 0 1 4 P A G E 7

BY waLLy waLDhart – Vice President - sales and communications

ACUITY Sales General Managers Brian Benishek, Susan Jones, John Kautzer, and Shane Paltzer

nUmber of aCUit y agenCies

1998

1,22

519

99

1,06

020

00 870

2001

613

2002

574

2003579

2004

64

020

05

694

2006

752

2007789

2008858

2009

873

2010

92

020

11

915

2012

92

62013

955

2014E

1,00

0

QUote hit ratio

200027.0

200128.0

200226.2

200330.6

200433.8

200532.4

200631.8

200735.9

200838.1

200937.9

201037.9

201137.3

201239.4

201340.0

2014E41.0

This is thefirstinstallmentofanewcolumnthatisofparticularinteresttoACUITYagents.But as ACUITY agents, who are you? First,alittlehistory.Whenthiscurrentmanagementteamtookthehelmatthebeginningof1999, a record 1,225 agencies represented ACUITY.Manywereunder-performingandwehadlittle,ifany,franchisevalue. So,ACUITYtooksomeboldsteps.Webegancullingweakagenciesand,withinthreeandahalfyears,only574wouldremain.Overthatsameperiod,wewerewellonourwaytotransformingintoacompanythatisstable,consistent,financiallystrong,andinnovative...andfun! Bytheendofthisyear,weexpecttofinishwitharound1,000agencies,hundredslessthanwhatwe“started”with15yearsago.Butoverthatsameperiod,ourwrittenpremiumwillhavequintupled—from$249millionto$1.25billion! Today,approximately20,000individualagentscallACUITY“partner.”Howmanyofyouwerewith ACUITYpriortothismanagementteamtakingover?Shockingly,theanswerislessthan10percent.These20,000agentsrepresentessentiallyanewagencyforce.Especiallygivenourperformanceoverthepast15years,ACUITY’ssituationisunheardofintheinsuranceindustry. Yettoday,judgingbyourcommercialquotehitratio,theamountofbusinessbookedwithoutrequestingacompetitivequote,andourphenomenalpersonallinesgrowth,youarefarmoreloyalthanouragentswerein1998—whenweactuallyhadanextremelymatureagencyforce.Interesting. Butwe’renotfinished...•

WHO ArE ACUitY AGENtS?

GarrettWesterais promoted to Manager - Commercial Lines.Inhisnewcapacity,GarrettwillberesponsiblefortheIdaho/Utahunderwritingteam. GarrettbeganhiscareeratACUITY in 2004 as a Workers’ CompensationIndemnityClaimsRepresentative.In2006,GarrettmovedtoCommercialLinesUnderwriting,wherehehandledterritoriesinthestatesofWisconsinandUtah.In2011,hemovedtoUtahasCommercialFieldUnderwriterforthestate,andin2013GarrettreturnedtothehomeofficeasanUnderwriterforMichigan.•

NEW COmmErCiAl liNES mANAGEr NAmED

Policyholders cannowviewvehicleIDcardsonsmartphonesviaACUITY’s mobile website! Simplygotowww.acuity.comfromthephone’sbrowser.Loginandselect“IDCards.”TapthedesiredACUITY policy and select the IDcardneeded.It’saseasyasthat! ACUITY is continuing to roll out new customer-focused features utilizingmobiletechnology,sostaytunedforseveralannouncementsin the coming months! •

ACCESS iD CArDS ViA SmArtpHONE

AN AmAZiNG tHrEE-pEAt!

NEW COmmErCiAl liNES mANAGEr NAmED

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S E p T E M b E R 2 0 1 4 P A G E 9

Instrivingto make a hole-in-one, an amateur golferfacesoddsof12,500to1.Basedonthoseodds,it’s clear that Terry Hyland,VicePresidentatHyland,Block,andHylandinLouisville,Kentucky,isnoaveragegolfer! Terry has shot not one, not two, but an amazing threeacesatLouisville’sAudubonCountryClub.Theoddsofthathappening?1,953,125,000,000to1! Terry’sfirstcamein1990onthepar-threefifthhole,andhissecondin2004onhole13.InJuly2014,heagainshotahole-in-oneonnumberfive—usinganACUITYball. “HittingitintherewiththeACUITYball—thatwasthefunpart!”Terrysays. •

AN AmAZiNG tHrEE-pEAt!

100 YEArS WitH HABitAt BlitZ BUilD

p e n n s y LV a n i a a g e n C y C e L e b r at e s

To celebrate its100thanniversary,Pennsylvania’sHampsonMowrerKreitzAgencydecidedtodosomethingspecialthatwouldleavealastingimpactontheBethlehemcommunity.TheagencyteamedwithHabitatforHumanityto

sponsora“BlitzBuild,”completingthemajorstagesofconstructiononahomeover

atwo-weekperiodinJuly.

“HabitatforHumanitytakescareofpeopleinthe

community who need housing, and this was a way for us to helpinthatmission,”saysDavid Williams,agencyAccountExecutive.Agencystaffdideverythingfromexteriorandinterior framing to siding to window and door installation andmore.•

People gain many things from running: cardiovascularfitness,afeelingofpersonalaccomplishment,evennewfriends.ButMichael Bubolz gained something truly special when he ran his second marathon, the Cellcom GreenBayMarathon,in2010. “That’s where I met my wife, Abbey,”Michaelsays. “Wegottotalkingattherace,andwehaven’tstopped talkingsince.” MichaelandAbbeyhaveeachloggedfivemarathonstodate.MichaelrantheCellcomin2009and2010,theChicago Marathon in 2010, the Boston Marathon in 2012, andGrandma’sMarathoninDuluthin2014.HerecordedhispersonalbesttimeatChicago:ablistering2hours,38minutesforthe26.2-milecourse.

A running traditionition AsastudentatKielHighSchool,Michaelwasamid-distancetrackstarinthe400-and800-meterdistances,earningseveralberthstostatemeet.AtCarthageCollegeinKenosha,Wisconsin,hebeganbyrunningthosesamedistances on the track team, but then joined the cross country teamtorun5kto10kraces.Hebecamethesecond-fastestrunner in school history and helped the Carthage team record itshighestfinishinschoolhistoryattheNCAARegionals in2007. Michael graduated from Carthage with majors in psychology,marketing,andbusiness.Helaterreturnedto

schooltoearnasecondaryeducationteachingcertificateinsocialstudiesfromSilverLakeCollegeinManitowoc,Wisconsin.MichaeljoinedACUITYinJune2013,asaCommercial Lines Processor in the same department where his brother, Brad,works. Althoughhehasrunfivemarathons,Michaelneverintendedtotacklelongdistancesaftercollege.“Ireallywasn’tinterestedinmarathons,butafterIranmyfirstmarathon,Iloveddoingit.Itwasachancetobecompetitive,tobettermyself as a runner, and to gain a sense of accomplishment fromfinishing,”hesays. Michaelalsowantedtogivebacktothesportbycoachingthenextgenerationofrunners.AftergraduatingfromCarthage, he became head track and cross country coach at ReedsvilleHighSchool,andAbbeybecameassistantcoach.Today, Michael is head cross country coach and assistant track coachfordistanceeventsatManitowocLincolnHighSchool. “Coachingisatremendouslyrewardingexperience,”hesays.“Ihavetheopportunitytoworkwith30differentathletesandhelpthemfocusandimprove.” Michael’s most memorable coaching experience came at Reedsville.“AbbeyandIhadagroupoffreshmanboysthatreally shared common goals and a philosophy about the sport andaboutlife,”hesays.“Theyworkedextremelyhardforfouryears,broketheschoolrecordinthe4x800meterrelay,andstoodonthepodiumatthestatemeet.Watchingthatrace,andseeingtheresultstheyachievedbyrisingtothechallenge,epitomizedwhattheterm‘team’means.”

run On Michaelplanstokeeponrunning.“Whenyou’reatthestart line of the race, you share a common bond with people aroundyou,”hesays.“I’vemetsomanylifelongfriendsthroughrunning—peopleIcantalktoforhoursandhours.It’sacommunityexperience.” Andtoanyonewhothinkstheycouldn’tlaceonapairofrunningshoesandcrossthefinishline,Michaelofferswordsofencouragement.“Itseemsintimidating,buttheaveragepersonhasthepotentialandcapabilitytodoarace—evenamarathon,”hesays.“Ifyouputintheproperstepsandtraining,anyonewhohasthewilltodoitwillfindaway.”•

ENJOYS liFE, FiNDS lOVE At 26.2 milES

rUnner anD CoaCh miChaeL bUboLZ

Michael and Abbey Bubolz

miC

haeL

bUb

oLZ

“NO FAUlt” AUtO ClAimS

at to r n e y i n V o LV e m e n t i n C r e a s e s o n

ENJOYS liFE, FiNDS lOVE At 26.2 milES

rUnner anD CoaCh miChaeL bUboLZ nfocus

S E p T E M b E R 2 0 1 4 P A G E 1 1

AstudybytheInsuranceResearchCouncilfoundthat the percentage of auto injury claimants represented by attorneysroseto36%inpersonalinjuryprotection(PIP)claims,despitePIPbeinga“nofault”coverage.Thatisanincreaseof5percentagepointsfrom2007andmorethantwicetheratereportedinasimilarstudyin1977. The study also found that claimants represented by attorneysweremorelikelytoreceivetreatmentinapainclinicandhaveMRIsforinjuriesandweremorelikelytobeinvolvedinapparentclaimabuse,yetexperiencedlongerclaimpaymenttimesandlowernetpaymentsonaveragethanthosewhodidnothireattorneys.•

We’vebeenreceivingsomanyphotosshowingagentsandemployeessportingACUITY gear aroundtheglobethatithardlyseemsfairtopickjustone!So,we’vechosenseveralpicturesforthisissue,allofwhichfeatureiconiclandmarksandarchitecture.Wouldyouliketowin$100?EmailapictureofyouoryourfamilywithACUITY logo gear visitinganinterestinglocationtoinfocus@acuity.com and include a brief description of Where in the World ACUITYhasbeen.Ifweuseyourpicture,we’llsendyou$100!Thisofferisopentoallemployees of ACUITYandourindependentagencies.

WHEREIN THE WORLD IS

ACUITY?ACUITY?

Nathan Wright,SeniorLossControlRepresentative,andhis wife, Susie,visitedSusie’shomeinthestateofKeralainsouthIndia.Whilethere,theyvisitedSt.FrancisChurch,theoldestEuropeanchurchinIndia,established by the explorer Vasco deGamainthecityofKochiin1503.NathaniswearinghisACUITYhat. Patricia Graham,PersonalLinesCSRatCress

InsuranceConsultantsinAlbuquerque,NewMexico,shows off her ACUITYmuklukswhileonarivercruisethroughHollandandBelgium.InthebackgroundisWillemstad, a 400-year-old town featuring one of the area’siconicwindmills.

Wearing an ACUITY cap and shirt, Tom Gast, Manager - Personal Lines Underwriting, and his wife, Rita, stop outside theHighCathedralofSt.PeterinCologne,Germany.

Bernie Cano,SeniorCommercialFieldUnderwriter(retired), and her husband, Louie,visitedItalyandGreece.ShebroughtherACUITY cap for a gondola ride in Venice andatriptotheAcropolisinGreece.

Neil Dreifuerst,TelecomEngineer,wasthinkingaheadwhenhevisitedItalyin2008withhiswife,Carol: he brought along an ACUITY toga for a photo op at the Coliseum! •

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S E p T E M b E R 2 0 1 4 P A G E 1 3

HONOr FliGHt SAYS “tHANK YOU” tO ViEtNAm VEtErANOldGloryHonorFlights, basedinAppleton,Wisconsin,isoneofmanyhubsinthenationalHonorFlightNetwork,anon-profitorganizationcreatedtohonorAmerica’sVeteransforalltheirsacrifices.Eachyear,thenetworktransportsournation’sheroestoWashington,D.C.tovisitandreflectattheirveterans’memorials. InAugust,James Walberflewtoournation’scapitalfromEAAAirVentureOshkoshontheYellowRibbonHonorFlightII,dedicatedtoVietnamVeterans.JamesishusbandofPat Walber, Mailroom Clerk at ACUITY’scorporateheadquarters.HejoinedtheArmyin1966atage19,followinginthefootstepsof his father, Clem,aWWIIVeteran.JamesservedayearinVietnambeforereturningtoFortGordoninGeorgia.Afterhishonorabledischargein1968,hejoinedtheAmericanLegionandhasservedintheLegion’sHonorGuardcontinuouslysincethen. OldGloryHonorFlights’mottois“It’sNeverTooLatetoSayThankYou,”andACUITY joins in thankingallournation’sVeterans.•

James and Pat Walber, far right, with their children Penny and Andy

James and Pat Walber walk the tarmac toward James’ Honor Flight

HEY! tHAt’S UNSAFE!

megan sturm maguire agency saint Paul, mn kathy sheehan missouri General insurance agency saint louis, mo Joe amendola a J lupas insurance agency inc Plains, Pa

FIND THE FLAGPOLE ACUITY’s Wally Waldhart,picturedonpage7oftheAugustissue,appearstobesprintingbytheflagpoleat the 2014 ACUITYHealthChallenge.Manyalertreadersspotted the icon, and the three lucky winners of $100 chosen from among correct entries are:

ACUITY HEALTH CHALLENGE SUPPORTS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 4 P A G E 7

Because millennials willmakeupasmuchas75percentoftheU.S.workforceby2025,offeringacorporateculturethatisagoodfitforthemillennial generation will be important to recruitingsuccess. ACUITYoffersaworkenvironmentthatisattractivetoemployeesofallages:meaningfulresponsibilities,anactiverole in decision-making, and an open doorpolicyarejustafewhighlights.Additionally,therearekeyareaswhereACUITY’sculturealignswiththevaluesand expectations of the millennial generation. In a study by The Institutes entitled Millennial Generation: Attitudes About Work and The Insurance Industry, nearly half of millennials said that they placed highvalueontheabilitytoworkwithpeople.ACUITY not only offers a team-focusedworkenvironment,butalsoanumber of opportunities for staff to meet and mingle both at and away from the office: •Connections,aregularfeature in our ACUITY inSIdER employee newsletter, connects people with

similar interests and hobbies and

hasledtothecreationofseveral newclubs. •The5-YearClubwascreatedasa gathering opportunity for employees at ACUITYfor5yearsorless. •On“EvenThursdays,”ACUITY holds a happy hour to encourage employeestosocialize. •TheATeam,ACUITY’s running club,isopentoall. Ourheadquartersexpansion will include more team-building features, such as a climbing wall and collaborativeworkstations,aswellasaconveniencestore. InTheInstitute’sstudy,overhalfofmillennialsplacedahighvalueonbeingable to set their own schedule, which ACUITY’sflex-timeaccommodates.Halfalsosoughtworkthatinvolvedhelpingothers,makingthemagoodfitfor ACUITY’s mission of rebuilding shatteredlivesandforourcultureofcorporatephilanthropy. •

millENNiAl GENErAtiON r e C r U i t i n g t h e

AREA

inSIG

HT

Toenterthismonth’scontest,findthehiddenelsewhereinthis issue, then send an email with its location to contest@acuity.com by September30,2014.Thiscontestisopentoagencystaffonly.•

BY Joan raVaneLLi miLLer – General counsel and Vice President - Human

resources

IMPO

SSIB

LE

inSURABLES Or should wesay,“Hay”? Yes, this enterprising homeowner decided to grab whateverwasavailabletorigupsomescaffolding.Unfortunately,thechoiceofsupportleavesmuchtobedesired. We don’t need to take a straw poll to know that ACUITY won’t be insuring this home, but it is our RiskoftheMonth. •

HEY! tHAt’S UNSAFE!

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S E p T E M b E R 2 0 1 4 P A G E 1 5

Standard&Poor’shasreaffirmedACUITY’sfinancialstrengthratingofA+(“Excellent”).

Inreaffirmingitsrating,S&PnotedthatACUITY

maintainsanextremelystrongfinancialriskprofile

based on our robust earnings from underwriting

andinvestments,diversifiedinvestmentportfolio,

lowexposuretocatastrophelosses,andfinancial

flexibilityduetoourmutualstructure.S&Palso

cited ACUITY’sstrongbusinessriskprofilebased

onourcompetitivepositionandpositiveoperating

performance,aswellasoureffectiveenterpriserisk

managementandstrongliquidity.

ACUITYmaintainsA+ratingsfrombothS&P and

A.M.Best. •

Q. Can I enter customer’s credit or debit card information for them online if they

want to make a premium payment?

A.No. Although it might seem more convenient to enter account information on a customer’s behalf, doing so

creates risks.

Q. What are the risks?

A.By taking credit card information from the insured, you take on all the compliance burden regarding security, processing, and storing of that information under either PCI or NACHA requirements. And, if problems or disputes arise regarding authorization, you’re stuck in the middle of resolving them.

Q. So what should I do if policyholders want to make a payment?

A. The best service you can provide is to educate customers on the secure and convenient payment options ACUITY has available.

Show the insured how to pay online at acuity.com or by phone to ACUITY’s Billing department at 800.242.7666. ACUITY

is fully compliant with regulations regarding credit and debit card payments, whether they are made via

phone or online. •

r e C r U i t i n g t h e

Q&ACUitY

ACUitY’S A+ S&p rAtiNGrEAFFirmED

OUTSTANDING

PFSInsurance’sGlenice Coxprovidesalevelofcustomerservicethatgetspeopletalking. “AftercustomersworkwithGlenice,theytellothersabouttheirgreatexperience,”saysDave Janssen,agencyPrincipal.“Shegoesaboveandbeyondtomakesureourcustomershavea

positiveexperienceandthattheirneedsaremet.” Andwhencustomerstalk,Glenice

listens.“Youhavetolistentowhatpeople’sneedsare—that’sthekeytocustomerservice,”shesays. GlenicejoinedPFSInsurance as Commercial Lines CSRandAccountManagerinNovember2013,comingtotheagencywithover20yearsintheinsurancebusiness.She

works in the agency’s Centennial, Colorado,officeandenjoyshelping

customersandsolvingtheirriskmanagementchallenges.

“Many times, customers

don’t understand insurance, so it’s our job to help them recognize the exposures theyface,”Glenicesays.“Making them aware of potential risk and helping them make an educated decisionisveryrewarding.” FollowingtheGoldenRuleisalsoakeytoservicesuccess.“Treat customers the way they want to betreated.Iftheyareupset,sayyou’resorrybeforeyouknowwhattheproblemis.Youcandiffuse alotofissuesbeforetheybecomeproblemsjustbydoingthat,”shesays. CongratulationstoGleniceCox,anOutstandingServiceProfessional! •

WHEN CUStOmErS tAlK,GlENiCE COX liStENS