Leadership Perspectives

by Christi and Will Byron
Managing Directors, Southeast Region

As leaders of the Southeast region, we’ve been excited to be a part of the increased integration across offices and business lines that continues to generate new opportunities for everyone at NFP. With a well-rounded focus on employee benefits, retirement services, wealth management and now property & casualty (P&C), the region really hit its stride last year. Even better, it’s well on its way to a fantastic 2016. Here’s why:

Integration, Integration and More Integration
Integration has been a considerable driver of the region’s expanding success. Our first entry into P&C was with the acquisition of the Michelsen Group in late 2014, and it’s already been successful. We recognized the opportunities to cross-sell to our current clients in this area and knew that we needed experts to lead the charge. We spent time identifying firms that matched in culture and could easily integrate in our region. That culminated in our acquisition of Trinity Consulting in early 2015 that brought our practice leaders, Alan Wise and Harry Floyd, to the team. Now, we’re this fully integrated, well-rounded machine that can provide clients with employee benefits, P&C, retirement and wealth management. Not only have our integrated sales efforts given us a distinct competitive advantage regionally, but it’s also provided our clients with a more comprehensive and complete offering from one trusted advisory group.

All of our salespeople meet together, report to the same person and have access to their own practice leader. We start combined and then break out into practice areas, rather than the other way around, like so many of our competitors. Together, internally and in front of clients, we’re stronger than the sum of our parts.

One Set of Goals
It’s no secret that there are significant benefits that come with having one set of goals across our region — and all of our regions. The key is that we’re financially aligned. If we work together as a team versus working as “referral” relationships, we can create a powerful, positive impact. This success speaks to the NFP spirit we all share. Every time we collaborate, we create new – and better – relationships all over again, and it’s energizing. Forget bureaucracy and red tape. At NFP, it's personal, and our business relationships with each other and our clients are genuine and real.

It bears repeating: Our company culture is, hands down, the most important asset we all share.

The Magic’s in the Mix
As for the future, we’re already seeing results. In 2015, our team sold $2.6 million in new business and added 84 new clients. More importantly, $750,000 was new P&C revenue — a business we weren’t even in until the end of 2014. Cross sales were $625,000, which demonstrates that the integration is working. 2016 is off to a great start, and we’re on our way to reaching our projected 10 percent growth goal. We know one thing, though: we couldn't do it without the strong culture and can-do attitude that our entire team shares.

It’s been close to 25 years since we started out in this industry as a young husband-and-wife team — and we’ve been part of NFP for 16 of those years. The Southeast region’s achievements come from the techniques, company culture and talents that people – in every business line and in every position – share day in and day out. We don’t take that lightly. In fact, we’re known for saying, “The magic’s in the mix.”

Every day feels brand new for us here. Thanks for letting us be a part of it.

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HR

RECOGNITION

Unsung Hero, Chelsey Debalsi

Chelsey is the kind of employee who can handle anything thrown at her. In 2013, she started at PPI Benefit Solutions (PPI) – an NFP office in Wallingford, CT, specializing in employee benefits administration – as a marketing associate with no industry experience. She quickly became an extremely valuable asset because of her initiative, intelligence, team spirit and stick-to-itiveness. Here’s a great example.

PPI contracted with a third-party vendor to help clients meet IRS reporting requirements under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Many PPI clients enrolled in the service, but few were aware of how much the law would impact them. Chelsey took charge. Not only did she do an excellent job of managing the vendor; she took it upon herself to learn the law inside and out. She was able to answer client questions and manage clients through the reporting process. She also wrote and distributed all communications and hosted a weekly conference call for clients.

There’s no doubt that Chelsey went above and beyond in every way possible, and her hard work and dedication exemplify the NFP culture of service. She’s a true unsung hero.

Read more about Chelsey.

Know an Unsung Hero? Submit a nomination form to humanresources@nfp.com.

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COMMUNITY

Holiday Events

Chicago Has a Whole Lot of Holiday Drive

Several of our Chicago office employees participated in the 500 W. Madison building-wide charitable drive for the following organizations:

• Greater Chicago Food Depository — Gathered non-perishable items
• Warm Up Chicago — Coat drive for Sarah’s Circle, Chicago Cares and the YMCA
• Salvation Army — Gift tree to fulfill gift wishes for children in need
• Toys for Tots — Collected toys for underprivileged kids

Wreaths Join Stars and Stripes in Holiday Honor

Chrissy Martel from our South Burlington, VT, office and her son, Jackson Flinn, age 13, along with his Civil Air Patrol composite squadron, participated in Wreaths Across America. They honored the men and women who’ve served in our Armed Forces by laying wreaths on their graves. Interviewed by the local news station, WCAX, Jackson said: “I believe that it’s so important that we need to honor what everyone has done for us. It’s our way of life that they protect every day.”

Pictured: Chrissy Martel and son, Jackson Flinn

Holiday Party Shows Teen Spirit

Excess Reinsurance, an NFP office in Woodbury, NJ, sponsored the Woodbury, NJ, Teen Center Holiday Party. Employees collected $1,500 so that 25 teens could enjoy gifts, decorations, dinner and games at this festive party.

Pictured: Excess Reinsurance employees

Ugly Holiday Sweaters and Food Drives for the Win in Indiana

Our Evansville, IN, office held an ugly holiday sweater contest. They also competed with other building tenants in a food drive for the Tristate Food Bank, winning the contest with a food donation weighing in at 327.5 lbs. That’s a lot of holiday cheer!

Cleveland Employees Rock

Employees from our Cleveland office raised funds for patients at the University Hospitals-Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital. An impressive $4,100 in cash and gifts were collected for two families in need.

L to R: Alysia Wilson, Deborah Prusak of UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and David Kirsopp

L to R: Susan Farver, David Kirsopp, Cathy DiEgidio, Alysia Wilson, Melissa Devney and Brian Hirsch

Santa Ana, CA, Office Plays Santa

Our Santa Ana, CA, office spread holiday cheer to families, providing them with wish list items, including groceries, clothing, gift cards, toys and more. One young recipient wrote the office two thank-you letters, expressing his and his family’s heartfelt gratitude.

Santa’s Friends and Helpers in Aliso Viejo, CA

For three years, employees from our Aliso Viejo, CA, office have adopted a family through Friends and Helpers, a nonprofit that provides support for individuals working to get out of abusive situations. This year our team members adopted two families, purchasing Christmas gifts for them.

Pictured: Natalie Holton, Ashley Bittner, David Gantz, Amy Naramore, Victor Martinez, Erin Fitz, Jill Shea, Dana Webb, Veronica Lee, Penny Raia, Bethany Lynn, Lani Kelly, Nicole Gugeler

The North Pole Comes to BWD Group of Plainview, NY

The BWD Group in Plainview, NY, supported the John Theissen Children’s Foundation Toy Drive by transforming their lounge into the North Pole. Employees grabbed a gingerbread man cutout to find out what toy they were shopping for. The response was huge — as were the smiles of the sick and underprivileged children receiving gifts.

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WELL-BEING

Vitality Events to Live By

Check out these two great Vitality events:

• Member Education Webinar Earns You 50 Points — Noticed a new look to the Vitality website? We’re hosting a Vitality Member Education webinar to help you learn about all the exciting changes and enhancements to the site. Bonus — participating in the webinar earns you 50 Vitality points. Join us Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. ET, by clicking here.
• Nutrition Course Challenge — Join us for our next company-wide Vitality challenge! On Feb. 1, go on the Vitality website and complete at least one of the many nutrition courses offered there. The region with the highest percentage of people completing a nutrition course wins 250 Vitality points. You’ll also get 100 points for participating. Simply go to the “Community” tab on Vitality and click on “My Challenges.” The challenge ends on Feb. 29.

Have you linked your fitness devices to your Vitality account yet? Click here to learn more. Not on Vitality yet? Join here.

NFP Wellness Program Survey — Just Do It

As we continue to expand the PeopleFirst program at NFP, we’d like to get your feedback on how to continue to support your health and well-being. Go on — take five and complete this survey.

Vitality Success Story – Chad Wilson

Chad, an employee of our office in Monroe, NC, and a member of Vitality since May 2014, wanted to lose weight before a church event where he would be performing several songs in front of a few thousand people. He began his journey on Aug. 17, 2014, weighing 251.6 pounds at 6’1” tall. By the time his event rolled around on Sept. 27, he’d lost 28.2 pounds! He hit his 40-pound goal on Nov. 10, 2014, and his weight is holding steady today. Here’s how he did it.

How did you begin your journey to a healthier lifestyle? “I ran about 4 days a week. At first it was hard. I would run a half mile, walk a half mile. I slowly built up to at least a mile without walking. I limited carbs, sugars, soda and bread, ate lean protein and vegetables, and drank as much water as I could stand. If it didn’t walk in a field, swim in water or fly, or if I couldn’t pick it off a tree or pull it from the ground, I didn’t eat it.”

How did Vitality help you accomplish your goals? “I love to track my Vitality points on the website. My first purchase with my Vitality points was my Fitbit, which has been a tremendous asset to my fitness goal. I love that I can link my Fitbit to my Vitality account and earn points toward Amazon purchases. Recently having my yearly physical bumped me from the Silver level to Gold. I should hit Platinum before the end of our Vitality year.”

How are you doing now? “I run about 4 miles at a time about three days a week and have incorporated strength training into my regimen three days a week. I’m getting healthier, helping my family stay healthy and feeling more self-confident. I recently had my physical, and my cholesterol came back at 174, the lowest it’s been in five years.”

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DEVELOPMENT

NFP Opportunities Know No (Regional) Boundaries

One of the many advantages of being a part of the NFP community is your ability to stay with us and grow your career when life happens. Here are a few examples of people on the move and how they ended up successfully transitioning to our Chicago-area office:

Pictured: Sherri Zion

Sherri Zion was an account executive in our Charlotte, NC, office for nine years and recently relocated to the Chicago area due to her husband’s job. The Charlotte office contacted Mike Schneider, a managing director in the Chicago area, to recommend her. Sherri then joined our Northbrook, IL, location last October.

Pictured: Nate Brink

Nate Brink joined our New York office as a benefits analyst in 2013. In 2015, when he expressed a desire to relocate back “home” to the Midwest, the office reached out to Mike Schneider, and in March, Nate migrated to the Midwest. A few months later there was a senior account executive opening and Nate stepped into the role.

“We’re very excited about Sherri and Nate joining us in Chicago,” said Mike. “Hiring the caliber of people we need is always a challenge, so to find two great additions to the team, not to mention the fact that they start on day one with NFP experience – Salesforce, compliance, overall culture and more – is a huge win!”

Learning & Development

Grow Your Skills, Grow Your Career

Want to expand your professional skill set and, ultimately, your career options? Visit the PeopleFirst Portal, scroll down to “PeopleFirst Development” on the left side of your screen and click on “NFP Education Center.” Then search the course titles or browse by topic to learn about our 31 new e-learning courses.

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FINANCE

Keeping a Watchful Eye on the Investment Choices in Our 401(k) Plan

NFP has a Fiduciary Committee that oversees the 401(k) plan and investments. This committee works to ensure that the 401(k) plan is in compliance with the many laws that regulate the plan and the investment selections within the plan. Every quarter the committee meets to discuss these important items and ensure that the best design and investments are held within the plan. After a careful and measured review of the investment options within the plan, the committee has decided to add one investment option and change out a couple of others for similar funds that are more representative of their class and meet the committee’s rigor for risk and return. More information will be forthcoming on these changes that will happen in late first quarter or early second quarter.

New Funds:

TICKER:	FUND NAME:
DBLFX	DoubleLine Core Fixed Income I
DFFVX	DFA US Targeted Value I
WSCRX	Wells Fargo Advantage Small Co-Growth I
852320423	Morley Stable Value Fund Class 25-I

Fund Mapping:

CURRENT FUND NAME:	MAP TO FUND NAME:	LIKE FUND?
	DoubleLine Core Fixed Income I	New Offering
Ridgeworth Mid-Cap Value Equity IS	DFA US Targeted Value I	Yes
Morgan Stanley Instl Mid-Cap Growth IS	Wells Fargo Advantage Small Co-Growth I	Yes
Morley Stable Value Fund Class 50-I	Morley Stable Value Fund Class 25-I	Share Class Change

To review your current plan elections or to enroll in the plan, go to www.401kaccess.com/nfp or call Charles Schwab Participant Services at 800-724-7526.

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Regional Office & Platform News

Southeast Region’s First Integrated Sales Conference a Hit

There were nearly 80 participants at the Southeast region’s first integrated sales conference in Charlotte, NC. Southeast regional leaders Christi Byron, Will Byron, Harry Floyd and Alan Wise hosted this regional event with support from our Corporate Development team, led by Eric Boester, executive vice president of Corporate Development. Ed O’Malley, executive vice president and president of Corporate Benefits and Individual Solutions, and Terry Scali, executive vice president and CEO of NFP P&C, shared the vision for the continued growth of our P&C business through existing benefits clients. Ashley Cop, senior vice president of Marketing, introduced the new brand and how it will be used to tell our NFP story.

Specialists spent the afternoon presenting to breakout groups on our unique offerings, and Gary Shuford, vice president of Retirement Services, received the first-ever “Integrated Sales Champion Belt” for a job well done. The question is — who will win it next?

Pictured: Gary Shuford and Brad Black

Canada Integrated Selling Wins

Integration Across Borders

What happens when a Chicago company with 1,300 U.S., 1,400 Canadian and 450 international employees comes to NFP with huge health and welfare and retirement benefits challenges? We provide highly personalized solutions, of course. A simplified process was designed with a single-source solution so that consulting in all regions can be synchronized.

Together, our U.S. and Canadian offices simplified benefits administration and oversight, found cost efficiencies and managed international challenges. We also provided assistance with global EAP provider pricing and billing issues. As a result, we significantly reduced the company’s U.S. medical stop-loss premium, medical maximum claim liability, and dental and vision premiums. We restructured the wellness program, medical plan design and eligibility waiting period, and improved investment options within lineup — all while maintaining or lowering expenses and removing unequal participant cost-sharing.

For Canadian employees, we identified significant savings opportunities from plan design rationalization and drug management practices, reduced commission expenses and introduced retirement program fee savings. We also found single-provider solutions for all international programs. The result? Easier administration and single reporting and premium payment.

This is further proof that our collective strength as a team brings about positive change and growth for all parties involved.

Cross-Country Collaboration Nets New Business

One of our Canadian clients had a classic good news/bad news problem. The good news was that the tech company they owned, headquartered in Pennsylvania, had exponential growth over the previous 18 months. The bad news was that it didn’t have the HR infrastructure to support its 110 Canadian and 1,200 U.S. employees.

This tech-savvy company was still handling paperwork on actual paper and had no system to send member eligibility data to carriers. Compliance? Forget about it. The company hadn’t even completed a 5500 filing. As soon as the client explained its U.S. challenges, the Canadian team referred our Corporate Benefits office in Pennsylvania — which won the business.

Now the office is implementing a full benefits administration system that will automate the client’s day-to-day HR functions in time for enrollment — while still leaving them room to grow. 5500 filings are up to date and employees are getting their required annual notices. Even better, the new efficiencies our team introduced will save the client a projected $1.2 million.

Even across borders, we’re able to create cohesive solutions that save money and increase productivity.

Private Client Group Partnership Pays Off Big

For another great example of how strategic partnerships across the organization pay off, we don’t have to look further than the one between our firm Lenox Advisors and the NFP Property & Casualty (P&C) Private Client Group.

Amy Ciasulli, managing director, P&C, NY, and Heather Gladwell, vice president, P&C Private Client Group, NY, have worked with Lenox for the past two years to offer clients a greater range of capabilities. The latest reports show big wins.

“We’ve surpassed $1 million for 2015 and are approaching the $2 million mark,” says Angie LeMar, managing director, Corporate Services, at Lenox. “Heather’s an invaluable resources for us, providing insight and advice, and Amy’s leadership continues to take us to the next level. This is just an incredible story.”

Heather agrees, and says she and Amy are “hoping to implement these mutually beneficial partnerships with other NFP offices.”

Doing Business in the Mid-Atlantic Is Easier Than Ever

Did you know that one of our offices is among the premier health insurance wholesalers in the D.C. region? Potomac Basin Group Associates (PBGA), which has relationships with CareFirst, Aetna, Kaiser, Evergreen, Cigna and MetLife, can help you increase business in the D.C. area with free services that some of your NFP peers are already taking advantage of.

You have no-cost access to the PBGA Wholesale division, which includes enrollment specialists, an escalated service team and industry experts that help with group clients. From the quoting process and new case submission to renewal, the team is there to help you resolve problems quickly and effectively.

Find out more by contacting our references: Jack Abel of The Meltzer Group at 301-581-7376, or Scott Golden of Golden & Cohen at 301-330-5300, Ext. 160.

To get started or for access questions, contact Laura Chaney, PBGA vice president of Wholesale Operations, at 301-458-2146 or laura.chaney@potomacbasin.com.

New Midwest Region COO

As we continue to invest in growth and infrastructure to build our P&C business, we’re pleased to have Patrick Savage join us as the COO of the Midwest region. Based in our Chicago office, Patrick joins us with more than 18 years of experience in the insurance industry and 24 years in accounting and finance. He most recently oversaw the general operations of Hylant, a Midwest-based regional insurance broker with 14 locations and 625 employees, where he was COO and senior vice president of Talent Management.

Prior to Hylant, he served as the CFO and COO for the Dobson-McOmber Agency and led the integration of the cultures of Hylant and Dobson-McOmber. Patrick is a CPA® who’s held finance roles with Borders, Johnson Controls and Deloitte & Touche. Please join us in welcoming him to the family!

NFP and Goodwill — Changing Lives Together

Goodwill Industries has served people with special needs for 75 years. Our Colorado office has helped support the nonprofit’s mission by providing health and welfare benefits consulting to its Discover Goodwill shops since 2010. In 2014, the office also began providing services to Goodwill Industrial Services Group, which works with the federal government to provide Goodwill employees with education, training and transportation.

Recently, NFP worked with PeakMed Primary Care to construct a health care delivery solution that addresses this group of employees’ unique challenges, including improving medical care access, providing care through a Discover GoodHealth RV and more.

“The Discover GoodHealth RV medical clinic brings primary physician care to our employees who previously have gone without necessary primary care due to transportation and communication barriers,” says Jamee Haines, vice president of HR at Goodwill. “This allows and encourages our employees to develop relationships with a primary care provider to enhance their quality of life through improved quality of care, wellness education and activities.”

Now that’s a job well done.

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Procurement

More Ways to Save with the Q1 Vendor Partnerships Guide

Enjoy significant discounts from several companies, including Xerox, FedEx, Dell, W.B. Mason, Hertz and Avis. Get all the information you need in the latest edition of the NFP Vendor Partnerships Guide, which includes these new offerings:

• NFP Logo Shop for promotional items
• Town Sports International membership
• Hotel Granduca Austin

Procurement Department Takes Initiative to Save You Money

Procurement is working on several initiatives throughout 2016 to lower your office expenses and make your job easier. They include:

• Purchasing cards — A convenient way to make business-related purchases
• Records Management — Significant savings on document and media storage
• Shredding Services — Negotiated shredding rates
• PCs — PC equipment provider with enterprise-wide discounts

Save with Our New Motor Vehicle Report Program

We have a new motor vehicle report (MVR) program with American Driving Records for our P&C offices. By consolidating MVR services to one preferred vendor, P&C offices receive lower rates based on larger volumes.

Program fees:

• $100 one-time administrative fee paid at the time of application (offices with existing accounts don’t have to pay this fee)
• $0.20 per MVR plus the applicable state fee

Ready to enroll? Contact Silver Chaudry.

The Price Is Right with New FedEx Pricing

We’ve entered into a participation agreement with CoreTrust that gives us an additional 10-30 percent discount off FedEx shipping rates, depending on service, zone and weight. If you have an existing FedEx account linked to our national account, the new pricing is automatically applied.

Want to create a new NFP FedEx account? Contact Silver Chaudry.

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Marketing

A Banner Moment in Trade Show News

Check out our trade show banner that debuted at the 50th Annual Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning in Orlando, FL. We’re a proud sponsor of this event, which educates estate planners from around the country.

Pictured: Lori Denison and Matt Ramos

Need a banner for an upcoming tradeshow? Looking for freshly branded collateral? Visit brandcentral.nfp.com for all things that showcase our new brand voice and make you look like the rock star you are.

Social Media

Get the word out on your office events, charitable efforts and employees’ professional achievements. Submit them for posting on our rapidly growing Facebook and Twitter accounts:

1. Fill out the brief NFP Social Media Post Submission Form. The form is located on NFP Brand Central, where you’ll find tools and support you need for NFP-related branding, compliance, marketing and public relations.
2. Email the completed form and any related photos to communications@nfp.com.

Make sure you’re fully connected to NFP by following us on social media.

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