What are you most proud of?
It’s a simple question we posed to industry thought leaders as part of our 10-year anniversary series, Insights From Industry Leaders. And yet, it’s yielded some markedly diverse responses from benefits leaders throughout the industry. Reflecting on the past decade, three of these leaders share their proudest accomplishments.
“Externally, that both Republican and Democratic policymakers in Congress and the Executive branch seek our advice and opinion. Internally, that since the depth of the recession at the end of 2008, we have grown 50% from 274 to over 400 member companies.”
—James Klein, President, American Benefits Council
“I am most proud of having the opportunity to learn from some amazing human resources professionals, including Jan Johnson, Evelyn Russell, Ed Page, Melanie Graper, Arte Nathan, and Todd Lehman. Learning from each of them helped me successfully develop and roll out employee benefit programs at two five-diamond hotels, lead two major benefits administration outsourcing projects, develop employee benefits compliance roadmaps for hundreds of employers, and teach at the University of California, Irvine. I attribute my accomplishments to their patience, words of wisdom, and guidance.”
“I’m most proud of the direct contract for heart surgery that we established with the Cleveland Clinic in 2010. It was the first bundled payment center of excellence created directly by an employer, and it has been a huge success. We have since expanded the program to include knee, and hip, back, and spine surgery. The program consistently improves quality, reduces cost, and sends a message to our employees that we want them to get the best care available.”
—Bob Ihrie, SVP, Compensation and Benefits, Lowe’s
You, too, have been part of this movement. So tell us, what are you most proud of? We’d love to hear about your accomplishments. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and drop us a line about your achievements.
Like what you’ve read so far? You can read the full interviews with these thought leaders and others on my LinkedIn page.
