Tis The Season To Be Jolly!

Every year we are lucky to have extra jolly employees to spread the holiday cheer at a nearby

Pinnacol carolers ready to sing!

assisted living facility. Our group of Pinnacol carolers entertained the residents at Village at Lowry last week with traditional holiday songs such as "Jingle Bells", "Let it Snow", and "Deck the Halls". The event has been held many years now through our employee run volunteer program called Pinnacol in Action and has become a Pinnacol tradition that many employees look forward to each year. The residents were thrilled to have the seasonal visitors back and participated in the fun by singing along. Their gratitude was felt at the end of the event when many of the residents warmly thanked each singer. On a cold dreary day the warmth and holiday spirit could certainly be felt by both our carolers and the residents. 

Business Intelligence Analyst position now available!

Our Business Intelligence team is gearing up for 2016 and one of the things they are wishing for in the new year is to welcome another Business Intelligence Analyst to their group! This specialized position will create and maintain business intelligence tools and assist and advise the Pinnacol Business Community regarding development and maintenance of decision support programs using ad-hoc query tools in an Oracle/UNIX environment.

The ideal candidate for this role will be a great communicator with the technical expertise to support projects that require heavy analysis and problem solving. This position works both independently and as part of a team to design and construct BI solutions and will be expected to effectively communicate findings to management and help devise business intelligence strategies.

Candidates for the Business Intelligence Analyst should have expertise with reporting tools (Brio, Hyperion, Microstrategy, or the like), expert level problem-solving ability and 3-5 years experience with databases. A Bachelor’s Degree is strongly preferred although relevant work experience may be substituted for the degree. Project management skills and insurance experience are a plus.

If finding yourself in this kind of position in 2016 is on your wish list we'd love to hear from you! We ask that candidates please apply via our company website.

Happy holidays and best wishes for 2016!

From all of us - Terry, Debbie, David, and Megan (seated) -
Best wishes for this Holiday season and the new year!

For the Pinnacol recruiting team it's been a very busy year. Given that it's almost mid-December its nice to look back and take pause. We'd like to extend a very special Thank You! to everyone who considered Pinnacol as a potential place of employment in 2015. We reviewed thousands of your resumes from all over the country (and some from outside the U.S.) and had the chance to meet with hundreds of you in person either through interviews or at various job fair events. We know it takes effort on your part to complete applications, attend job fairs, and send in your resumes, and for those who came in for formal interviews we know how stressful that can be. So again, thank you!

Many people celebrate this special time of year. Whatever the cause for your celebration, all of us on the recruiting team - Terry, Debbie, Megan, and David - wish you a happy holiday season and a safe and prosperous 2016!

Two teams at Pinnacol you may not be familiar with...

Candidates who visit with us are often surprised about the number of career options we offer. That's in part because our corporate headquarters are here in Denver. For many of our competitors the only presence they have in Denver or Colorado is a small regional office which means to truly grow their careers their employees may have to relocate out of state.

One of the teams we have at Pinnacol is called Provider Network Management. Unless you have insurance or healthcare experience you are likely not familiar with this career option. The Provider Network Management team manages Pinnacol’s provider network, SelectNet, the largest network of providers in Colorado. These are the Doctors and other healthcare providers who actually take care of injured workers. This team is responsible for more than half of our business spending, which makes sense for a workers’ compensation insurance company. It oversees overall provider customer service, provider credentialing, contracting, measuring clinical outcomes, compliance, and the physician advisor program and pharmacy expenses. Provider Network Management is also responsible for eliminating unnecessary waste in medical expenditures, and for both employee and provider education. The medical provider community is a key stakeholder group for Pinnacol and the Provider Network Management team conducts surveys and focus groups to listen to this constituency and to find new ways to anticipate providers’ needs and to help them navigate the complexities of workers’ compensation.

Another team you may not be familiar with is our Medical Payment Services group. This team quickly and accurately processes all the bills providers submit to Pinnacol. They audit these bills for proper coding, educate providers about successful billing practices and they are responsible for ensuring appropriate medical expenditures. The team also supports insurance operations through its medical payments liaisons who are responsible for coordinating all facets of medical payment activity for insurance operations. Each liaison is assigned to a business team in insurance operations for one-stop-shop support such as providing information and processing bills associated with settlements and responding to provider complaints.

Coming soon!
Informed by all of the crucial input from their customers, Provider Network Management and Medical Payment Services will soon be recruiting for new positions to provide the level of support needed to meet Pinnacol's goal of supporting the best possible care and outcomes for injured workers. Stay tuned in 2016 as we announce these exciting job opportunities!

Looking for an Accountant...

Many of you are probably getting distracted by all the holiday preparations and looking forward to spending time with friends and family. I did want to let folks know that we are looking for an Accountant to join our finance team so we are actively seeking candidates who are perhaps interested in a new opportunity in 2016. 

This opening is for an Accountant II which means we are looking for an experienced Accountant with at least three years related experience. A Bachelors degree in Accounting or Finance is preferred though not required. Being a CPA would also be a plus. 

Our Finance team doesn't have many opportunities come open so this is a relatively rare chance to join one of the key teams at our company. This particular Accountant position will be be responsible for functions related to investment accounting and processing and insurance accounting and reporting. If this sounds interesting we would love to hear from you! As always we ask candidates to submit their expression of interest via our company website.

Insurance Careers abound, but have you ever considered one?

I've said this before and its probably self-evident - when you were in the fifth grade and the teacher asked what you wanted to be when you grew up you most likely didn't even think of insurance as a potential career path. When I was at that age everyone wanted to be astronauts, rock or sports stars, the President, etc. I've worked in the insurance industry for 18 years and have found it to be an exceptionally rewarding career path not only for myself but for those I have helped get into the field.

The sad thing is that most people don't know enough about an insurance career to consider it as an option and that is a problem for the insurance industry. I was reading an article from Nielson Marketing Services this morning that was discussing the fact that the insurance industry continues to struggle to attract talent. 

As the article points out the median age of insurance industry workers in 2013 was 44.7 years old; for all industries, it was 42.4 years old. Of the 2.6 million insurance industry workers, only 131,000, or roughly 5 percent, were 20 to 24 years old. In contrast, 640,000 insurance industry workers were age 55 or older, which means roughly one quarter of these workers are nearing retirement.

Insurance careers are some of the most stable careers available as everyone needs coverage whether for auto, home, health, life and yes, workers' compensation coverage. Forecasters predict roughly 200,000 new jobs in the insurance industry by 2022 (hard to believe that's only 7 years away!). These jobs cover a wide variety of opportunities in everything from Claims and Underwriting to Information Technology, Safety Services, Actuaries, Business Intelligence, and Nursing. 

Millennials, like their predecessors, likely have not put much, if any, thought into exploring insurance as a career option. The article mentions a survey by the Griffith Insurance Education Foundation that found only 5 percent of millennials were familiar with careers in insurance. Some insurance companies, including Pinnacol, are recruiting future workers while they are in college or even high school and Pinnacol has actually endowed a Risk Management program through the University of Colorado at Denver Business School to help introduce the industry to a new generation.

If you are in the insurance industry, take some time to talk to others about what you like about your work. If you are not familiar with insurance as a career option, you owe it to yourself to check it out!

Nurse Medical Case Manager position now available with Pinnacol...

We are seeking a Medical Case Manager to work with claims personnel and other internal/external stakeholders to bring medical and claims issues to an expedient and cost-effective resolution and to provide our company and our stakeholders with best in class medical case management. A current Colorado nursing  license is required and candidates must be willing to attain and maintain case manager certification within 3 years of hire. Five  or more years’ experience in nursing strongly preferred.

Many nurses may be unaware of the opportunities that exist outside the traditional clinical environment. Most nursing schools don't expose their students to the career options that exist in the Occupational Health field and Insurance industry. One of these options is the case management and care of individuals who have been injured on the job. 

You might be curious about how these nurse roles are different from the role nurses traditionally are in. Working in the occupational health field and insurance industry offer some attractive advantages including:  regular daytime business schedules, no necessity to bid for shifts, and no need to work nights, weekends, and holidays. Another appeal is the less demanding physicality of these jobs with less standing and less wear and tear on the body.  Caseloads also tend to be more manageable as insurance companies such as Pinnacol generally have state of the art systems that make it easier to document patient care and manage caseloads. 

Pinnacol's  Medical Case Managers consult with claims representatives regarding the medical aspects of claims while interacting telephonically with injured workers and  providers to ensure recovery, successful return to work, and returning the injured worker to their pre-injury condition. Some of these positions work on more complicated long-term cases requiring critical and strategic thinking skills and involves the comprehensive, in-depth, medical review of records within a legal framework.  All Medical Case Manager positions participate in consultation with physicians, occupational and physical therapists, external case managers, specialists, and legal staff.  While these positions generally do not provide direct patient care, nurses involved in this type of work are critical in helping move cases along and ensuring positive outcomes. 

It is interesting to note that most nurses in these positions come directly from the clinical environment and represent all types of specialties. The work environment is team-based and nurses interact on a daily basis with other team members including claims representatives, underwriters, auditors, legal counsel and administrative support personnel.  Nurses drawn to these types of positions tend to bring a strong desire to learn, adaptability to change, the ability to educate those around them, while creating a balance of empathy and the promotion of well-being for the injured worker. 

For the Medical Case Manager position substantial training is done and appeals to every type of learner in that there are visual, hands-on, one-on-one, classroom and self-study components. The work is varied and challenging so learning continues well after the formal training is over. While most nurses have never been directly exposed to the availability of these types of career options, many find them to be well worth exploring at some point in their careers. 

If the Medical Case Manager position sounds of interest we would love to hear from you! We ask candidates to please apply via our company website. 

Pinnacol celebrates Diwali as one of our Diversity Events

Dancers and Drummers from the Mudra Dance Studio

Through the years Pinnacol's Diversity Task Force has coordinated many special events designed to celebrate different cultures around the world. If there has been a common theme its that many of these events involve food and dance. Today was no different as the Diversity Task Force arranged a sampling of foods and dance in celebration of Diwali. All of these events also offer a chance for Pinnacol employees to learn about different cultures they may not be familiar with.

Also known as the festival of lights, Diwali is an ancient festival celebrated every fall. Diwali is the biggest and brightest festival in India featuring lights, home decorations, shopping, fireworks, prayers, gifts and food. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair - overall not a bad message to convey given the times we live in. Diwali is an official holiday in countries around the world, including Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji. Pinnacol has hosted dancers from many regions of the world and you can't help but feel better after watching these events. A special THANK YOU! to the members of our Diversity Task Force for arranging today's Diwali celebration. I can't wait for what they will have next time!

Oh, The Weather Outside Is Frightful...

A winter picture of our building from
the Blizzard of 2006

As I write this all warm and comfortable in front of my computer here at work most of Denver is struggling through the first real snow-impacted commute of the season. Pinnacol anticipated a rough commute and we encouraged our employees to be smart about their commutes and to take their time coming in as their safety comes first. I live on the southwest side of town and for me the smart thing is to get an early start, a really early start. My commute is normally 45 minutes to an hour and I've found through the years that on wintry days if I'm on the road by 5:30 a.m. the traffic is not yet too bad. Coming in to the building there always seems to be the same group of early arrivals but given road conditions we'll be seeing our peers trickle in over the next couple of hours. Our snow removal team was here even earlier than I and had already shoveled the walkways and there was no line in the showers in the fitness center so I counted my blessings for a relatively smooth commute this morning.

With all the talk of global warming its hard to predict what our upcoming winter season will really be like but as much as I don't like to drive in Denver in the snow I have to admit it was actually kind of pretty with the city covered in a mantle of white. Last night I went on a bike ride after work around Cherry Creek Reservoir and actually saw my first Christmas tree and lights in the window of one of the apartments along the bike path. So, ready or not, 'tis the season. Have a safe drive and if you happen to glance away from the brake lights ahead of you for a moment try to see the beauty in a Colorado snowy morning!

Agile Product Services Manager opportunity now open!

We are looking for an experienced Agile Product Services Manager who will provide leadership to the Application Services group of product teams to achieve the group’s mission, which is to acquire, build, and deliver useful, high quality software that creates business value.

Within our company the group delivers and supports software that helps improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the company’s business processes. Externally the group delivers software to customers, injured workers, agents, and medical providers to help them to do business with the company. The Application Services group is dedicated to agile and lean principles and the Agile Services Product Manager supervises, coaches and mentors the product owners, business analysts, and related roles in the various Application Services product teams.

A Bachelor’s Degree is not required but is strongly preferred.  Relevant work experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree.  A strong plus would be to have one or more of the following certifications: PMP- Agile Certified Practitioner (PMP-ACP), Kanban Certified Professional (KCP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Professional Scrum Master (PSM1), SAFe Agilist (SA).  Minimum five years IT management experience related to Business Analysis and Agile.

If this sounds of interest we would love to hear from you. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply via our company website!

Pinnacol artwork mirrors real world

When Pinnacol moved into it's Lowry headquarters the company commissioned several artists to produce art work reflective of our state and the wide variety of work done in Colorado. One of the pieces is a painting by J. Wolford  that showcases the Malta Schoolhouse. For anyone who has been on Highway 24 just south of Leadville you've probably noticed the red schoolhouse just off the road. The town of Malta doesn't really exist any longer but back in the 1870's it was a bustling town hosting smelters, two hotels, fifty homes, a post office, several saloons and even a racetrack for horses. The smelters were only marginally successful and as larger and more modern smelters were built just up the road in Leadville Malta simply could not compete. By 1884, Malta was little more than a junction for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad.

The current Malta Schoolhouse was built in 1902 after the original schoolhouse, which had been moved to the property from across Highway 24, burned down. The “second” Malta School operated from 1902 to 1945.  The schoolhouse originally had a barn for students’ horses and mules and the schoolhouse is now owned by the Leadville School District. The Malta Schoolhouse apparently was originally painted white with green trim but was repainted to its current red in the 1950s by the Leadville Lions Club who had volunteered to restore it. More recently, just this summer in fact, the schoolhouse received another facelift thanks to a partnership between the High Mountain Institute and the Lake County School District. Every time I see the painting it reminds me of the magic of the Colorado high country and every time I see the actual schoolhouse it reminds me of the painting that mirrors it back at work. Its also a reflection, and constant reminder, of all the communities, employers, and workers we work so hard to support.

Malta Schoolhouse painting

Malta Schoolhouse after its recent facelift

How's your Glenohumeral Joint?

Pinnacol has always prided itself on being a continual learning organization and our training calendar offers classes on a wide variety of topics. To that end I availed myself of one of the recent training classes aimed at our claims representatives and nurses. The topic for this lunch and learn was "The Shoulder" which seems pretty benign but before I and the other attendees knew what was up we were being introduced to Glenoid Sockets, Acromions, Coracoid Processes, and Articular Cartilage. The presenter was our Medical Director, Dr. May, who has clearly spent a lot of time in operating rooms but still did a nice job of bringing some pretty complicated material down to a level where folks like me could begin to comprehend what an amazing thing our shoulders are.

It was a full house at the recent training class on "The Shoulder"

Our claims representatives don't practice medicine but they still need to have a good understanding of anatomy and medical terminology as they help injured workers through their injuries. I work in Human Resources but wanted to better understand what our claims staff deals with on a daily basis. We see a lot of shoulder injuries in the claims we handle so training classes like these will allow our claims representatives to better relate to our customers experiencing this kind of trauma.

Dr. May will be hosting additional classes covering other parts of the body in the weeks and months to come. Obviously the best injury is the injury that never happens and a huge focus of Pinnacol is on accident prevention. Still, when accidents do occur its important to have our employees as knowledgeable as possible and classes like "The Shoulder" are one way of keeping our employees up to speed.

The End is just the Beginning

We have been fortunate enough to have had Alyson as our Intern in Employee Services over the summer. Her internship is coming to an end, but as you'll see that end is just the beginning...

As my internship at Pinnacol comes to an end, I wanted to write a blog about what I have learned. While I have had the opportunity to learn a lot about the company, specifically more about human resources, I think the most valuable lessons I learned are not something that can be graded by my professor or my mentors, but rather are personal lessons that will help me develop within my career.

One of the most important things I learned was continue to develop and maintain your network. Networking is the most important thing that you can do for yourself professionally. This simple act can take your career in directions you never imagined possible.

Another important lesson I learned is that people are more than willing to let you shadow them if you just ask. If the organization you are in is committed to developing you professionally, they will be more than accommodating to allow you to explore career possibilities.

When you put in hard work, it will pay off. Whether you are seeking gratification from your manager, peers or just yourself, taking pride in the work you do is important. If you spend time to get things done the right way and give 100% to a project, you will recognize that the best kind of gratification you will get will be from yourself.

Always ask questions. There really is no such thing as a stupid question. When you don’t have any questions, that’s when people (co-workers, managers, etc.) start to worry. There is no one in the world that knows everything so ask for help when you need it and ask questions.

Your reputation is important. It will follow you. Be kind, humble, and do your absolute best. When you’re feeling negative, walk away and take some time for yourself. Take a short walk or a short coffee break.

Lastly, don’t make it about the money. If you want a career you love, make sure you focus on the culture of a company and how you fit in with others. While a company is judging you , you have to judge them as well. Most people take jobs based on the money, but in reality we all just want to be happy with our jobs. You spend a good majority of your time at work, so make sure that you fit in and the culture is nothing short of fabulous.

I am fortunate enough to have been offered a permanent position at Pinnacol. While my internship is ending, my career is just beginning. I couldn’t be happier to explore all the possibilities that Pinnacol has to offer me. I literally can grow my career under the same roof and never get bored. The culture is what drew me in and the people are what drew me to stay. I’m so fortunate to have had this opportunity. Megan, David, and Dolores (along with the rest of the Employee Services team) have really taught me so much about professionalism, my career goals, and personal development.

Alyson's other blogs:
Attending a Job Fair? Some tips...
Flashback 2002
My Life as an intern at Pinnacol

Pinnacol hosts Halloween Spooktacular!

As a Human Resources Representative I've used a lot of adjectives through the years to describe life at Pinnacol but "SPOOKY!" has never been one of them. That is, until today.

Through the years we've hosted Pumpkin Carving and Costume Contests for our employees but today we'll be having a very special group of visitors including a fair share of Lady Bugs, Ninja Warriors, Tinker Bell's and Fairy's, and especially topical for this year all sorts of Star Wars characters. The children of our employees will be trick or treating throughout our building this afternoon and all of the teams have decorated their work areas in a manner to have the kids shrieking and screaming as they meander from one candy filled jack-o-lantern to the next.

Tinker Bell rates as one of Good HouseKeeping's top costumes for 2015

Workers' Compensation deals with very serious issues so it's nice to celebrate special occasions such as this. I'm sure all the adults will be exhausted but the kids will remember this event at least until tomorrow when they celebrate the official Halloween and they and their exhausted parents get to do it all over again!

Check out our refreshed Website!

Pinnacol.com has undergone a complete refresh so check it out and let us know your thoughts!

The folks in charge of the website are always looking for ways to make it easier to find information whether you are on a desktop, tablet, or handheld device. For those interested in exploring opportunities with Pinnacol the Careers button is still at the very top of the page!

Thank you to all the candidates we met at Dice Tech Fair

Brian, Jesse, Tim, and Cory looking
forward to speaking to candidates

On Tuesday of this week I and Megan (my counterpart in Human Resources) participated in the DICE Tech and Engineering Job Fair held at the Denver Tech Center Marriott Hotel.

We had a chance to meet with a lot of great candidates at the Fair which had a strong turnout. I had asked some of our IT folks to join me so I owe a special thank you to Cory, Tim, Brian, and Jesse for helping out. My knowledge of IT goes only so far, so Megan and I spent our time introducing candidates to Pinnacol and getting them to one of our four IT pros for more in-depth conversations. Cory heads up our application development side, Tim runs our Help Desk area, Jesse runs our Security function, and Brian comes out of the Data and Network Services area so candidates could talk shop directly with some of our hiring managers.

Thank you to DICE for hosting the Fair and thank you especially to everyone who stopped by. It was great to meet you!

What does Global Warming mean for the upcoming Flu Season?

Pinnacol, like many employers, offers free or low-cost flu shots to employees hoping to avoid the aches and pains associated with whatever variation of influenza will be circulating this season. At Pinnacol we'll be getting our flu shots on October 29th. Not every employee signs up, but I can't remember the last year I didn't receive my poke in the arm. Last year's shots were apparently only mildly effective as a prevention as the folks that make the shots have to make an educated guess months ahead as to which virus to protect against.

Here in Colorado, as well as in much of the west, we're having beautiful, and unseasonably warm, weather. Denver yesterday broke the high temperature record for the date with a high of 87 degrees. Even in the mountains the weather has been warm with no ski areas as of yet able to start making snow. Normally ski season starts in just a couple of weeks, but this year they'll need quite the change in weather to have us sliding down the hills anytime soon.

I'm not sure if global warming is the cause for the climb in temperature this year and I'm not willing to prognosticate as to whether the mild weather will continue or for how long. But it does make you wonder - will the milder temperatures have any impact on the upcoming flu season? We are in week 42 of 2015 and according to the chart from last year that's about the time when the Center for Disease Control normally see's the spike in reported flu symptoms start to climb.

As you'll notice, the height of flu season last year was in the last week of 2014. Of course, flu hits different parts of the country at slightly different times. Here in the office we're already seeing an increase in people fighting colds and other respiratory ailments (it can't be the flu yet, right?) and we haven't even seen the first snow. Whether you are a believer in global warming or not, one can still hope that the milder climate may keep those pesky viruses at bay. But just in case, I'll be standing in line, sleeve rolled up, to get that jab in the arm as I always do. Regardless as to whether you participate, here is hoping for a quiet flu season. How about you - are you getting a flu shot this year? Do you think the climate impacts the flu season?

Getting the most out of an Internship Experience: You Get Out What You Put in

Back in June our intern Alyson had blogged about her experience with Pinnacol. Over the last several months Alyson has been working hard to make the most of her internship so we thought we'd have her write another blog about getting the most out of your time with a company...

So you’re close to graduating, or you just want to make you resume stand out, or you want some experience; whatever the reason, your internship is one of the most important experiences in college. Many students often wonder why an internship is necessary. Well the answer is simple. An internship can be of considerable benefit to you. Internships will introduce you to potential future work environments and you will be able to decide whether these meet your career wishes and interests. You can also acquire important supplementary skills during an internship and make contact with potential future employers.

It would be disappointing if you left your internship and realized that you really didn’t learn anything new or you didn’t develop your skills professionally. You might kick yourself and think, “Well they (the organization) didn’t help me do this or that… this was a waste of time…” The reality is it is your responsibility to make the most of your time at the company so here are a few tips to making the most of your internship:

Strategize: Before you walk into your first day at your internship have a strategy in mind. Know what you want to gain from this experience. Is there something in particular you might be interested in within the company? A certain department or job? Do you know what you want to learn or what skills you want to enhance?

Use your time wisely: You should be aware of how much time you have at your internship. If you only have 300 hours verses a whole semester it is important to use your time wisely. Set up meetings with anyone doing a job you might be interested in. Visit different departments to find out what they do within the company. Use the time you have to pick the brains of the professionals you are surrounded by.

Communicate: Communicate your wants and needs to your mentor or preceptor. Let them know what you are interested in so you can find work or a project that is motivating and will help you gain something professionally. Talk everyone you meet. Being open and communicating with everyone will expand your network and it will show the organization that you fit in.

Ask questions: This is your time to ask whatever questions you want relating to the business or the industry. There is no such thing as a stupid question when you are trying to gain as much knowledge as possible from this experience.

Participate: Make sure you put yourself out there and participate. Lunch and learns, meetings, social events, or whatever other events the organization does is an opportunity to really get out there and meet professionals and show them you are part of the team. Again, this is a networking tool.

Your internship is what you make it. You get out what you put in. This is your chance to really make something of your career and enhance your confidence and professionalism. When you put in 100% you will get a great internship experience. Be on time, be professional, and be open-minded.

Other blogs by Alyson:
Flashback 2002
My Life as an Intern at Pinnacol

Pinnacol In Action: PIA Days 2015

In celebration of 100 years of Pinnacol’s commitment to Colorado, our Pinnacol In Action (PIA) Advisory Council will be coordinating 100 Pinnacol employees who will be volunteering in five different volunteer events from October 12-16. Pinnacol In Action is our volunteer program that gives every Pinnacol employee two days of paid time off each year to volunteer in the community.

This year's PIA Days events include:

• Ronald McDonald House -  for the past 36 years, Ronald McDonald House Denver has offered a loving home away from home to families needing to be near their seriously ill or injured child while they are being treated a Denver area hospital. 
• Montbello Central Park with Denver Parks and Recreation. I did this one several years ago and though it was hard work it was great! Pinnacol volunteers will be painting, removing debris, turning playground sand, and beautifying the baseball field.
• Project C.U.R.E. - Project C.U.R.E. is the largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing countries around the world. Our volunteers will be packing boxes of medical supplies to be shipped to the developing world. This is another event that I've been fortunate enough to do in past years and it's very rewarding. 
• George Washington High School with Denver Public Schools Foundation -  Pinnacol volunteers will be painting and organizing the student union and the volunteer center, organizing supplies, and supporting the Community Engagement Officer with various projects around the school. I've never done this event but our volunteers spend a fair amount of time at GWHS through other organizations including GoodWill through whom I'll be volunteering in November helping students learn how to conduct a job search. 
• PawsCO - PawsCO is dedicated to reducing pet overpopulation and offers a comprehensive approach through their three programs: PawsCo Spay/Neuter, PawsCo Pet Food Drive and PawsCo Adoptions. Our employees will be assembling feral cat enclosures. These enclosures are very important during the winter to keep community cats, a group that includes ferals (who are afraid of people) and strays (who've been lost or abandoned). No matter how resourceful these outdoor cats are, they need help surviving winter.

Even our Grand Junction office will get into the swing of things helping clean up a section of Highway 50. 

Thank you to all of our employees who will be involved in these events!

New position available: Healthcare Contract Manager

Many people are surprised to find that Pinnacol has established one of the largest provider networks in Colorado. Called SelectNet, Pinnacol Assurance's occupational health network provides quality care for workers injured on the job. SelectNet is comprised of primary care physicians, specialists, rehabilitation service providers, ancillary medical providers and hospitals located throughout Colorado.

Committed to the highest standards of care in occupational medicine, SelectNet relies on primary care physicians to manage the patient's overall treatment plan, while making referrals, as necessary, to specialists. Integrated services available within the network include:

Inpatient and outpatient hospital services
Referrals to board certified physician specialists
Chiropractic care
Podiatry
Licensed clinical psychologists
Mid-level practitioners
Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
Orthotics and prosthetics
Home health care
Durable medical equipment
Specialized medical imaging
Pharmaceutical benefits

In 1991, Colorado State Senate Bill 218 was passed, requiring workers' compensation insurance carriers to offer managed care in specific Colorado counties. Pinnacol Assurance saw the law as an opportunity to enhance our entire provider network and care-delivery procedures throughout the state, not just in the counties specified in the bill.

With feedback from providers, policyholders, workers, and insurance agents — as well as extensive research, time, and investment — SelectNet was officially launched in June 1996 with this goal: "To provide the right amount of care at the right time, and to safely return injured workers to work as quickly as possible." We are constantly improving our network and processes to meet this goal and to better serve our customers and medical providers.

We have a new opportunity for an experienced contracting professional to join us in the role of Healthcare Contract Manager. Based out of our Lowry headquarters this position will be responsible for contracting, implementation, administration and monitoring of new large system and high volume contracts. This position is accountable for providing a full range of operational support around existing large system contracts with additional focus on re-contracting and collaborative opportunities for lowering claims costs, improving levels of service and the quality of care.

A Bachelor’s Degree in health care administration, business, or related field is strongly preferred. Relevant work experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree. A minimum of 5 years experience in progressive network management including contracting and network administration is required along with proven experience negotiating workers’ compensation or commercial reimbursement contracts with complex hospital systems and large physician groups.

If the Healthcare Contract Manager opportunity sounds of interest we would love to hear from you! Please apply via our company website.

 

Fresh Blanket of Snow

Denver commuters who were westbound this morning and who happened to glance up from the brake lights in front of them were treated to a spectacular view of Mount Evans sporting a fresh coat of snow. I didn't notice it until I arrived at our Lowry offices and was parking my car. My eastbound commute, apart from watching brake lights, consists of seeing the sun slowly creep above the horizon.

After the warmest September on record the first couple of days of October have hinted at what is to come weather-wise. Cooler temperatures are becoming the norm and last night saw some heavy rains in the metro area. If the temperatures had been much cooler Denver would have seen its first snowfall but that, at least for now, was reserved for the higher terrain west of town. 

For those of you new to Denver, Mount Evans is the 14'er that dominates the western skyline. According to the measured distance function on Google Maps, from our Lowry offices in east Denver its almost exactly 40 miles as the crow flies to the summit of this lofty peak (14,271 ft.) and on a clear day it would be possible to see Mount Evans from as far away as Limon (105 miles) out on the eastern plains. Folks who have been here a while are probably aware that you can drive to the top of Mount Evans during summer months on the highest paved road in North America. 

Originally known as Mt. Rosa or Mt. Rosalie, in 1895 Colorado's legislature officially renamed the peak in honor of John Evans, second governor of the Colorado Territory from 1862 to 1865. Evans had been forced to resign 30 years prior because of his part in the infamous Sand Creek Massacre and its subsequent cover-up.

I've been in Denver since 1971 and I can remember driving up Mount Evans when there was still a restaurant and gift shop at the top called the Crest House. That building burned down in 1979 but the rock foundation remains. As you would imagine the weather on the mountain can be extreme, and Mount Evans even saw a high altitude tornado at almost 12,000 feet on July 28, 2012. Mount Evans is also famous for its snow white mountain goats which regularly are seen along the road to the summit. 

This morning's snow may not last for long as it is still early season, but this first coat is a harbinger of what we'll be seeing in Denver before too long. 

The answer raises more questions...

Pinnacol has covered a lot folks doing all sorts of work during our 100 years serving Colorado. Workers' Compensation insurance, as a social safety net, has made a difference in the lives of thousands of Colorado workers who have been injured on the job. Before 1915 the only real recourse available to injured workers was to sue their employer in court and just doing that was challenging enough to discourage many from exercising that right.

For those of you fortunate enough to spend this last weekend up in the high country you were treated to Fall weather at its best - warm temperatures, clear skies, and air finally clear of all the smoke from western fires. I took advantage of the exceptional weather to bike up to Columbine Mine just south of, and some 3,400 feet higher than, Twin Lakes, CO. I've ridden this route many times and have never been blessed with a day as nice as Saturday. No snow, no hail, no lightning, no wind, and a temperature that still allowed short sleeves at the top. It made the hike-a-bike sections almost fun.

It was nice to ride this route just for fun and while I missed the thousand plus fellow cyclists keeping company on events like the Leadville 100, for once I got to truly take in the beauty of this extraordinary route. For those who have never been to the Columbine Mine there isn't much remaining. Remnants of a decaying log cabin bleaching in the high altitude sun kept company most of the time only by marmots and the sigh of the usually ever present wind. Get off the bike (or out of the jeep) and walk around and you are treated to some incredible above timberline views. To the south across the valley you see Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford; to the west you gaze up at Quail Mtn. (13,461 ft.) which I've never been brave enough to challenge on two wheels. Closer to the Columbine Mine but probably overlooked by most one comes across something you wouldn't expect at 12,600 ft. What appears to be a grave ringed in small stones with white rocks laying out a cross on an east/west alignment. Flush with the sparse wind-blown grass it's hardly noticeable until you are upon it. From my first visit to the Columbine Mine years ago I've been aware of this grave and it's always raised a question as to who was buried there. There is no headstone, no monument, nothing but the grave itself. Usually I'm forced along on my journey by threatening weather or the pace of a race and my curiosity quickly evaporates as I make my way down to timberline. 

Saturday was a once in a season kind of day weather-wise so I spent some extended time sitting at 12,000 feet taking in the scenery and imagining what it might have been like to live and work and ultimately die in this beautiful but desolate place. Most would perhaps not select this exposed mountain ridge to be their eternal resting place but on this day it was hard to imagine a more peaceful spot. 

When I got back down to civilization I promised myself I'd try to find out who lies up at Columbine Mine. The only mention I could find spoke of a Theodore Knickerbocker who died in 1907 being "Buried by cabin near Columbine Mine". Pinnacol's creation was still 8 years in the future but I wondered if Mr. Knickerbocker had died in an industrial accident. Try as I might I could find no other information. So the answer of who was buried below the vast blue Colorado sky, closer to the heavens than most of us routinely visit, raised more questions than answers. If anyone out there knows more about the Columbine Mine and Mr. Theodore Knickerbocker I'd love to hear from you!

Top 10 Most In Demand Jobs...

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) recently sent out an article by Tony Lee describing the 10 toughest jobs to fill. Their choice of language using "toughest jobs to fill" was intentional because their audience is primarily businesses looking to hire candidates. I've titled this blog the Top 10 Most In Demand Jobs because most of my audience are job seekers. Regardless, the SHRM article highlights the fact that while 2015 has been a very challenging year for businesses to find qualified candidates 2016 is shaping up to be even more problematic. 

So without further ado, here are the positions expected to be most in demand:

• Data Scientist. Everyone is talking 'Big Data' and finding folks with the statistical and analytical chops to translate data into meaningful and actionable information are already highly sought after and that trend will only continue as roughly 6,000 companies are expected to hire for an estimated 4.4 million IT jobs with direct ties to data analysis next year. 
• Electrical Engineers. Any type of Engineering is in high demand but the article points out that there are currently 17 openings for every electrical engineering candidate. 
• General and Operations Managers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 12.4 percent growth rate in demand through 2022 equating to more than 600,000 openings over the next seven years.
• Home Health Aide. Due to the rising number of seniors, nearly 600,000 positions will need to be filled - a 48% increase in hiring over the next seven years. 
• Information Security Analyst. With all the news about cyber threats and personal information being compromised on-line, it's probably no surprise this position makes the list. Microsoft reports that North American companies will need to hire at least 2.7 million cloud-computing workers including those doing information security work and that supply will not meet this demand.
• Marketing Managers. This one caught me by surprise as it seems that American colleges are turning out a ton of marketing majors. I would hazard a guess that most companies are looking for seasoned, experienced Marketing Managers and its the age-old dilemma - how do entry level candidates get the experience necessary to be competitive for these jobs.
• Medical Services Managers. The BLS projects 73,300 new hires will be needed in the field by 2022 due in large part to changes in Health Care and a aging population.
• Physical Therapists. Starting to recognize a pattern here with a lot of health care-related positions increasingly in demand. The American Physical Therapy Association estimates that in 2016, demand for full-time physical therapists will exceed 229,000, with a pool of candidates of around 196,000—creating a gap of 33,000 unfilled jobs.
• Registered Nurses. Again, not too much of a surprise. Pinnacol hires RN's as Medical Case Managers frequently. Fortunately, being an office environment, we offer nurses a nice alternative from the traditional nursing world of 12 hour shifts and substantial lifting of patients. The average age of working nurses is 42 so between retirements and the growth in health care more than 1 million nurses will have to be hired over the next 7 years.
• Software Engineer. You already know that computer jobs are hot right now and will continue to be so. Estimates are that in 2016 there will be three jobs available for every new college graduate from a computer science program. 

What's in a name? Bilingual Pre-Audit Field Auditor opportunity!

In workers' compensation insurance policyholders are regularly audited at the end of the policy period to 'true up' the premium the policyholder has paid. Since workers' compensation premium is based on an employer's payroll, if the business has added payroll during the policy period they may owe us additional premium; conversely, if their payroll had declined we would give money back to the policyholder.

This new position - Bilingual Pre-Audit Field Auditor - is a change in that it will interact with select policyholders during the early stages of their policy period to ensure that we are working off the right numbers and pricing the premium as accurately as possible. Many of these policyholders will be new to Pinnacol and this position will also provide a lot of education to customers who are probably not workers' compensation insurance experts. Doing this 'pre-audit' is a great touch-point that will help policyholders avoid surprises when the policy is audited at the end of the policy period and this position will be a key point of contact to have those conversations. 

The current position does require bilingual capabilities (Spanish/English). Normally when we are looking for auditors we are looking for folks having directly related experience. For this position we are willing to train the right bilingual candidate who has an aptitude for math and accounting. Candidates should bring effective verbal and written interpersonal communications skills, the ability to organize and prioritize workload while managing multiple priorities, and be detail oriented. Bachelors Degree in Business or related field is preferred (or equivalent experience on a year for year basis) as is 1-3 years experience in Auditing, Financial Analysis, Accounting, or Bookkeeping and candidates must possess and maintain a valid Colorado driver’s license and be able to provide proof of insurance.

If this sounds of interest we ask that you please apply on-line. We'd love to hear from you!

Colorado Business School Career Fair is tomorrow!

I and some of our other staff from Pinnacol Assurance will be spending Thursday afternoon (9-17-15) at Sports Authority Field. While our beloved Broncos prepare to take the field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City we'll be meeting with business school students interested in career opportunities and internships. Three schools are hosting this event - the Daniels College of Business/University of Denver, the Colorado State University College of Business, and the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business. I'm a little biased towards CU as way back in the dark ages I earned my MBA at CU Boulder. It wasn't called the Leeds School of Business back then but they still did a good job of cramming my head full of finance and accounting, business statistics, management principles etc. That said, we are looking forward to meeting with everyone who will be attending, and if you are going to be there make sure to stop by and say hello!

Will a machine take your job?

I was at the Doctor's office last week for a check-up. Inevitably I found myself cooling my heels in the waiting room. Rather than staring at the walls or at my smart phone I glanced through the magazines lying around until the receptionist called my name.

I don't honestly make a regular habit of reading Fortune magazine and was a little surprised to find a copy as one of the offerings in the waiting room. The cover story was titled "Humans are Underrated" and had a picture of a human arm wrestling that of a robot. Not really paying much attention I began to read the article. At Pinnacol I often have candidates ask me what will make them successful. I often respond with the fact that we'll see 3-5 folks who can all do the technical aspects of the job; the nod will go to the one who will be the best interpersonal fit for the team, and our company. The article brought into sharp focus much of what we have been intuitively doing for years - seeking out those who understand and can deliver on the value of human to human interaction.

I'd encourage you to read the article by Geoff Colvin, but here are some of the major points that

really hit home...

Everyone knows that computers are increasingly displacing workers doing routine transaction (bank teller, checkout clerk) and production (manufacturing) types of jobs. No surprise there. Everyone also knows that Google, and an increasing number of auto manufacturers, are doing research on self-driving cars. What I had never stopped to think about was what this would mean job-wise. Do you know what the number 1 job among American men is? I had no idea but as the article points out its driving trucks (2.9 million American men drive a truck for a living). What does this have to do for future job prospects? In May of this year Daimler (the folks behind Mercedes-Benz) began testing the first self-driving semi-truck on the roads in Nevada. I had never done the brain damage of connecting the dots that the likelihood of my having a self-driving car in the near future also means that the truck driving industry (semitrucks, FedX, UPS, cement trucks, etc.) will eventually also be driver-less displacing all those currently doing this kind of work. How soon will it be before you call UBER or your local taxi service and a driver-less car shows up to whisk you to your destination? The ladies aren't immune either - the number one job among American women (3 million)? Administrative assistant. How soon before those roles completely disappear? How many managers now get along without anything other than their smart phone doing tasks on their own that they used to delegate to their assistant?

Technology displacing workers is nothing new (what did buggy makers think the first time they saw a Model T Ford?). But as the article points out, historically these technology shifts, while painful to the actual displaced worker, have actually multiplied jobs and raised living standards. Far more people have been employed, and at a higher standard of living, building cars rather than horse-drawn carriages. Economists are now wondering if that economic trend can continue.

Mr. Colvin drives home the point that the age-old question of what kind of work will a computer never be able to do is misguided because it is dangerous to claim that there are any skills computers cannot eventually acquire. He turns this question on its head and asks "What are the activities that we humans, driven by our deepest nature or by the realities of daily life, will simply insist be performed by other humans, even if computers could do them?"

The article then tackles answering this critical question. The part that resonated most with me, and that is already applicable in our company, is that "Being a great performer is becoming less about what you know and more about what you're like."

Do you particularly care about the interpersonal skills of the UPS driver who leaves a package on your front porch? Probably not, but how about your Doctor, police officers/judges, teachers and a whole list of others who's ability to interact effectively on a human to human level are critical? Relationship building, the ability to work effectively as part of a team, cultural sensitivity, empathy, are rising to prominence over the simple ability to do a given task. As the author concludes - "For the past 10 generations in the developed world... most people have succeeded by learning to do machine work better than machines could do it. Now that era is ending."

Where were you?

Fourteen years ago I know exactly where I was. I was sitting in my car at the intersection of Dartmouth and University Blvd. waiting for the light to change. I was on my way to work driving much of the same route I drive to this day. Our offices then were at Colorado and Exposition in the Galleria Towers.

I was listening to NPR's Morning Edition on the radio when the announcer said that a plane had hit one of the towers of the World Trade Center in New York. At first I didn't think much of it; facts were still sketchy and the first reports weren't clear as to what had actually happened. First assumptions were that it was a tragic accident. 17 minutes later a second plane crashing into the World Trade Center's south tower made it horribly clear that this was no accident. Upon arriving at work Pinnacol employees crammed into our wellness center because that was where the only television was. Eyes were glued to the screen, there wasn't a lot of talking, and already tears were beginning to flow.

It wasn't long before management made the decision to close for the day and send people home so they could be with their families. There was also the additional impetus of no one knowing if other attacks were imminent. One of the clearer images from that day was walking outside and hearing an eerie silence - planes were already being grounded and the skies above Denver were as quiet as they have ever been in my lifetime.

Driving in to work this morning I have to admit it took the radio announcer to remind me what today was. I knew it was Friday but hadn't consciously thought about the date. So much has happened in the 5,000 days since 9-11-2001 and the world is a much different place. The ripple effects from 9-11 still impact us today; the recent image of a young refugee boy lying face down in the sand just the latest indication of the waves that still crash around us on a world-wide level. Eyes continue to be glued to screens (though more and more of those screens are not televisions), and the tears continue to flow.

Attending a Job Fair? Some tips...

Yesterday Alyson, who is interning with us in Human Resources, and I attended a job fair at the Community College of Aurora. CCA has a beautiful campus and the weather was nice enough that the event took place outdoors. I've attended a lot of job fairs and usually everyone is packed into a crowded meeting room so talking to candidates outside was definitely more relaxed and informal. As you'll hear from Alyson, this was her first time attending a job fair so I asked her to share some of her impressions and recommendations:

"I have never attended a job fair before as an applicant or as a recruiter but yesterday I got to participate in my first job fair on the recruiting side, and I have to say that this experience really opened my eyes to something completely unknown to me. I was in a sorority my first go around in college, and we had to participate in the recruiting process. Sorority recruiting, to my surprise, is very similar to a job fair. It is all about getting out there, promoting your brand and culture, and getting acquainted with potential applicants.
I never realized what benefits you could gain from attending a job fair but there are many including: getting to speak with company representatives in a less formal setting, you know that these companies are hiring, you can hand a resume straight to a recruiter instead of hoping they see yours in the stack of 40+ resumes they receive every day, and there is a better chance recruiters will remember you."

"If you have not attended a job fair, you should, and if you have, keep going to them! It is a great way to network, and let’s face it, in today’s job market it’s all about networking. So here are a few tips and observations to remember if you plan on attending a job fair:
1. Look the part. You should dress like you are going to an interview, because well, you kind of are. The company is checking you out as much as you are checking out them, and while it may be somewhat of an informal setting, you are still trying to get a job.
2. Pre-register (if possible) for the job fair and ask for a list of companies that will be attending. Once you get the list you should research the companies that may be of interest to you. It will impress the recruiter if you know about the company beforehand.
3. Bring your resume, and make sure that you have plenty of copies. How often do you have the opportunity to talk to 20+ companies in the same place at the same time? Make sure your resume is updated and has correct contact information.
4. Ask questions! This is your chance to find out what you can about the company. If they are not currently hiring for your field or the type of position you are looking for inquire about other opportunities. Do not dismiss the company entirely. This is a chance to get your foot in the door, at the very least, or you could make such a great impression that when they are looking for someone they already have you in mind.
5. Don’t be rude or negative. If a recruiter stops to talk to you there is a reason why. If you have to get signatures from the recruiters for class credit, to enter a prize drawing, or for another reason, do not just ask for the signature and leave. That is rude. At least ask about the company and if it is not of interest then just let them know that while you appreciate their time you are looking for something different and ask for the signature. Do not talk negatively about your college, job, or anything else. (For example: yesterday I overheard someone ask the police department recruiters why are cops bad? The police recruiter’s response was great and he explained if the candidate wanted to make a change they should consider becoming a Police Officer.)
6. Shake hands. And say thank you before you leave a company's booth. It is professional, polite, and speaks of your character."

Alyson's observations and tips are important if you are trying to differentiate yourself from all the

other candidates who attend job fairs. Meeting with companies in a job fair environment  is usually less stressful than when you are invited in for a 'real' interview and its a great way to practice your elevator speech and the way in which your portray yourself during that key first impression. Some other hints that I've picked up over the years:

• Job fairs are no place to be shy. Make the effort to make eye contact with company representatives as you walk by their booth and don't be bashful about saying hello and introducing yourself. Have a sentence or two prepared about yourself - what you are studying, when you'll be graduating/on the job market, and some key skills you think you have that might benefit the company you are speaking to. I only had one candidate do this yesterday and they left a favorable impression. 
• The biggest mistake I see candidates make at job fairs is when they are going by a booth for a company they don't recognize they drop their eyes and simply walk on by. If you want a great ice-breaker with a recruiter there's not much better than "Hi, I'm not that familiar with your company. What do you do?" And you never know, the company you've never heard of may have your dream job. 99% of the folks Alyson and I talked with yesterday knew nothing about Pinnacol but for those who stopped and chatted they were amazed at the variety of career paths our company offers. 
• If you chat with a company representative and its a company you really are interested in, ask them for their business card or contact information. Quite candidly, if you have tried at all to sell yourself this will be a good test of how you've done. If they gladly hand you their business card they are likely really interested in you as well. Really want to set yourself apart? The day after the event call or e-mail the company representative and thank them for taking a moment to speak with you and to reinforce your interest in their company. At the very least most recruiters will respond by digging through the stack of resumes they received and giving yours a second look. This extra step may also be the touch point that actually gets you the coveted interview. 
• Alyson's point of looking the part - dressing like you are serious about exploring job opportunities - is also correct. At yesterday's event the few students who dressed up were the ones setting themselves apart. Granted this was a campus job fair, it was outdoors (it was hot), and many students stopped by between busy class schedules, but those with the forethought to dress up were again those leaving the most favorable impressions. 

I'd like to thank Barbara Lindsay and her staff at the Community College of Aurora for arranging the job fair and for letting us participate. If Alyson and I were fortunate enough to speak with you yesterday thank you for stopping by!

Celebrating Colorado's Healthiest Places to Work!

It’s no secret that the best companies tend to attract the best employees and increasingly employees are expecting their employers to be health conscious and to offer amenities tied to a healthy lifestyle. Businesses too are realizing the benefits of being committed  to worksite wellness - studies show that employers who foster a culture of health and safety at work have healthier, happier employees—and healthier bottom lines, too. By creating a work environment that promotes safety, physical activity, healthy habits, and overall wellbeing, companies can benefit from higher employee satisfaction, increased loyalty, improved productivity, and lower health care costs.

Health Links, a nonprofit initiative spearheaded by health and safety experts at the Center for Health, Work and Environment within the Colorado School of Public Health has partnered with the Governor’s Council for Active and Healthy Lifestyles on two new awards in 2015: The Governor’s Award for School Health and Wellness and the Governor’s Award for Worksite Wellness. Health Links’ mission is to simplify how worksite health and safety get done. By doing so, they are helping build healthy, vibrant businesses and a stronger local economy. The Governor’s Council

for Active and Healthy Lifestyles, founded in 1975, is a bipartisan Council  made up of governor-appointed members and volunteers, who promote active and healthy lifestyles statewide. The Council is dedicated to making Colorado the healthiest state in the nation.

Last week Pinnacol was recognized as the top employer Champion of Wellness. We were in good company – USAA and Skyridge Medical Center were among the other finalists and kudos to them for their remarkable efforts. Three of our staff happily accepted the award. For more information on what Pinnacol is doing regarding Health and Wellness please click here.

Lorie, Logan, and Paige accept the award on Pinnacol's behalf

If you work for a company that might be interested, Health Links offers a Healthy Business Certification. They also offer a host of free resources to employers looking to start or expand their Health & Wellness programs.