SFM Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Kathy Bray is among this year’s recipients of the Minnesota Lawyer In-House Counsel Awards . A celebration breakfast and award ceremony were held on April 21, 2022, at Leopold’s Mississippi Gardens in Brooklyn Park, MN.
Minnesota Lawyer named 20 honorees this year, all of whom are Minnesota-based lawyers who work in-house in both the public and private sectors.
Award categories include:
Public Company
Private Company with annual revenues up to $500 million
Private Company with annual revenues over $500 million
Nonprofit or Government Organization
Healthcare Organization
Rising Star
Lifetime Achievement
Minnesota Lawyer describes the award as celebrating in-house counsel for their ability to “navigate complicated contract negotiations, defend their companies in high stakes litigation and defend some of an organization’s most important assets.”
Small Business Accounts Claims Specialist Beth Couette has worked at SFM for nine years, and in the workers’ compensation industry for 35 years. We asked Beth for some details about herself and her role.
You’ve been a workers’ compensation claims representative for many years now. Why have you chosen to stay working in this field?
I have always found this job to be interesting as no two claims are the same, therefore, every day is different. It’s also nice being able to help somebody through the work comp process.
How would you describe your role?
My job is helping people that have had a work comp injury get back to their pre-injury condition with as little disruption to their lives as possible. Another big part of my job is guiding our insureds through the claims process as most small business owners haven’t had a lot of experience with workers’ compensation claims.
How is SFM different from other carriers that you’ve worked for over the years?
I was so impressed the first week I started at SFM as I happened to pass our CEO at the time and he welcomed me and knew my name! I thought, “Oh, this is really different. This is going to be a really nice company to work for.” My first impression was correct, it has been a great place to work for the last almost 10 years. There are also so many resources that we have available to us — in-house legal, physician advisors, claims techs, etc. I also like the fact that we work in teams, with claims and underwriting working alongside of each other.
Is there a time that stands out to you when your job was particularly rewarding?
It’s nice to get feedback from an injured worker stating that they appreciate all the work you’ve done for them during their claim. I got an email recently from an injured worker who had two surgeries and had been out of work for almost two years, and we finally got a discharge for him to return to work. The email stated how much he appreciated everything we had done for him. That was really nice to hear. It makes the job worthwhile.
What do you like about your job?
It can be a very emotional and hard time when you’ve been injured on the job, so it’s nice being able to help somebody get through that rough time and get them back on their feet.
What words of wisdom do you have for small business employers?
It’s important to get first reports of injury into SFM as soon as possible (especially if they are lost time) because we have time limits from the state that start when the employer learns of the injury. The sooner we can get that claim, the sooner we can get going on investigating, taking statements and gathering medical information. It also helps when they’re able to give us as much information as possible, like how the injury happened and what the employee was doing at the time, etc. Also, if they have any concerns on the claim, let us know up front and as soon as possible so that we can explore those concerns. Another thing I think that’s important is for the employer to keep in contact with the injured employee — to periodically check in with them if they’re off of work to find out how they’re doing and express that they’re looking forward to having them back.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I love to travel, whether it be across the United States or short road trips. I like to read. I love pretty much all sports, whether watching on TV or going to sporting events. My kids are adults now but I love to spend time with them.
SFM Mutual Insurance Co. announced that its Financial Strength Rating of “A- (Excellent)” and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of “a-” have been reaffirmed by AM Best Rating Services, Inc.
AM Best issued this affirmation based on its assessment of SFM’s balance sheet strength, as well as its operating performance, business profile, innovation and enterprise risk management. Prior to publicly disclosing this affirmation, AM Best conducted a detailed analysis of SFM’s finances and operations.
“Our annual review with AM Best gives us the opportunity to share our company’s story with experts from the largest credit rating agency in the world,” said SFM President and CEO Terry Miller. “We view their rating as an important indicator of SFM’s long-term financial strength and stability.”
About AM Best
AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com .
SFM recently promoted Sarah Hunter to Vice President, Claims, succeeding the retiring Meg Kasting.
“Sarah’s legal expertise and commitment to maintaining our high level of claims service will make her a great asset to our company and its policyholders,” said SFM Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Kaiser. “Sarah has already demonstrated leadership in areas of critical importance to the company, and we’re excited to promote her to this broader role.”
Hunter joined SFM in 2018 as staff counsel with SFM’s in-house law firm. During her time with SFM, she has represented employers in cases involving litigated claims and led the company’s internal COVID-19 response efforts. She previously worked in private practice as a defense attorney in workers’ compensation cases.
As Vice President, Claims, Hunter will oversee claim policies, education and regulatory compliance as well as the Special Investigations/Subrogation Unit and Medical Services.
“I’m looking forward to playing a leadership role in SFM’s proactive approach to claim handling,” Hunter said. “Our focus on collaboration among claims, legal and medical professionals, and doing the right thing for all parties involved helps us uphold our commitment to excellent service.”
The Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association (WCRA) has announced a $600 million surplus distribution to its members and insurer policyholders. Approximately $383 million will go to workers’ compensation insurers, $182 million will be distributed to self-insurers, and $35 million will go to policyholders.
The WCRA is a quasi-public, nonprofit association that provides reinsurance for all insurance companies and self-insured employers licensed to provide workers’ compensation in Minnesota. To learn more about the organization, visit wcra.biz .
SFM recently promoted several of the organization’s leaders to the role of Vice President.
According to Senior Vice President & Chief Business Officer Steve Sandilla, they have all exhibited exceptional leadership skills and demonstrated 100% commitment to their teams. Year after year, each of them has led their teams and managed their business units to produce consistently excellent results.
Dennis Logstrom has been promoted to Vice President of Small Business.
Logstrom has led the Small Business Accounts Team since 2005.
“Under Dennis’ oversight, the Small Business Team has seen tremendous growth in premium, policy count and state expansion,” said Sandilla. “He is the epitome of a team player always willing to help when needed.”
Debra Zorn has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Zorn has led the Middle Market North/Metro Accounts Team since 2016.
“The North/Metro Accounts Team has seen excellent growth and continues to manage our two largest agency partners under Deb’s leadership,” said Sandilla. “The team has had a lot of new faces since 2016 and Deb has worked tirelessly to make sure the SFM culture runs through the North/Metro Accounts Team. She doesn’t hesitate to challenge the status quo and always looks for ways SFM can improve.”
Mark Arrington has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Arrington has led the Middle Market South/Metro Accounts Team since 2005.
“During this time, the South/Metro Accounts Team has also seen good growth and has led our expansion into South Dakota under Arrington’s direction,” said Sandilla. “Mark also has oversight of one of our top three agency partners. He continues to lead by example and is always looking for ways that he and his team can exceed customer expectations.”
Nick Marino has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Marino has led the Wisconsin Business Team since 2008.
“Wisconsin is SFM’s second largest state and continues to be a very challenging and competitive workers’ compensation market,” said Sandilla. “Under Nick’s leadership, the team has profitably grown SFM’s premium and policy count, relying on exceptional customer service. He has created an environment that promotes ideas and innovation that has led to several successful niche business opportunities and growth for SFM.”
Shawn Miner has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Miner has led the Iowa/Nebraska Team since 2013.
“The Iowa/Nebraska Team has continued to be a growth engine for SFM,” said Sandilla. “Shawn also successfully led our expansion into Kansas. Because of the business growth, the team has had to add several new employees all while maintaining a very high level of service under his leadership. He is the definition of a servant leader and knows what it takes to build a winning team.”
Congratulations to these exemplary leaders on their well-deserved promotions.
SFM Loss Prevention Specialist Jason Clausen hopes employers he works with will see him not as a safety inspector, but as a safety champion and business partner.
This means he often includes the bottom-line benefits of safety in conversations with employers.
“We talk a lot about your experience mod and how preventing injuries over the long haul means you’re going to pay less of a workers’ compensation premium,” Clausen said.
Clausen has been a safety professional with SFM since 2012, and he serves employers in Iowa. His days involve everything from providing consultation on a safety program to visiting a workplace after a bad claim to attending a safety committee meeting.
Over time, he hopes the employers he works with will grow to trust him enough to come to him when they need something.
“We pride ourselves on being very accessible and easy to get a hold of,” he said. “I want customers to know they can call us with a question and expect a timely response.”
Clausen is also proud to play a role in SFM’s team-based approach to account management, where safety professionals, claims representatives, attorneys, underwriters and medical professionals work together to provide holistic service and solutions for customers.
“At the end of the day, I find it pretty satisfying to know that I’ve done something to help an insured, and that’s a team effort,” Clausen said. “That’s the collaborative, non-siloed SFM way where you’re talking to a claims rep or you’re talking to counsel, and you’re giving rock solid, real-time advice.”
Clausen is based in Waukee, Iowa, where he lives with his wife, two children, and dog. A veteran of both the Navy and Iowa Army National Guard, he now serves as a Dallas County Reserve Deputy Sheriff. He enjoys hunting, fishing and scuba diving.
The SFM Foundation was featured on the November 9 edition of the KARE 11 “Communities that KARE” segment.
SFM Foundation Scholarship Director Debra Zorn was interviewed along with scholarship recipients Haley and Mason Rinzel and their parents.
KARE 11’s video and article showcase how the SFM Foundation changes lives and how their scholarships personally impacted the Rinzel family after Haley and Mason’s father, Greg, was injured in the line of duty as a Cottage Grove police officer.
“We are absolutely elated to have been featured by KARE 11,” said SFM Foundation President Linda Williams. “We are so grateful to KARE 11 for helping us spread the word about the important work we do so we can help more deserving families.”
The SFM Foundation was created in 2008 by SFM Companies, a regional workers’ compensation insurance group headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota. SFM Foundation is dedicated to easing the burdens on families affected by workplace accidents. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded 187 scholarships totaling $2.4 million. For more information, visit sfmfoundation.com .
Injured workers covered by SFM now have 24/7 digital access to their claim information through SFM’s website.
Through a new self-service tool called SFM Claim Connection, workers with SFM claims can access claim details, review payments, download forms and set up text alerts to be notified of payment activity.
“This is the latest development in our ongoing initiative to improve the claim experience for the workers we serve,” said Steve Sandilla, SFM’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Business Operations. “We’re striving to eliminate barriers for the employees we insure, and this tool gives them a valuable new way to access critical information about their claims.”
Optimized for mobile devices
The system was designed with mobile users in mind, as we recognize that a growing percentage of users prefer to access this kind of information on their phones. Smartphone users can access all the same information that’s available on the desktop version. The application even includes a mobile-friendly insurance ID card that workers can take with them to medical appointments.
Empowering workers with information
“Equipping injured workers with the right information at the right time makes their lives easier,” Sandilla said. “We’ve always worked hard to empower our customers with reliable answers, and now we have a convenient new tool to help us deliver on that promise.”
BLOOMINGTON, Minn., June 25, 2020 — SFM ranked ninth among medium-sized employers in the Star Tribune’s Top 150 Workplaces in Minnesota for 2020.
The Star Tribune’s top workplaces were chosen based on anonymous surveys of employees which asked them to rank their employers in areas such as quality of leadership, cooperation between departments, meaningfulness of work, appreciation from coworkers, positivity of workplace, flexibility in scheduling, level of pay and quality of benefits.
92% of SFM’s 250+ employees participated in the survey. Key findings include:
SFM employees describe SFM as a caring, ethical, collaborative and supportive workplace
SFM employees rate their job satisfaction 77 percent higher compared to similar business insurance companies
99 percent of employees feel well informed about important decisions at SFM compared to other business insurance companies
93 percent of employees believe that there is good interdepartmental cooperation at SFM
SFM employees are engaged 9 percent higher than the industry benchmark
“I truly feel that we are the work comp experts because of our wonderful employees,” said Terry Miller, President and CEO. “Our employees are the heart and soul of SFM, and I believe they are the reason SFM is such a great place to work.”
SFM is known for its caring culture. We do this by helping employers keep safe workplaces, helping injured workers get their lives back, and making sure we take great care of our own employees.
“It’s wonderful to see that our employees feel good about working at SFM,” said Jody Rogers, Senior Vice President, Human Resources. “It’s always been our philosophy to take excellent care of our employees, and these survey results confirm that our efforts are being felt.”
The Star Tribune Top Workplaces designation is awarded based on the results of a survey of employees conducted by Energage, a company that specializes in employee surveys and conducts more than 66,000 annually.
SFM Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer Kathy Bray is among this year’s recipients of the Minnesota Lawyer In-House Counsel Awards . A celebration breakfast and award ceremony were held on April 21, 2022, at Leopold’s Mississippi Gardens in Brooklyn Park, MN.
Dennis Logstrom has been promoted to Vice President of Small Business.
Debra Zorn has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Zorn has led the Middle Market North/Metro Accounts Team since 2016.
Mark Arrington has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Arrington has led the Middle Market South/Metro Accounts Team since 2005.
Nick Marino has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Marino has led the Wisconsin Business Team since 2008.
Shawn Miner has been promoted to Vice President of Regional Business. Miner has led the Iowa/Nebraska Team since 2013.
SFM Loss Prevention Specialist Jason Clausen hopes employers he works with will see him not as a safety inspector, but as a safety champion and business partner.
