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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
2014
AFLAC
EMPLOYEEMATTERS
YOU ARE OUR BUSINESS
READY + ABLE
GLOBAL
INVESTMENTS
AFLAC
JAPAN
AFLAC STANDS
READY
A SEASON
OF GIVING
BUSINESS
MATTERS
Wall Street beat
40 years strong
Minnesota delivery
Aflac cares for others
XYZs of WIGs
“... Aflac
always
“Aflac
has has
always
stayed
ahead of
a step stayed
ahead aofstep
anticipated
anticipated looming and
looming,
and often shifting
often shifting trends,
trends, federal deadlines
federal deadlines and
and requirements.”
requirements.”
Aflac –
READY
+ ABLE
A message from
Dan Amos
Chairman, CEO
Have you ever watched an old movie
and laughed at the size of the actors’
mobile phones? Funny as the phones
seem now, even Aflac’s millennial
generation employees can remember
pre-smartphone days, perhaps even a
time when paper or telephone landlines
were the most common methods of
exchanging messages. But those days are
long gone.
I read an article about an online shopping
business that anticipates its customers’
next purchases based on such data as
their purchase history, shopping cart
contents, product searches – and even
how long the Internet user’s cursor
hovers over an item. It then ships to
the nearest distribution point, with
shipping label already prepared, what
it anticipates customers will want. When
customers actually tap “buy” delivery
time is greatly reduced — conceivably
arriving the same day — and the customer is enjoying the product within
hours, not days.
The article likened it to mind-reading, and so confident is the firm in
its success that designers have applied
for a patent on the algorithms used to
determine future purchases.
Innovative and cutting edge as this
seems, it’s actually something that Aflac
has been doing for years. I have seen
more changes in the health care landscape in the last five years than I have
in the entire 40 years I’ve been in
the business, and Aflac has always
stayed a step ahead of anticipated
looming, and often shifting trends,
federal deadlines and requirements.
It’s your ability to anticipate, identify
and adapt to changes on the insurance
front — all while providing first-class
customer service without missing a
beat — that keeps Aflac the choice for
more than 50 million people worldwide.
Thank you for your willingness to step
up and be part of Aflac’s continuing
success story.
I hope the holidays bring you joy and
the new year every blessing.
READY
+
ABLE
Nov./Dec.
2014
Conten ts:
F EATURES
4 New York, New York
7 Aflac gets into the spirit
8 Real people, real stories
Global Investments’ winning season ...
The holidays are here ...
Aflac delivers a promise ...
26
20
14
14
12 Business Matters
17 Aflac Japan
22 Dr. Varner
The XYZs of disciplined execution ...
40 years of success ...
Your emotional health ...
24 New Employees
28 All in the Family
IN EVERY IS S UE
2 Quick Clips
ON THE COVER: The Feldhake family includes a recent delivery.
Editor: Janet Burden Regular contributors: Janet Burden, Susan Goodsell, Somer Mason
Art Director/Graphic Design: Robin Riley-Communicorp Photography: Jerry Ballas, Ana Brubaker, Curtis Mansell, Oz Roberts
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
1
Quick Clips [ What’s happening around Aflac? ]
50
BEST
COMPANIES
Aflac named as
LATINA Style’s 50
Best Companies for Latinas to Work
2014 marks the eighth consecutive year on the prestigious list
It was recently announced that for 15
times, eight of them consecutive, Aflac
has been included on LATINA Style’s
50 Best Companies for Latinas to Work
list. More than 800 corporations were
considered in compiling the list. Aflac
will be honored on Feb. 5, 2015 at a
ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Read more in the August 2014 edition of
LATINA Style.
Aflac Japan makes cancer
insurance announcements
Aflac Japan recently introduced a
cancer insurance product called “New
Cancer DAYS” that includes outpatient
treatments, multiple cancer occurrence
benefits and, for most ages, lower
premiums. Additionally, a cancer
insurance product exclusively for
Japan Post Co., Ltd. and Kampo (Japan
Post Insurance Co., Ltd.) launched Oct. 1.
Dan Amos discusses making tough decisions
Dan Amos, chairman and CEO, fielded questions from an Atlanta Business Chronicle reporter
recently about making tough decisions in today’s challenging business environment.
Read Dan’s insight on U.S. Sales Growth Strategy in the Aug. 29-Sept.4 issue.
AFLAC
IN THE
NEWS
isit Aflac in the News on the employee
V
intranet to stay informed about Aflac
and the insurance industry. The rolling news ticker spotlights breaking
stories from top media sources from
around the globe.
2
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
PR Week highlights
Aflac Duckprints Awards
strategy
FIGHTING
childhood
cancer
Aflac’s main philanthropic focus since 1995 has been fighting childhood cancer.
In Sept. 2013, programs such as the Aflac/Macy’s Holiday Duck plush program
and donations from agents and employees were united under the Duckprints
umbrella. PR Week featured Duckprints successes in a July article.
To read more about Duckprints, go to
duckprints.aflac.com or prweek.com.
Georgia Power & Aflac
Communicorp
impresses
Printing Impressions
magazine
Teaching employees how to
reduce home energy costs
IT’s Julia Davis
speaks out
about
technology –
and silo busting
Julia Davis, senior vice president and
CIO, was featured in Information Week’s
Insurance and Technology Sept. 25
post. In it she discusses topics she’s
focused on since joining the company
as CIO a year ago, including a need for
speed, breaking down silos between
business units and what the Internet of
Things means to the insurance business.
You can learn more at insurancetech.com.
As reported on Mother Nature
Network, after Georgia Power completed a corporate energy audit for
Aflac they produced a video to educate employees on ways to use energy
wisely, including tips and tricks that
can add up to significant savings.
2014 GOLD INK AWARDS
In August, Aflac’s subsidiary,
Communicorp, was honored with
two Gold Ink Awards from Printing
Impressions magazine for its excellence
in creativity, design and print quality.
With the recognition, Communicorp
joins such elite winners as National
Geographic, Smithsonian, Cannon and
Xerox.
View the Saving Energy at Home video at
mnn.com.
Go to goldink.com for details.
“HOW TO” REMINDER!
4
2014 Dow Jones
Sustainability
YEARS
Index –
IN A ROW
North America
Aflac was named to the 2014 Dow
Jones Sustainability Index – North
America list. This is the fourth
consecutive year that Aflac has appeared on the important list, which
has become a key reference point
for investors.
To learn more about index components,
go to sustainability-indices.com.
We have changed some of the content of Employee Matters to make it more interactive.
The addition of QR codes and Augmented Reality will make it easier to find additional information and communicate more quickly. It will even make some of our
stories “come to life” when you view images tagged with the Envision mobile icon
(see below) through the FREE app.
Go to the App Store or Google Play to download a free app like Red Laser to read
QR codes. The Envision app is needed to read the images tagged with Augmented
Reality. Follow the directions below to download and start using. (If you have any
difficulty, make sure your Wi-Fi is disabled and that your image is focused when
scanning.)
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Download Envision
from the App Store.
View the image
through the app.
Watch the image
come to life!
Where’s the Duck ... print? The Aflac Duck is again playing hide-and-seek with Duckprints. Find the prints
hidden somewhere in this issue and you could win a prize! All employees are eligible to play this hide-and-seek
game. Correct entries will be entered into a random drawing to win.
When you find the prints, use the Envision app you downloaded to your smartphone and scan the image. Fill out
all the information requested and press send.
If you don’t have your phone, simply email the page number and location from your computer to [email protected].
DEADLINE: Dec. 20. Good luck!
Employee Matters
3
With Super Bowl XLIX right around the corner, employees at Aflac Global Investments were struck by the similarities
between their team and a winning football team. Here’s how they described the way their third year shaped up to be:
Another
championship
season
With a winning cheer –
look who’s celebrating their third year!
4 READY + ABLE November/December 2014
After the financial crisis sacked us deep in our own territory a few years ago, head
coach Eric Kirsch, executive vice president and global chief investment officer,
could have easily played it safe and called for a conservative defense. Instead,
Eric huddled his key assistant coaches and players to remind them that strong
fundamentals win games, and challenged his team to move the ball down the
field by playing a strong offense. His rallying cry?
“We know we have a winning playbook,
and now we must execute!”
Having spent his entire career in the investment big leagues, Eric knows what
it takes to win. Like any good coach, Eric knows it is the talent around him that
wins games. Immediately after becoming the new “coach” for Global Investments in November 2011, he began assembling
a team in New York City, which has, indeed, moved the ball down the field. In three short years, this team has proven to be
winners. The team improved Aflac’s balance sheet and implemented new investment strategies to diversify the global portfolio while enhancing investment returns.
The formation
The Global Investments senior management team also
includes: Joe Meyer, Global Chief Operating Officer; Brad
Dyslin, Global Head of Credit; Chip Stevens, Global Head of
Strategy, Portfolio Solutions and Trading; Pete Kelso, Global
Head of Technology and Operations; Teresa McTague, U.S.
Chief Investment Officer; John Shalhoub, Head of Human
Resources; Barbara Friedman, Head of Legal and Regulatory;
and Chris Burns, U.S. Chief Operating Officer.
With a proven playbook, solid execution and a true team
commitment, Eric and the Global Investments team rounded
out another victorious year and are gearing up for 2015.
The drive
Despite the football metaphors, it isn’t all fun and games at
the Aflac Global Investments offices, located on Wall Street,
the heart of the world’s financial district. Eric has spent the
better part of the last three years building an all-star team
of employees that spans two continents and two time zones
13 hours apart. “The commitment to building a world-class
investment function is very strong, allowing me to attract
world-class talent to Aflac Global Investments,” says Eric.
“I am very proud of the team we have built, and of their
achievements in these three short years. They have been of
tremendous value to Aflac.”
The members of Aflac Global Investments team are from
diverse backgrounds, and are experienced professionals
in a variety of functional areas; that also includes newly
developed talent as we rounded out a second successful
year with a summer internship program. “Our employees
are our greatest assets,” says John Shalhoub. “Assets are
something you invest in, so as we invest in their continuous
development, they and the firm will operate at full potential.”
The defense
Aflac Global Investments’ role in the Aflac family is to increase
the value of our assets while protecting our capital. Brad
Dyslin describes it this way:
“The basic idea of insurance as a financial intermediary is
to collect premiums from policyholders, and then aggregate
and invest those premiums in a manner that accomplishes
several very important things. Those include: (a) ensuring
that we have the cash available to pay policyholder claims
when they arise, (b) protecting the capital of the company
to ensure our solvency today and into the future, again in
the support of the policyholders, and (c) earning a return
that helps make the cost of our products competitive and
improve our profitability, which benefits everyone – policyholders, employees, regulators and shareholders.”
Above: Aflac Global Investments is located at 100 Wall Street, in the heart of the financial district.
Employee Matters
5
The rulebook
None of what Aflac Global Investments does could be
done without the partnership with Legal and Regulatory
functions. This group works closely with all control
areas to ensure that investment objectives reflect not
only legal and regulatory requirements, but compliance
within the business’s risk management, business practice policies and values. “Every game has a referee and
a rulebook,” says Barbara Friedman. “Global Investments’ Legal and Regulatory department works with
the Global Investments teams to build understanding
and adherence to the rules. We do our part to meet
Aflac’s commitment to ethical and legal conduct in all
its business activities.”
The goal
Recent achievements for Aflac Global Investments
include a strong commitment in technology development with the launching of Aladdin (Blackrock) and
Armada (Code Red), software that allows investment
professionals to monitor portfolios and credit positions
on a real-time basis as markets move throughout the day.
Another key initiative is a Strategic Asset Allocation
project under the leadership and guidance of Teresa
McTague. SAA refers to the process of determining
how much of the portfolio will be allocated to various
asset classes to enhance long-term earnings of the
portfolio while minimizing risks. SAA emphasizes
diversification of the portfolio and provides a strong
fundamental roadmap for our investment strategies.
Top: “Coach” Eric Kirsch with the Aflac Global Investments team behind him. Middle left: Dr. Charles B. Knapp, Aflac
Incorporated Board of Directors, Razvan Druica, Eric Kirsch and Dmitry Baron. Bottom left: Melissa Link, Vice President
and Senior Credit Analyst. Bottom right: Razvan Druica, Credit Analyst, evaluating the markets.
6
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
At Aflac Global Investments, each employee plays a
specialized role — or position — on the team. The goal is
to be a world-class investment group protecting policyholder funds while adding value for shareholders.
HOLIDAY
PROGRAM
AF L AC
My, how we’ve grown!
AFL AC H OL I DAY D U C K
14
$
PARTNERED
$
YEARS WE’VE
WITH MACY’S
MONEY RAISED IN 2013
190,115
NO. OF STORES SELLING THE DUCK
360 <200
>
MONEY RAISED IN ITS
FIRST YEAR, 2001
IN 2013
50K
IN 2 0 0 1
C HRISTM A S IS F O R K I DS
23
FESTIVITIES
98 20
32,082
$
IN 2013
MONEY RAISED IN ITS
YEARS WE’VE
ORGANIZED CIFK
VOLUNTEERS
MONEY RAISED IN 2013
IN 1991
FIRST YEAR, 1991
3,000
CHILDREN ASSISTED
$
681 300
IN 2013
IN 1 9 9 1
UN I VE R SI T Y OF N E B RA S K A
ME D IC AL CE N T E R H O L I DA Y E V E N T
VOLUNTEERS
11
YEARS WE’VE HELPED
ARRANGE UNMC
HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
21 2
IN 2013
IN 2003
MONEY RAISED IN 2013
3,542
$
MONEY RAISED IN ITS
CHILDREN ASSISTED
44 12
IN 2013
IN 2003
FIRST YEAR, 2003
1,560
$
Above: The Feldhake family.
8
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
When Minnesota policyholder Andrea Feldhake went for her regular prenatal checkup, she suddenly found herself in an
ambulance speeding to a hospital two hours from her home. She called St. Cloud Aflac insurance agent Traci Moore to begin
the claims process, and soon discovered how Aflac, Traci and Jennifer Quale were ready and able to ...
D
e
l
i
v
e
r
on t
heAflac prom
ise
In 2012, I made the best decision I could to help ensure
Thanks to my Aflac hospital indemnity and short-term
financial security for my family. I decided to apply for
disability insurance policies, my husband was able to
Aflac voluntary insurance made available through my
stay with us almost the entire time. Our Aflac insur-
employer. I really never knew until recently how much
ance agent Jennifer Quale was quick to get us all the
having this supplemental insurance would help my
forms that we needed to receive a benefit check. We
family out.
were able to pay all of our bills at home and spend time
Near the end of 2013, I found out that we were expecting a baby! I had a very good pregnancy – up until the
third trimester. I went in to the doctor for a usual check-
with our daughter while she was still in the hospital. I
don’t know how we would have done any of this without our Aflac policies.
up, and found out that my blood pressure was slightly
I would recommend Aflac to anyone that I know. It has
high. The doctor said we would need to keep an eye on
been a tremendous help for us, and it is worth every
it and see how it was at my next appointment. Well, my
penny! You never know what could happen in life, so
blood pressure turned out to be much higher, and I also
it’s nice to be prepared. I’m very thankful that my em-
had protein in my urine. The next thing I knew, I was in
ployer made Aflac available to me, and also thankful
an ambulance on my way to a bigger hospital — almost
that I have such a great agent like Jennifer Quale!
two hours from home — that could handle a situation
like mine. I spent three weeks in the hospital and on bed
rest just to try to keep the baby in the womb for as long
Sincerely,
Andrea Feldhake
as possible. At exactly 34 weeks, my baby girl was born
via C-section. She was very small, and had to stay in the
neonatal intensive care unit for almost two weeks.
Employee Matters
9
Aflac New York Habitat for Humanity UPDATE
TOOL BELTS OPTIONAL
Above from left: Volunteers Linda Volpe, Colleen O’Reilly and Barbara Pollack.
As Columbus and Omaha employees rolled up their sleeves
to start construction on their own Habitat houses, seasoned
builders in Albany are hard at work on the Fox Hollow location
in South Troy.
A different team of Albany employees volunteer one day
each month as the Aflac house takes shape. The goal: complete construction in time for the Habitat family to celebrate
Thanksgiving in their own home.
“I will always remember my volunteer day with Habitat for
Humanity,” says Linda Volpe, HR. “Our group had such a fun
time working together, learning new skills and conquering
our fear of heights. It was a rewarding experience to be so
personally involved in the project.”
Here, Linda is joined by Colleen O’Reilly, Policyholder Service
and Barbara Pollack, Underwriting.
Aflac officers and the Aflac Duck accept — and pay forward — ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE
Social media channels were abuzz this summer with the ALS Ice Bucket
Challenge. Go to either the Aflac Duck’s or corporate Facebook page to see
how Dan Amos and a host of Aflac executives stepped up to the challenge –
and then challenged Dr. Bill Woods, director of the Aflac Cancer and Blood
Disorders Center, and the Aflac Duck.
Always ready to plunge into a philanthropic challenge, the Aflac Duck nominated all the other marketing and advertising icons, including his friend,
the Geico Gecko.
From left: Aflac officers prepare to complete the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
10
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
The ALS Association has estimated that the challenge has resulted in
more than $100 million in donations to help fight amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
EAW I Aflac winners!!
banner contest
Hilton, Diana Huff, Terry Justice, Steve
Simons and Sherry Whitaker, all on the
Quality Assurance team. They enjoyed
lunch with Dan on Sept. 10 in the Executive Dining Room.
A contest held during the 2014 Columbus Employee Appreciation Week
contest invited employees to create
banners showing why they love Aflac.
Teams competed for bragging rights, a
cover and mention in Employee Matters
(see September/October) and lunch with
Dan Amos, chairman and CEO. The
winning team consisted of Pam Allen,
Karen Bonner, Donna Givens, Theresa
Diana, Karen and Theresa were the
main contributors to design and construction. The other team members
provided conceptual inspiration. Diana
said, “When creating the design, we
decided to go green. We used past editions of Employee Matters and old office
supplies, like manila envelopes, to create
the piece.”
Above: Banner winners enjoy lunch with Dan in the Executive Dining Room. Right: The winning banner.
def • i • ni • tion
Least-privileged principle: The Identity and Access Management team promotes a
principle known as least-privileged, which states that employees only need access to systems and data
that are required for the daily functions of their jobs.
This principle can be applied in many situations. For example, before sending a document, ask yourself
if the receiver really needs all the information being sent to make a decision or respond to a request. If
not, customize the information to reduce the risk of accidental exposure of protected data.
The mission of the Identity and Access Management team is to enable the business by providing the
end-user with system access and Information Security support needed to do business in the most secure
manner possible.
Employee Matters
11
BUSINESS Strategy
JS: What’s your impression of
The
XYZs
The 4 Disciplines of Execution?
of
Disciplined
Execution
by Jon Sullivan
When it was decided to change Aflac’s sales alignment through
Project XYZ, lead project executive Jamie Lee, vice president,
Sales Operations, knew they had to get it right. So she applied
JS: In the book, they talk about
the whirlwind, which is the dayto-day work that could impede
your ability to focus on the WIG.
JL:
That’s why we sequestered
everyone involved with the project for
a period of time. If we’d left everyone
in the whirlwind, doing their day-to-day
business operations, I feel that this
project would never have happened
as efficiently. Clearly not all project
teams have the ability to sequester their
teams, so the whirlwind creeps in –
that’s the nature of the beast. But you
have to dedicate time every day, solely,
to the WIG.
the principles she learned from the best-
JS: How do you do that with so
seller, The 4 Disciplines of Execution by
much else going on?
Sean Covey, Jim Huling and Chris
JL:
McChesney. I recently spoke with Jamie
about this book and how its lessons can
be applied to a real-life scenario.
Above: Jamie Lee, vice president, Sales Operations.
12
JL: It creates focus. When Project
XYZ started we had a strict goal – our
wildly important goal. We needed
this new leadership structure created
by Oct. 1. With all of the moving parts,
there is no way we could have gotten
it done without applying these lessons.
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
Well, that’s where the other
disciplines come into play. You have
to build the parameters around your
WIG by having and acting on the
lead measures, keeping that relevant
scoreboard and creating a cadence of
accountability.
JS: Tell me about acting on lead measures as it
How does Aflac achieve excellence with our four
pertains to Project XYZ.
Strategic Pillars? How do you focus on a new goal
JL: A lot came in the form of critical milestones. We set up
milestones for each of the key deliverables so that we could
choose the battles that we knew we had to win, like the territory and state realignments. These were absolutely critical,
so we attached dates to these achievements and kept a
scoreboard on how we were measuring up.
JS: So, another discipline is maintaining a cadence
of accountability. How did you manage that?
JL:
Well, that also goes to the other discipline, keeping a
scoreboard. Each work-stream leader has his or her own
plan regarding what they need to accomplish and by when.
So everyone has their individual scoreboard, and that creates
your cadence of accountability, which to me was incredibly
important.
when the important tasks you have to do every
day to succeed in your job demand your attention?
The 4 Disciplines of Execution tells us how the four
disciplines can help structure our workdays.
DEFINING THE
four disciplines
of execution
JS: How so?
JL: It tells you if the job is getting done. From the onset we
created two different meetings. First, we held regular executive
debriefs to keep them informed. Second, we held daily core
team meetings where team leaders provided updates every
day. We couldn’t let anything drag on, even for a day. That
creates your cadence of accountability.
JS: Does the cadence ever change?
JL: Sure. It changes with needs. For instance, when we got
into the execution phase, we limited our daily meetings to every other day and reduced our WIG sessions. We needed to
provide teams with time to actually execute. Flexibility can
be achieved while still holding all team members accountable.
JS: It sounds like you really liked this book.
JL: Yes. I loved how it presented a simple and clear approach
to execution. I am very happy to see it getting so much traction
and attention around the company.
JS: Five years from now, what will Project XYZ
success look like?
by Susan Goodsell
DISCIPLINE 1:
Focus on the Wildly Important
The key word here is “focus.” When you focus on one wildly important goal, or WIG for short, instead of trying to
improve everything at once, you can concentrate your
efforts and achieve more. In personal terms, the human
brain can only concentrate fully on one thing at a time.
Think about how many car accidents occur every day
because drivers are texting while driving. These are both
activities that require your full concentration.
Once the Company sets its WIG, then each division aligns
their goals to ensure success of the WIG and to “move the
needle” as Aflac U.S. President Teresa White often says.
In order to move the needle, you need to know what the
metric is, so each goal must have a measurable result.
Adding the formula “from X to Y by when” makes it possible
to measure a goal.
JL:
Double-digit growth and our field force living the Aflac
dream: We are all winning again.
Employee Matters
13
One of the best examples of defining
a wildly important goal and succeeding was one set by President John F.
Kennedy in 1961 that redefined NASA’s
entire program. He declared that we
would land a man on the moon and
return him safely to earth before the
decade was out. His goal followed the
SMART formula: It was specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.
NASA went from identifying eight
goals in 1958 to just one in 1961. The
NASA team accomplished that goal,
which many feel was the definitive
Space Race victory!
DISCIPLINE 2:
Act on the Lead Measures
To understand Discipline 2, it helps
to understand the difference between
lag measures and lead measures. A lag
measure is the measurement of what
you are trying to achieve, but by the
time you get the data the results have
already occurred: They are always
lagging. A lead measure is different
because it foretells the outcome.
A good way to understand this concept
is to think about a weight-loss goal.
Your goal may be to lose 10 pounds
in two months. If you wait 60 days
and then step on the scale, you are
looking at the lag measure, and you
may be disappointed with the results.
However, if you determine your lead
measures will be how many times you
worked out per week, the duration
and intensity of each workout and
the number of calories consumed each
day, then you will be able to control the
outcome of your WIG and guarantee
success.
DISCIPLINE 3:
Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
The third discipline is about engagement.
To ensure that your scoreboard is a
valuable and compelling resource, the
entire team should create it together.
With a visible scoreboard, everyone on
the team knows the score at all times,
so that they can tell whether or not
they are making headway toward the
goal. Scoreboards can be charts on a
wall, dashboards on a computer or
tracking devices in an app.
For instance, if you went to a football
game and the scoreboard was broken,
fans, coaches and players would have
to keep track of the score themselves
and then count on periodic announcements from the public address system
to keep track of downs, quarters and
the score. This is a very inefficient
way for a team to work toward their
goal of winning and measuring toward
their goal of having at least one more
point than their opponent by the time
the clock runs out.
What if no one kept score at all? Would
the players try as hard to win the game?
Would the fans be as excited? Would
anyone really care about the outcome
of the game if there was no way to
measure success? No, they wouldn’t.
This is why keeping a compelling
scoreboard makes a difference in the
outcome of the WIG.
DISCIPLINE 4:
Create a Cadence of
Accountability
recurring cycle of accounting for past
performance and ongoing planning
to move the score forward. Leaders
should hold regularly scheduled meetings to discuss the status of each team
member’s lead measurements. By discussing the reports among the group,
everyone becomes part of the journey
to accomplish the WIG and can even
lend a hand when a team needs help.
Weekly, half-hour team meetings
focused on the WIG will help the project
stay on track. Here is an example of a
WIG session agenda:
1. Report on last week’s commitments.
2. Review the scoreboard.
3. Make a commitment for the coming
week.
What’s important about the cadence
of accountability is that everyone works
together toward the goal. When the
project lead is out of the office, the
meetings should continue through the
completion of the project.
The authors of The 4 Disciplines of
Execution cite many examples of how
the disciplines have been put into
practice. From grocery store chains to
financial institutions, the program works
for those disciplined enough to stay the
course through the entire program.
Learn more about applying The 4
Disciplines of Execution
Several Aflac leaders just completed a
five-month series of book discussions
and studied the practical application
of the four disciplines. You will begin
to see the four disciplines applied to
Aflac’s WIGs in the coming months, if
you haven’t already.
The fourth discipline is to create a cadence of accountability, a frequently
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS & HOW TO BECOME A FULLY ENGAGED PARTICIPANT, visit the Aflac blog discussion
at myAflac.com. Open the white Career Success Center tab on the left side of the portal and then Knowledge Sharing Network Blog in the left column.
14
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
Aflac Vineyard Vines
Santa Ties
ACVIN103-RED
ACVIN103-GRN
$44.75 each
Aflac Pillow Duck
AD96
SALE! $12.99
(regular $17.99)
Aflac
Crystal Duck Pin
AC157
$5.00
Aflac
Finders
Key Purse
AC20
$5.00
Aflac iPhone5
Charging Case
D206
$28.99
2014
10" Holiday Ducks
CS-HD1410
$180.00
for case of 12 ($15 each)
2014
6" Holiday
Ducks
CS-HD1406
$240.00 for
case of 24
($10 each)
DUCKR
GEA
TO LL
E
IM BA
T
S
IT’ N THE UR
T O TH YO Y
E
G
WI LIDA G.
HO PPIN
O
SH
Executive
Golf Set
CS009A
$18.75
SHOP NOW! myaflac.com > Quick Action Links > Classified/Employee Perks > Duck Gear
OR sell.aflac.com/ > My Toolbox > Duck Gear
Aflac
Cuff
Links
AC159
$10.00
Lexi
Wristlet Wallet
AC154 Black
AC153 Santa Fe Red
AC152 Turquoise
SALE! $12.99
(regular $17.99)
WOW
DID YOU KNOW?
Customer Service Center – Look at these stats from January to July!
CSC employees in Columbus and Omaha
625
6,071,349
3,955,589
0
144
353,576
18,280,272
2,747
2,744
28
Total calls received, including calls
in Interactive Voice Response
Calls answered by CSRs
No. of times a customer called Aflac CSC and received a busy signal
CSRs trained in 2014 to handle Claims AND Policy topics
for customers
Calls eliminated due to Claims AND Policy
skill training (fewer transfers)
$
Save Desk retained
annualized premium
Aflac Way Honors received
No. of Aflac Way Honors given
No. of CSRs promoted (within CSC or other areas)
40
YEARS
Aflac Japan: 40 years strong
Yu Yamada, Aflac Japan liaison,
reflects on his time spent in Columbus
by Bianka Huling
November marks Aflac Japan’s 40th anniversary. Four decades ago, they pioneered Japan’s cancer insurance,
becoming the first company to sell an insurance product designed specifically to help with the costs associated
with cancer. Since then, Aflac has not only become the number one provider of cancer insurance in Japan, but
also the number one provider of medical insurance. Our bonds grow stronger every year, thanks in part to relationships forged when U.S. and Japan employees work together.
Employee Matters
17
Top right: Yu works closely with coworkers, Shoko Porter and Naoko Tramel. Bottom right: Yu holds a picture of his family enjoying the sites at Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta.
Right page: Yu stands in front of the Aflac Tower.
At the heart of Aflac Japan are the thousands of employees who continue
to shape the company into what it has become today. One such employee
is Yu Yamada, who joined Aflac Japan’s Claims department in 2001.
In April 2014, he relocated to Aflac headquarters as an Aflac Japan liaison
to learn more about the people and processes at Aflac U.S. During Yu’s
brief time here, he has adjusted to language barriers, cultural variances and
vastly different work environments between Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S.
The daily commute
The differences in work environments between Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S.
begin even before Yu steps foot into the office. While Americans typically
have a commute of an hour or less, many Japanese workers in larger cities commute between one and two hours each way. Many Aflac Japan
employees use the Shinjuku Station train, which averages about 3.64 million
passengers per day. “My commute in Columbus only takes about 15 minutes
by car,” says Yu. “In Japan, it takes close to an hour by train, and we are tightly
packed together. I experience a much more comfortable commute here, and
it takes much less time.”
18
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
The workspace
Yu’s workspace in the U.S. is also quite
different than it is in Japan. “At Aflac
U.S., each employee has more privacy
within their workspace,” says Yu. “Aflac
Japan employees work at long tables,
sitting directly next to and across from
each other.” For Yu, this “lunchroom
style” environment is preferable over
the cubicle spaces here in the U.S. “The
Japanese style allows me to communicate
more frequently with my co-workers,”
he says. “If I have a question, they are
right there, and I can speak with them
more directly.”
The hiring process
Aflac Japan follows the cultural norm
when it comes to hiring new candidates.
In Japan, many companies hire new
graduates all at once on a fiscal year cycle
that begins April 1. Even though a growing number of people change companies
“It also helps to evoke camaraderie between co-workers.”
During the hiring process, Japanese
candidates do not apply for specific positions available within the company;
they simply apply to be hired by the
company itself. The Human Resources
department at each company has a
greater discretion over the position
awarded to each individual.
“I have a law degree, but I have never
worked in the Legal department,” says
Yu. Since Japanese employees rotate
positions every few years, it is common
for Japanese employees to work in many
divisions and departments of the
company throughout their careers.
throughout their career, employees typically remain with the company that
recruited them.
“In Japan, graduates begin informally
interviewing with companies a year
before they actually graduate,” says Yu.
“Most large companies make huge announcements both internally and externally on how many graduates they
have hired, and there is often a big
celebration for those coming on board.”
In recent years, Aflac Japan has hired
150 to 200 new graduates each year,
but when Yu joined he remembers
there only being about 90 hires. As is
typical for new hires, he and his graduating class underwent a month of
training and orientation to learn more
about Aflac Japan. “The training helps
us learn more about the company’s
operations, business etiquette, history,
culture and corporate values,” says Yu.
This gives employees the opportunity to gain diverse job experience and
increase their knowledge of different
company operations. For that reason,
Aflac Japan employees place a great
emphasis on keeping a detailed record
of their daily roles and activities.
Aflac U.S. culture
“In the U.S., I’ve enjoyed the close-knit
environment and idea of the Aflac
family,” says Yu. “I was most surprised
that Mr. Dan Amos gives every
employee a commendation in person,
especially during Employee Appreciation
Week. I have heard that this closeness
between management and employees
is also unique among American companies. I also think it’s interesting that
there is a greater diversity of people
here, than in Japan.”
Aflac Japan trainees typically remain
in the United States for a year to eighteen
months. When asked what he will miss
the most about his time here, he
replied with two simple words: family
time. “I’ll miss the time that I am able to
spend with my family,” Yu says. “In Japan, I work longer hours, so I’ve enjoyed
being able to see my family each day,
especially my son. It also gives me more
opportunities to travel with my family to
different places in the United States.”
“In the U.S., I’ve enjoyed the close-knit
environment and idea of the Aflac family.”
Yu Yamada
“This is so that someone coming into
your position will be able to perform
the same job in the same manner,” Yu
says. “To me, it does not seem that U.S.
employees change jobs as frequently
as in Japan. I’ve seen people here who
have worked in the same position for
years, so keeping such detailed records
may not be as necessary.”
Employee Matters 19
TRAVEL
In June, Patricia Bell, second vice president, Shareholder Services,
JAPAN
made a business trip to Japan. She quickly discovered that Aflac
Japan provides learning opportunities that go far beyond those
found in conference rooms.
The trip of a
lifetime
Patricia Bell reflects on Japan’s
culture, customs – and cuisine
Above: Mr. Yoshiki “Paul” Otake,
founder and executive advisor of Aflac
Japan, meets with Patricia Bell.
What were some of the most
meaningful aspects of your trip?
Describe how you were treated in
Japan.
PB: I think the best thing about my trip
PB: I was treated like I was very impor-
was meeting the Aflac Japan employees
I deal with on a daily basis — including
the members of the HR team to discuss
stock option procedures — and seeing
the operations there.
tant! The people in Japan are the most
thoughtful and polite people I have ever
met. I’ve never lived in a place where I
was required to use subways, trains or
buses to travel to and from work, but
I was very impressed with how polite
the people were, even during rush hour
at the train station.
I was honored and humbled to have a
very nice visit with Mr. Yoshiki “Paul”
Otake, founder and executive advisor
of Aflac Japan; Charles Lake, chairman
of Aflac Japan and president of Aflac
International; and Mr. Tohru Tonoike,
president and chief operating officer of
Aflac Japan. Many others also went out
of their way to make me feel welcome
in Japan.
20
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
How adventurous were you when
it came to sampling Japanese
cuisine?
PB: I had heard that some people who
go to Japan are reluctant to try the local
food, but I wanted the full experience –
and was very happy with it. The second
day I was even using chopsticks!
I especially enjoyed the kaiseki lunch
I had with Mr. Ishii, Mr. Goto and
Mr. Morikawa. The food is prepared
in such a way that the taste, texture,
appearance and colors of the food are
balanced and artistically arranged. It
was as delicious as it was beautiful. I
didn’t want raw fish, but I did sample
one piece and really could not tell it
was not cooked. (I drew the line on
eating raw eggs, though.)
In Chofu, just outside Tokyo and home
of many Aflac Japan business units, I
enjoyed a tempura lunch with Dr. Utsude
and Mr. Takahashi. I highly recommend
it!
Was it all work and no play during
your trip?
PB: No! I was so thankful that I got to
visit the Aflac Parents House, where
the parents of the children being
treated for cancer can lodge while their
children are going through their treatments. I was also able to take one day
to visit Kamakura, a coastal city southwest of Tokyo, and see some of the
beautiful country and flowers.
I really enjoyed my trip to Japan, and
hope to get to go back one day and see
more.
Top: Patricia poses for a photo surrounded by co-workers. Bottom right: Patricia enjoys a traditional Japanese meal.
Employee Matters 21
Feeling good? GOOD!
Emotionally spent? DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
by W. David Varner Jr., M.D.
22
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
I
have written in the past about mental and physical health, but now I write about what may be the
best quality of all – having an emotionally healthy
lifestyle. People with this characteristic are calm
in the face of life’s storms, exuberant in the best of
times and are highly sought out when friends and
family need two listening ears. The good news is that you
don’t have to have lived a life of many ups and downs to
gain this good health. You can adopt some of the following changes to be prepared when disappointments and
adversity occur.
You can learn to remain calm and strong in bad times, as
well as the good:
First, strengthen those areas of physical health that you may
be lacking. Make every effort to get enough rest, practice good
nutrition and participate in some type of exercise on a regular basis. You may have heard the saying, “I need to take a
long walk and clear the cobwebs from my brain.” Adopting
good habits gives a powerful antidote to stress, anxiety and
depression.
Strengthen your mental health to improve your emotional
outlook. Participate in activities that positively affect others.
This not only will help them, but will build your own self-esteem. Practice focusing on the brighter things in life, not the
negatives. By doing this, it can help you overcome despair and
helplessness when pitfalls of life do occur.
Challenge your brain by trying to learn something new; for
example, try reading different types of books, learning a new
language or planning a trip to someplace new. You will be
amazed at what you might learn to appreciate.
Do everything possible to limit unhealthy mental habits such as
worrying about things you have no control over. This begins to
drag on your whole mental equilibrium and harm your emotional well-being. Often the stresses of work and family will
naturally cause excessive worrying: Recognize this is happening, and then redirect yourself toward activities that you
enjoy and give your brain some rest!
You probably have met people to whom everyone seems to
gravitate for conversation and, often, deeper personal talk.
What separates their personality from ours? They are good
listeners!
They ask you about your family, your children and your work;
they don’t dwell on their own lives. When times are tough,
they also listen to your troubles without judgment and without offering a quick fix. Just the opportunity to talk with a
sympathetic listener helps put one’s mind at ease. There is no
reason you can’t develop that same habit. The best way to find
a good listener is to be a good listener yourself!
Finally, people who are emotionally healthy possess:
s A sense of contentment
sT
he ability to deal with stress and bounce back from
adversity
s A sense of meaning and purpose
s The ability to maintain fulfilling relationships
s Self-confidence and high self-esteem
You can start strengthening your emotional health right now.
Then, when times get tough and you think you may be veering
toward a brick wall emotionally, use some of the tactics above
as you focus on Bobby McFadden’s great advice, “Don’t Worry,
Be happy!”
Aflac provides Employee Assistance Plan resources to help
you deal with and resolve personal issues. Explore the resources
shown below.
Adopting good habits gives
a powerful antidote to
stress, anxiety and depression.
FIND OUT MORE by calling 800-807-1535, or by going to myAflac.com > Employee Services > Benefits > Benefits Guide > Employee Assistance Plan.
Employee Matters
23
New Faces
Matthew Anderson
Aflac Benefit
Solutions-Inc.
Lucas Frost
Aflac Benefit
Solutions-Inc.
Whitley Handy
Aflac Benefit
Solutions-Inc.
Lisa Lampron
Aflac Benefit
Solutions-Inc.
AFLAC
BENEFIT SOLUTIONS
Itzel Alicea
Electronic File
Processing
Donna Dickson
Claims
Vernon Holland
Client Services
24
Mandy Best
Lindsey Bryant
Tonya
Engram-Chappelle
Tamara Fleming
Claims
EVP COO
Susan Houghtaling
Account Manager LAS
Risk Management
Customer Service
Jamie Howard
Electronic File Processing
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
Nakia Carwise
Jeremy Lewis
Aflac Benefit
Solutions-Inc.
COLUMBIA
Premium Processing LAS
Benita Glover
Premium Processing LAS
Lametis Johnson
Client Relations
Margaret Goodall
Risk Management
Sherrin Kennedy
Premium Processing LAS
Andrea Hampton
Sales Cont & Comp
Shekeyla Lemon
Premium Processing LAS
Carol Hartwell
Premium Processing LAS
Philip Lewis
Process Sales Cont
& Comp
Angela Livingston
Premium Processing LAS
Premium Processing LAS
Lakarsha Mack
Shaulanda Manigault
Joy Priester
Liz Thompson
Kenetha Washington
Carleigh Briley
Danetra Brown
Client Services
Kala Branch
Customer Service Center
Von Marie Cardona Lai
Customer Service Center
Maurie Dugger
Federal Relations
Client Services
Premium Processing LAS
Premium Processing LAS
Yashica McCall
Desiree Mozingo
Gloria Wiley
Felicia Wilson
Customer Service
Account Manager LAS
Customer Service Center
Lay Castellano
John Clifton
Sheila Connally
Compensation
IT
Maci Griffith
Tricia Griggs
Belva Greenage
Product Development
Customer Service Center
Nikki Neal
Premium Processing LAS
Joyce Owens
Client Relations
Customer Service
COLUMBUS
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Client Relations
Health Services
Shanteriya Copeland
Customer Service Center
Brandon Hardin
Customer Service Center
Sharmaine Davis
Customer Service Center
Christy Harris
Customer Service Center
Karina De La Cruz
Admnistration Training
Jessica Harris
Customer Service Center
Employee Matters
25
Say “hello” to some of Aflac’s newest employees.
George Haywood
Customer Service Center
Miranda Kirkland
Karen Lawburgh
Customer Service Center
Emily Murphy
Customer Service Center
Sarai Santiago
Customer Service Center
Zahily Vazquez
Customer Service Center
26
Paula Hopkins
Customer Service Center
Felichia Hunsucker
Customer Service Center
Kristi Leisner
Karen Llano
Sales Training
Customer Service Center
Todd Pate
Pamela Raney
Risk Management
Deanna Spencer
Customer Service Center
Whitney Hurst
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Chris Thomas
Sales Compensation
Sarah Wiltshire
Customer Service Center
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
Cherell Jefferson
Customer Service Center
Vanessa Lundy
MeShawn McCallum
CSC Overhead
Customer Service Center
Xilef
Remigio-Morales
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Lauran Turnage
Customer Service Center
Jenita Jordan
Customer Service Center
Jessica Reyna
Akeshia Valrie
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Courtney Rivers
Customer Service Center
Martha Vargas
Customer Service Center
Kenneth Jordan
Distribution
Cambrie Moyer
Customer Service Center
Jasmine Russell
Customer Service Center
Yaritza Vazquez
Customer Service Center
Donnie Coulter
Bindery
Sandra Galloway
Bindery
Ira Henderson
Bindery
Eric Taylor
Digital Print
COMMUNICORP
Malchia Douzart
Crystal Ford
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Megan Chism
Nicholas Cummins
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Ricky Grimes
Matthew Hammers
Tyrina Lyle
Breyonna Murray
Asti Oneal
Pattie Banner
Customer Service Center
Donna Peeler
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Keya Pettway
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Jason Scranton
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Customer Service Center
Angela Vampola
Tawanna Washington
Customer Service Center
Nancy Goodell
Customer Service Center
OMAHA
Customer Service Center
Employee Matters
27
All in the Family
CONGRATULATIONS TO
Katheryn Alba, who was promoted from account service
specialist III to lead account service specialist, Triage
Unit.
Shirlena Allison, who was promoted from account
service specialist II, Outbound Contact, to account
service specialist III-on demand, Operations.
John Anderson, who was promoted from business
process consultant, Business Analytics, to financial
planning and analytics consultant, Financial Planning
and Analysis.
Barbara Hodges, who was promoted from compliance
analyst I to compliance analyst II, Operations Risk
Management.
Tiffany Deal, who was promoted from senior print and
communication services specialist, Marketing Print/
Communication, to compliance analyst I, Compliance.
Essie Horn, who was promoted from account service
specialist II, Outbound Contact, to account service
specialist III-on demand, Operations.
Calvin Derico, who was promoted from bindery support
specialist II, Bindery, to customer care specialist I,
Customer Assurance-Merchandise.
Jesenia Johnson, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II, CSC Trainees, to customer service
specialist III, CSC-Customer Service.
Donald Dickson, who was promoted from building
technician II to building mechanic, PSA Campus Support.
Kendrea Jones, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II, Customer Service, to payroll
account specialist III, Premium Collection and Billing.
Danielle Aricheta, who was promoted from accounting
specialist II, Accounts Payable OH, to accounting analyst,
Tax Department.
Matthew Dorminey, who was promoted from wingspan
services coordinator III, Enrollment Services, to account
relations executive IV, Account Relations East.
Tomika Bass, who was promoted from advertising
compliance analyst III to senior advertising compliance
analyst, Compliance.
Jacqueline Dumas, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I to customer service specialist II,
CSC Nebraska.
Glenn LaFleur Jr, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II, CSC Trainees, to customer service
specialist III, CSC-Customer Service.
Brie Beckman, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I to customer service specialist II,
CSC Nebraska.
Beth Eveland, who was promoted from business
consultant to manager, Aflac Benefit Solutions.
Quentin Lee, who was promoted from accounting
specialist III to senior accounting specialist, Aflac Group
Insurance – Financial.
Milotenia Benjamin, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II, Customer Service, to senior group
set-up specialist, Group Setup.
Janet Biehl, who was promoted from customer service
specialist I to customer service specialist II, CSC
Nebraska.
Trisha Blakely, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I to customer service specialist II,
CSC Nebraska.
Ratna Bowens, who was promoted from account service
specialist II, Outbound Contact, to account service
specialist III-on demand, Operations.
Katherine Bracero, who was promoted from claims
specialist I to claims specialist II, Claims.
Johnathan Brooks, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I, CSC Trainees, to customer service
specialist II, CSC-Customer Service.
Jerome Bryant, who was promoted from data analyst,
Client Services, to senior operations analyst, Aflac
Benefit Solutions.
Latrice Bush, who was promoted from accounting
specialist II, Premium Collection and Billing, to accounting specialist III, Premium Processing LAS.
Rogerlene Carter, who was promoted from account
manager II to account manager III, Client Services.
Renee Chapman, who was promoted from accounting
specialist II, Premium Collection and Billing, to account
manager I, Client Services.
Deborah Charlson, who was promoted from customer
service specialist III to supervisor, operations, CSC
Nebraska.
Courtney Childs, who was promoted from accounting
specialist II, Premium Collection and Billing, to quality
auditor, Quality.
Melinda Coslor, who was promoted from customer
service specialist III to lead specialist, CSC Nebraska.
28
Veronica Covington, who was promoted from research
specialist, Policy Service Escalation Operations, to
account relations executive II, Outbound Conservation.
READY + ABLE November/December 2014
Scott Farrell, who was promoted from technical support
analyst, IT Aflac Group, to actuary I, Actuarial.
Donzetta Faulk, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II to payroll account specialist III,
Customer Service.
Cheri Flynn, who was promoted from lead specialist,
Sales Leads, to account relations executive II, Account
Relations East.
Doug Gibson, who was promoted from operations
analyst II, IT, to manager, Enrollment Services.
Mirinda Glenn, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II to customer service specialist III,
NBS-Conversions.
Lashonda Greenlee, who was promoted from account
service specialist II, Outbound Contact, to account
service specialist III-on demand, Operations.
Sherdell Griffin, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I to customer service specialist II,
CSC Nebraska.
Yolanda Hamilton, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II to payroll account specialist III,
Customer Service.
Vameika Hampton, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II to payroll account specialist III,
Customer Service.
Jeff Hardin, who was promoted from manager to senior
manager, resource management, U.S. Operations Columbus.
Cierra Harris, who was promoted from customer service
specialist I to customer service specialist II, CSC Nebraska.
Renee Harris, who was promoted from claims specialist II
to claims specialist III, Claims.
Ann Hayes, who was promoted from account service
specialist I to account service specialist II, NBS Conversions.
Lymaira Hernandez, who was promoted from account
service specialist II, Outbound Contact, to account
service specialist III-on demand, Operations.
Jennifer King, who was promoted from account manager I
to account manager II, Client Services.
Sabrina Little, who was promoted from accounting
specialist III to lead specialist, Premium Collection
and Billing.
Nikole Lyles, who was promoted from customer service
specialist III, CSC-Customer Service, to business process
analyst I, Pre-Sales PIC.
Lisa Malone, who was promoted from executive
assistant II to operations analyst I, IT.
Machel Marshall, who was promoted from account
service specialist II, Outbound Contact, to account
service specialist III-on demand, Operations.
Cynthia McCaskill, who was promoted from claims
specialist II to claims specialist III, Claims.
Sharon McCaster, who was promoted from account
service specialist III, New Business, to account manager I,
Client Services.
Darren McCray, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I, CSC Trainees, to customer service
specialist II, CSC-Customer Service.
Michelle McLaurin Price, who was promoted from
underwriting specialist I to underwriting specialist II,
SR/Life Products.
Charles Mitchell, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I, CSC Trainees, to customer service
specialist II, CSC-Customer Service.
Kendell Moore, who was promoted from senior strategic
consultant to senior manager, Resource Planning/Change
Management.
Johnny Moses, who was promoted from senior agent
validation specialist, Agent Validation, to group
implementation coordinator II, Enrollment Intake.
Myles Oliver, who was promoted from customer service
specialist I, CSC Trainees, to customer service specialist II,
CSC-Customer Service.
Kristyn Ortiz, who was promoted from customer service
specialist II, CSC Trainees, to customer service
specialist III, CSC-Customer Service.
READY
+
ABLE
Johnathan Ponto, who was promoted from workflow
specialist to operations analyst I, Resource Planning.
Porsche Prowell, who was promoted from customer
service specialist I, CSC Trainees, to customer service
specialist II, CSC-Customer Service.
GRADUATIONS
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Chelsea Raley-Ramos, who was promoted from data
analyst, Client Services, to business process analyst II,
Sales Contracting and Compensation.
David Pope, IT, won first place in the Toastmaster
Area contest on Sept. 6 and represented the Excellence
Enunciators at the Division contest in October.
Millie Richardson, who was promoted from account
services specialist III to lead account service spec,
New Business.
TYING THE KNOT
Shondora Ricks, who was promoted from customer
service research specialist to senior customer service
specialist, Customer Service.
Morreka Rivers, who was promoted from administrative
support specialist II to underwriting specialist I, SR/
Life Products.
Michelle Roberts, who was promoted from executive
assistant II to advertising compliance analyst I, Compliance.
Delgarcia Scott, who was promoted from account
manager I to account manager II, Client Services.
Jerry Ballas, Event Production Audio Visual Services,
married Becky Page, Aflac Sales Associate in the Auburn,
Alabama district office, May 31 in Opelika, Ala.
Darin Cordell, Claims PIC Risk Management, married
Jason Pearce, Communicorp, July 5 in Washington, D.C.
Melanie Beck, Underwriting, and her husband, Brian,
celebrated the birth of their son, Jackson Clyde Beck,
Jan. 28.
Kimberly Specht, who was promoted from lead specialist,
Account Relations, to supervisor, Large Account Services.
Anne Marie Christian, Internal Audit, and her husband,
Laurence, welcomed their son, Harrison John Christian,
March 23.
Anthony Turner, who was promoted from building
mechanic to building maintenance engineer I, PSA
Campus Support.
Shana Tyner, who was promoted from claims specialist I
to claims specialist III, Claims.
Porsha Webster, who was promoted from customer
service specialist II to payroll account specialist III,
Customer Service.
Raphael Wright, who was promoted from claims
specialist I, Claims, to quality auditor, Quality and Audit.
Tracy Wright, who was promoted from account
service specialist II, Triage Unit, to payroll account
specialist III, Premium Collection and Billing.
Aflac New York sends sympathies to Michael Chille in
the loss of his parents, Anthony and Sylvia Chille.
IT sends sympathies to Richard Lemieux in the loss
of his mother, Phyllis Lemieux, Aug. 10, and his uncle,
Richard Lemieux, Aug. 30.
NEW ARRIVALS
Robert Sofaly, who was promoted from operations
analyst II to resource planning analyst III, Resource
Planning.
Darryl Tull, who was promoted from building technician II
to building mechanic, PSA Campus Support.
Aflac New York sends sympathies to Michelle Bollacker
in the loss of her grandmother, Marie Wieland.
Amanda Green, Administration Training/Center of Excellence,
married Robert Tarvin Sept. 20 at Uchee Creek, Ga.
Sonja Sims, who was promoted from accounting
specialist II, Premium Collection and Billing, to payroll
account specialist III, Customer Service.
Lashona Sudduth, who was promoted from lead account
service specialist, New Business, to lead quality auditor,
Quality and Audit.
SYMPATHIES
Jacqueline Harris-Bradford, Account Relations, married
retired Command Sgt. Maj. John Bradford July 26 at
Ft. Benning, Ga.
Russell Barrett, Broker Sales Effectiveness, and his wife,
Jessica, celebrated the birth of their daughter, Hunter
Lynn-Renee Barrett, July 28.
Michael Steele, who was promoted from building
mechanic to building maintenance engineer I, Main
Campus Support.
Nov./Dec.
2014
Colleen O’Reilly, New York Policyholder Service, received
her bachelor’s degree in Business, Risk Management
and Insurance concentration, from Excelsior College.
Jennifer Rowe, Policy Service, celebrated the birth of her
nephew, Ethan Aleksander Dalton, born March 21.
Judith Rowe, Customer Service Center, and Paul Rowe,
Policy Service - Wingspan Support, celebrated the birth
of their first grandson, Ethan Aleksander Dalton, born
March 21.
IN APPRECIATION
Congratulations to one of Aflac’s family members for
finishing his cancer treatment. At age 10, Nicolas Duncan,
son of Roya Duncan, Business Tech Solutions, was
diagnosed with stage 4 Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Due
to the severity and the spread of the disease, he was
placed on the ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia)
treatment plan for 39+ months in which he experienced
137 rounds of chemo infusion via a portacather, 31
procedures under anesthesia (including 27 chemo
injections via spinal tap), 35 breathing treatments, 51
days in the hospital, and daily oral chemo medicines
throughout. He took his last chemo pill at age 14, on
October 12. The Duncan family wishes to thank their
Aflac family for their prayers, love and support on their
journey.
TO SHARE NEWS OR SUGGEST STORIES AND IDEAS for publication in the employee magazine,
scan the QR code to the right or email [email protected].
Employee Matters
29
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
AFLAC
Worldwide Headquarters
1932 Wynnton Road
Columbus, Georgia 31999
The 2014 Aflac Holiday Duck
tries his hand — ahem, his wing —
at ice-skating
Not only can you purchase this festive fellow at aflacduckprints.com, Macy’s department
stores, macys.com and myAflac > Employee Services > Perks > DuckGear through the
holiday season, you can watch as a balloonicle, based on this 2014 Holiday Duck design,
joins Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade lineup!
Since Aflac partnered with Macy’s for the first Aflac Holiday Duck program in 2001,
it has raised more than $3 million for childhood cancer hospitals across the country.
All net proceeds will benefit the nearest participating pediatric cancer hospital in the
region where the duck is purchased.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Scan the QR code to the right to send your news, ideas and suggestions for stories
or email [email protected].

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