Main Street America Group to Honor Seven Employees

Seven of the Main Street America Group’s leading employees will be honored March 9 in Jacksonville, Fla. They will receive the company’s highest honor by being inducted into its Circle of Excellence, an annual employee recognition program established in 1985.

“The dedication and perseverance of these seven employees is outstanding, and we are proud to recognize them for their many contributions to our company,” Tom Van Berkel, Main Street America’s president and CEO said. “They truly represent Main Street America’s core values of ownership, relationships and service. They also continually go above and beyond to build strong relationships with both fellow coworkers and our agent-customers.”

The diverse group of winners, representing several Main Street America office locations, was selected for their 2005 company achievements and contributions. The 2005 Circle of Excellence honorees are:

Jason Hartman, claim representative III, Jacksonville, who also serves as training coordinator for automation upgrades in the Jacksonville Region. Hartman has been instrumental in training new adjusters and has provided key support for eight hurricanes and tropical storms in the past two years.

Jim Konopka, quality assurance engineer lead, Keene, N.H. As a lead member of the information technology quality assurance team, Konopka has developed and implemented several new processes to streamline QA workflow. Fellow employees describe Konopka as a “true professional” who finds solutions to complex problems and strives to exceed the expectations of his internal client groups.

Sue MacPhee, senior administrative assistant, Auburn, Mass. Since joining the company in 1987, MacPhee has provided support for claims staff in the Auburn office. Her coworkers say she is an employee who wears “many hats” from providing computer support to organizing large meetings to ensuring adjuster licensing is kept up-to-date.

Bill Mitchell, facilities project coordinator, Keene. After serving in the U.S. Air Force for more than 20 years, Mitchell joined Main Street America in 2001. He recently was responsible for the building consolidation program in Keene and oversaw moving more than 200 employees to their new office locations.

Dennis O’Neill, senior claim representative, Auburn. Fellow employees describe O’Neill as an individual with a positive attitude who is never too busy to help anyone. O’Neill consistently offers training and assistance to adjusters, which allows claims to be resolved in a more timely and efficient manner.

Dan Pringle, manager, personal lines product, Jacksonville. Pringle is responsible for Main Street America’s two largest personal lines regions – New England and Syracuse. Additionally, he recently sought to broaden his skills by requesting to become directly involved in actuarial work. Pringle’s commitment to excellence extends outside of work hours, as he supports the local YMCA by raising funds for community programs and serving as a youth basketball coach.

Caroline Stauers, agency development manager, New England Region. Stauers maintains an open line of communication between her customers and her coworkers to identify business opportunities and resolve issues. Her determination and work ethic has lead to 16.1 percent premium growth in her territory.

Circle of Excellence members are nominated by fellow employees and selected by the company’s senior management team for their embodiment of the organization core values. More than 100 nominations were received for the 2005 Circle of Excellence. Including the 2005 winners, 150 employees have been inducted into the Circle of Excellence.

Topics Training Development