Amber Dixon Professional Blog

INTERMOUNTAIN FINANCIAL GROUP RECOGNIZED FOR EXEMPLARY WORKPLACE PRACTICES

2010-10-29T12:58:00.002-06:00

INTERMOUNTAIN FINANCIAL GROUP RECOGNIZED FOR EXEMPLARY WORKPLACE PRACTICES
Receives prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Award

Salt Lake City, Utah (October 20, 2010) – Intermountain Financial Group, LLC announced today that it has been honored with the 2010 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility.

This prestigious award recognizes employers of all sizes and types in the greater Salt Lake City area and across the country that are using workplace flexibility as a strategy to increase workplace effectiveness and yield positive business results.

“We are honored to receive this national award and hope to continue strengthening the bond between the company and our employees,” stated Amber Dixon, Marketing Director. “Having a strong and healthy work/life balance is the key to anyone’s success, and our company strives to help accomplish this goal.”

The Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility are part of the national When Work Works project, an ongoing initiative of Families and Work Institute, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), and the Twiga Foundation. The Salt Lake Chamber is the official When Work Works partner for the Salt Lake City region.

The selection process is rigorous. First, employers’ flexibility programs and practices are measured against national norms from Families and Work Institute’s National Study of Employers. Employees are then surveyed confidentially on their access to flexible work options, the supportiveness of the culture and on nationally tested measures of workplace effectiveness.

“As a recipient of the 2010 Sloan Award, Intermountain Financial Group, LLC ranks in the top 20% of employers nationally in terms of its programs, policies and culture for creating an effective and flexible workplace,” states Ellen Galinsky, president of Families and Work Institute. “In addition, what makes this honor so special is that employees have corroborated this, affirming that it is indeed an effective and flexible workplace.”

ABOUT INTERMOUNTAIN FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC
For more than a century, the Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual (IFG) http://www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com/ has provided a comprehensive offering of a diverse array of products, including life insurance, annuities, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement planning products, mutual funds, and access to money management to individuals and businesses in Utah and most of United States. IFG currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George, Utah. IFG has also been recognized as one of the best places to work in Utah by the Work/Life Awards Committee for 2010, 2008, and 2007, as well as the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2010, 2009 and 2008.

ABOUT WHEN WORK WORKS
The Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility are part of the When Work Works project, an ongoing initiative of Families and Work Institute, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), and the Twiga Foundation. Through When Work Works, these partner organizations provide research, resources, and recognition to employers nationwide. The project shares the results of research on creating effective and flexible workplaces that meet the needs of the 21st century. http://www.whenworkworks.org/

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Intermountain Financial Group was awarded the Sloan Award for Workplace Flexibility

2010-10-29T12:44:00.002-06:00

Chamber Recognizes Utah Employers for Workplace Flexibility
By Salt Lake Chamber

Fourteen local organizations received the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility at the Work-Life Harmony Conference. The awards, presented locally by the Salt Lake Chamber Women’s Business Center, recognize organizations that strive to find new ways to make work, work.

Local recipients of the 2010 Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility are:
o 1-800 CONTACTS, inc.
o Café Rio Mexican Grill
o Christopherson Business Travel
o CRSA
o Deloitte
o Employer Solutions Group
o Futura Industries
o Intermountain Financial Group, LLC
o Intermountain Healthcare
o McKinnon-Mulherin, Inc.
o Nelson Labs, Inc.
o Software Technology Group
o Utah Food Services
o United Way of Salt Lake (honorable mention)

“Businesses know how important it is to keep quality employees and that often means a break from the traditional workday,” said Lane Beattie, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Chamber.

“These organizations have shown that implementing workplace flexibility increases effectiveness and yields positive business results, and we’re proud to recognize their willingness to work with their employees.”

Gov. Gary Herbert presented the awards after lauding the state’s efforts to allow flexibility. Utah adopted a four-day workweek when he was Lt. Governor. The governor shared statistics from a survey showing state employees like the Work 4 Utah program and that productivity has improved in many departments.

“I am not a fan of one-size-fits-all solutions. I believe we need flexibility in many things, including employment, whether it's at the private, local or state level,” said the governor. “In Utah state government, for example, we have offered our employees options that range from telecommuting for some employees to a four-day workweek for thousands of others. Utah is leading the nation in this effort. We’ve also made many state services available online to help our customers, the citizens, find flexibility in their interaction with state government.”
Implementing flexibility in the workplace provides benefit to both the organization and the employee.

“We’ve found that being flexible has increased the level of employee engagement and it increases productivity,” said Brad Flitton, human resources manger at Intermountain Healthcare. “It’s a way to show we care about them, because we do.”

Sherri Robbins has worked at Nelson Labs for over a decade—it’s where she met her husband. The two now have four children and she credits her employer’s flexibility plan for her ability to balance two important roles in her life.

“I get the best of both worlds,” said Robbins. “I get to achieve my career goals and also get to be in my role as a mother. I feel very lucky to have benefitted from the flexibility Nelson Labs has provided me.”

The Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility is presented locally by the Salt Lake Chamber at the Work-Life Harmony luncheon, scheduled for 11 a.m. October 20, 2010 at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City.

The Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility are part of the When Work Works project, an ongoing initiative of Families and Work Institute, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce and the Twiga Foundation. These partner organizations provide research, resources and recognition to employers nationwide. The project shares the results of research on creating effective and flexible workplaces that meet the needs of the 21st century.
Each of the 2010 Sloan Award winners will also be recognized nationally and featured in next year’s edition of the Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work, published by Families and Work Institute.

Highly Experienced Long Term Care Insurance Representative Joins Local Firm as New Specialist

2010-06-18T10:47:00.001-06:00

Intermountain Financial Group, LLC Hires Jess Wilson as Agency Specialist

Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah Agency for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), is pleased to announce that Jess Wilson has joined the comprehensive financial services firm as the new Long Term Care insurance (LTCi) specialist.
The agency is looking forward to working with Jess. “Jess joining our dynamic team is a strong win for our firm,” said Todd A. Reid, General Agent of Intermountain Financial Group. “His 20 years of LTCi sales experience, combined with his desire to support the firm’s agents to help increase LTCi awareness among consumers, is a welcome supplement to our firm.”

Jess has a strong passion when Long Term Care insurance is involved. "Working with this firm that is strong in products and financial strength is exciting,” stated Jess.

Jess’ position within the firm is to educate, train, and motivate clients and financial representatives about Long Term Care insurance. Long Term Care is a variety of services and supports to meet health or personal care needs over an extended period. The goal of Long Term Care services is to help individual’s maximize his or her independence and functioning at a time when they are unable to be fully independent.

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About the Firm:

For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2009 and 2008, as well as the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2010, 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and American Fork, Utah.

About MassMutual:

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual and its subsidiaries had more than $360 billion in assets under management at year-end 2008. Assets under management include assets and certain external investment funds managed by MassMutual's subsidiaries.
Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a mutually owned financial protection, accumulation and income management company headquartered in Springfield, Mass. MassMutual's major affiliates include: OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC (www.finra.org and www.sipc.org); MassMutual International LLC and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB. MassMutual is on the Internet at www.massmutual.com.

* Not Practicing on behalf of MassMutual or MML Investors Services, Inc.
**Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

Agency is one of 20 companies awarded the Work/Life Award

2010-06-09T13:58:00.001-06:00

Utah honors 20 companies for helping employees balance lives
Salt Lake Tribune
Updated:06/02/2010 03:53:26 PM MDT

Twenty Utah companies of various sizes will receive 2010 "Work/Life Awards" from the Utah Department of Workforce Services on June 22.

Four of the recipients have been honored at least five times before with the annual award, which recognizes firms that treat their employees well, recognizing the importance of people's lives away from work. The repeat winners include two large companies, 1-800 Contacts and Nicholas & Co., Inc.; one medium-sized company, Futura Industries, Clearfield; and one small organization, Utah Foster Care Foundation.

Other winning firms were:
» Large -- Automated Data Processing, Inc. and InterContinental Hotels Group;
» Medium -- Ace Disposal, Clearlink, CyberSource Corp., Goldenwest Credit Union, Intermountain Financial Group/Mass Mutual, Marriott Vacation Club International Owner Services, Pepsi Beverages Co., Spillman Technologies, Tanner LC and Thomas Arts;
» Small -- Cirque Corp., Executech, Fehr & Peers and The Intrepid Group.

"The success of Work/Life Award-winning companies shows up in many forms, including improved productivity, customer relations, retention, recruitment and marketing," said Lynette Rasmussen, director of the department's Office of Work & Family Life.

Awards will be presented at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel in Salt Lake City. To register, go to jobs.utah.gov, or call 801-468-0112.

To register for the awards event, go to jobs.utah.gov, or call 801-468-0112.

http://www.sltrib.com/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp?articleId=15211826&s... 6/3/2010

Welcome Bonnie Muir! New Financial Services Representative Joined Our Firm

2010-06-09T13:54:00.002-06:00

Local Financial Services Firm Hires Advisor
Bonnie Muir to Work with People to Identify Needs and Solutions

Intermountain Financial Group (http://www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com), the Utah Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has hired Bonnie Muir as a financial services advisor. Muir helps individuals, families, and small business owners with their life insurance and financial needs, while supporting the client’s goals for a more secure future.

Muir had 5 years of entrepreneurial sales experience prior to joining Intermountain Financial Group. Muir earned her Bachelor of Science degree at University of Utah in Mass Communications where she also played softball. “This career is the perfect fit for me,” says Muir. “I enjoy working closely with people to understand their unique situation and goals, and assist them in building their financial future.”

# # #

About the company:

For more than a century, the Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual (IFG) www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com has provided a comprehensive offering of a diverse array of products, including life insurance, annuities, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement planning products, mutual funds, and access to money management to individuals and businesses in Utah and most of United States. IFG currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George, Utah. IFG has also been recognized as one of the best places to work in Utah by the Work/Life Awards Committee for 2007 and 2008 and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2009 and 2008.

*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

Welcome Keith Larsen as Financial Services Representative

2010-06-09T13:51:00.002-06:00

New Financial Advisor Hired to Assist People and Businesses Plan for Now and the Future

Intermountain Financial Group (http://www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com), the Utah Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has hired Keith Larsen as a financial services advisor and managing associate.

Larsen helps individuals, families, and small business owners with their life insurance and investment needs while supporting the client’s goals for a more secure future. Larsen also assists in the recruiting and mentoring of new agents for the company.

Larsen has 10 years of industry experience as a financial representative with a local financial services firm. Larsen earned his BS degree at Brigham Young University where he majored in Economics. “The financial services sector has always been an exciting industry for me to work,” says Larsen. “I enjoy my career specializing in life insurance. I am able to work with individuals and companies become more educated and prepared for their financial future.”

About the company:

For more than a century, the Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual (IFG) www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com has provided a comprehensive offering of a diverse array of products, including life insurance, annuities, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement planning products, mutual funds, and access to money management to individuals and businesses in Utah and most of United States. IFG currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George, Utah. IFG has also been recognized as one of the best places to work in Utah by the Work/Life Awards Committee for 2007 and 2008 and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2009 and 2008.

# # #
*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

Salt Lake City, Utah Cancer Research and Treatment organization

2010-03-04T13:52:00.002-07:00

The Salt Lake City chapter of the American Cancer Society received $1,000 as part of an innovative National Breast Cancer Awareness program from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) in the name of Kim Hemenway and Renee Tribe of Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah general agency of MassMutual.

“I’m delighted that local women struggling with breast cancer and the agencies that serve them will benefit from our donation and commitment to the cause,” said Kim Hemenway of Salt Lake City. “We look forward to continuing our support of organizations that provide information and hope to women with breast cancer.”

Hemenway and Tribe, whose firm is based in Salt Lake City, recently conducted an informative financial seminar geared toward women.

Their efforts are part of a MassMutual program that makes charitable contributions to local breast cancer awareness programs in the names of its local agents who work extensively with women’s groups and women clients. Under the program, MassMutual uses its educational financial seminars for women to also raise awareness of breast cancer.

“We’re very heartened to know that we’re playing a role in educating women about not only their finances but also their health,” said Beth Wood, vice president of MassMutual’s Women’s Markets. “And we’re especially appreciative of Kim Hemenway’s and Renee Tribe’s efforts in such an important cause.”

MassMutual’s breast cancer awareness initiative is one of many ways it supports women personally, professionally and as business owners. For example, MassMutual continues to be a leader in providing life insurance coverage for breast cancer survivors, updating its underwriting guidelines to reflect the positive long-term survival benefits of early detection and new treatments.

Additionally, MassMutual is recognized as a leader in efforts to improve understanding of women’s diverse financial needs, to support women agents in the field, and to educate women on financial issues. MassMutual sponsors a variety of research and educational projects and events that promote a greater understanding of women’s individual financial needs and how financial services companies can best meet them.

About Intermountain Financial Group, LLC

For more than 156 years, local Utah residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2009 and 2008. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Provo, Utah. The agency has over $530 million in client policy and account values as of year-end 2008, as well as over 18,000 clients.

About MassMutual
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual and its subsidiaries had more than $360 billion in assets under management at year-end 2008. Assets under management include assets and certain external investment funds managed by MassMutual's subsidiaries.
Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a mutually owned financial protection, accumulation and income management company headquartered in Springfield, Mass. MassMutual's major affiliates include: OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC (www.finra.org and www.sipc.org); MassMutual International LLC and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB. MassMutual is on the Internet at www.massmutual.com.
Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

CRN201009-109878

New Financial Advisor Hired to Assist People and Businesses Plan for Now and the Future

2010-02-10T11:38:00.003-07:00

Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George UT—February 12, 2010—Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has hired Brandon Hess as a financial services advisor.

Hess helps individuals, families, and small business owners with their life insurance and investment needs while supporting the client’s goals for a more secure future.

Hess had 3 years of entrepreneurial experience prior to joining Intermountain Financial Group. Hess earned his BA degree at Brigham Young University where he majored in Business Management. “The financial services sector is an exciting industry for me to work,” says Hess. “I enjoy my career specializing in life insurance. I am able to work with individuals and companies become more educated and prepared for their financial future.”

About the company:

For more than a century, the Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual (IFG) www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com has provided a comprehensive offering of a diverse array of products, including life insurance, annuities, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement planning products, mutual funds, and access to money management to individuals and businesses in Utah and most of United States. IFG currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George, Utah. IFG has also been recognized as one of the best places to work in Utah by the Work/Life Awards Committee for 2007 and 2008 and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2009 and 2008.

# # #
*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

Former Officer of Beneficial Life Insurance Joins Utah Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company As Head of Advanced Life Insurance Soluti

2010-02-10T11:34:00.001-07:00

Former Officer of Beneficial Life Insurance Joins Utah Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company As Head of Advanced Life Insurance Solutions.

Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George, Utah – November 9, 2009 – Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah Agency for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) is pleased to announce that Jerry Borrowman, MSFS, CAP, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF and former officer of the local Beneficial Life Insurance company will join the all-inclusive financial services firm as the new specialist for Advanced Life Insurance Solutions starting immediately.

“We are very eager to have Jerry join our dynamic team,” said Todd A. Reid, JD*, CLF, General Agent of Intermountain Financial Group. “His advanced life insurance knowledge, combined with his extensive training, managing and educational background, is a welcome supplement to our firm. His addition enables us to further develop our already strong agency into a significant powerhouse.”

"I am very excited about joining this great firm and working locally with agents, clients, and their other professional advisers," said Borrowman. "This unique opportunity not only challenges me professionally, but also meets my goal of working with a highly rated carrier with superior surplus and strength. said Borrowman.
Before accepting the position with Intermountain Financial Group, Borrowman served as a Life Insurance agent over 30 years ago with another prominent firm and in that time he worked as an agent, a manager, recruiters, and a full-time trainer. He was also the Vice President in field technology allowing him to travel outside of the country. Borrowman boasts five industry designations along with a BA in Political Science and a Masters Degree from the American College. He also has 10 books in print.

About the company:
For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2008. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Provo, Utah. The agency boasts over $740 million assets serviced as of year-end 2007.

# # #
* Not Practicing on behalf of of MassMutual or MML Investors Services, Inc.
**Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

INTERMOUNTAIN FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC RECOGNIZED FOR EXEMPLARY WORKPLACE PRACTICES FOR ITS SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

2009-10-19T14:07:00.001-06:00

Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual awarded the prestigious Alfred P. Sloan Award at the Work-Life Harmony Conference hosted by the Salt Lake Chamber.

Salt Lake City, Provo and St. George, UT (October 15, 2009) – The current recession – considered one of the worst since the Great Depression in the 1930s – is proving to be a “game changer” for organizations in all sectors of the economy. A study conducted by the Families and Work Institute in May 2009 found that most companies (81%) are maintaining the workplace flexibility they offer during the recession and another 13% are increasing it. The question remains: to what extent are employers able to continue be good places for employees to work while dealing with these very difficult business survival issues?

The winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility offer a unique picture of organizations that are finding this middle ground. “From new forms of flexible work arrangements that minimize lay-offs, to creative cost-cutting that retains core medical benefits, to providing financial information and support to employees, these employers are braving the economic storm through innovative policies that prevent undue shock to their workplaces and their employees,” said Ellen Galinsky, President, Families and Work Institute.

Intermountain Financial Group, LLC, the Utah General Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), was honored yesterday by local award sponsor Salt Lake Chamber at a Work-Life Harmony Conference on Wednesday, October 14, 2009. Intermountain Financial Group’s innovative workplace practices include providing its employees a flexible work schedule, full benefits including disability income and life insurance, a strong community service presence, and the overall knowledge that an employees family is the most important factor of their success.

The Sloan Awards Awards honor organizations of all sizes and all types in the state of Utah and across the country that are using workplace flexibility as a strategy to increase workplace effectiveness and yield positive business results.

“We are honored to receive this national award and hope to continue strengthening the bond between the company and our employees. Having a strong and healthy work/life balance is the key to anyone’s success and we as a company do what we can to help with this goal.” Amber Dixon, Marketing and Recruiting Manager said. “It our internal customers that help make us great and we work hard to keep up the positive work environment and develop strong relationships with our employees, their families and the community”.

The Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility are part of the When Work Works project, an ongoing initiative of Families and Work Institute, the Institute for a Competitive Workforce (an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce), and the Twiga Foundation. Through When Work Works, these partner organizations provide research, resources, and recognition to employers nationwide. The project shares the results of research on creating effective and flexible workplaces that meet the needs of the 21st century.

Each of the 2009 Sloan Award winners will also be recognized nationally and will be featured in next year’s edition of the Guide to Bold New Ideas for Making Work Work, published by Families and Work Institute.

Now in its fifth year, the prestigious awards program expanded its application base to organizations nation-wide for the first time in 2009. With the introduction of an “at-large” category and 30 participating communities across the country, any organization in the U.S. was eligible for the award. Applicants were evaluated in a rigorous two-step process, first comparing the employer’s application to nationally representative data from Families and Work Institute’s National Study of Employers, and then corroborating the employer responses through a survey of employees.

For more information about When Work Works or the Alfred P. Sloan Awards, please contact Tyler Wigton at (212) 465-2044 or twigton@familiesandwork.org or Kelly Sakai at (212) 465-2044 x 211 and at ksakai@familiesandwork.org.
.

ABOUT INTERMOUNTAIN FINANCIAL GROUP/MASSMUTUAL

For more than a century, the Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual (IFG) www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com has provided a comprehensive offering of a diverse array of products, including life insurance, annuities, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement planning products, mutual funds, and access to money management to individuals and businesses in Utah and most of United States. IFG currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Provo, and St. George, Utah. IFG has also been recognized as one of the best places to work in Utah by the Work/Life Awards Committee for 2007 and 2008.

*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

ABOUT FAMILIES AND WORK INSTITUTE
Families and Work Institute (FWI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that studies the changing workforce, family and community. As a preeminent think tank, FWI is known for being ahead of the curve, identifying emerging issues, and then conducting rigorous research that often challenges common wisdom and provides insight and knowledge. As an action tank, FWI conducts numerous studies that put its research into action and then evaluates the results. Its purpose is to create research to live by. For more information, see www.familiesandwork.org.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR A COMPETITIVE WORKFORCE

The Institute for a Competitive Workforce (ICW) is a 501(c)3 affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and is working to ensure that businesses have access—today and tomorrow—to an educated and skilled workforce. ICW’s primary responsibilities for the When Work Works project are to provide support to the communities and connect local initiatives to national Chamber efforts. For more information, visit www.uschamber.com/icw

ABOUT THE TWIGA FOUNDATION
The Twiga Foundation is dedicated to inspiring, promoting and maintaining a family consciousness at home, in the workplace and in the community. Twiga’s primary responsibilities for the When Work Works project are to provide support to the communities,.acting as a liaison to key stakeholders in the When Work Works communities to build a broad local leadership constituency for creating better workplaces that meet the needs of employees, employers and communities. For more information, visit www.twigafoundation.org

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Utah children and adults with disabilities get taken out to the ballgame

2009-06-30T10:38:00.003-06:00

Utah children and adults with disabilities get taken out to the ballgame
Salt Lake Bees put special needs families center stage at Spring Mobile Ballpark

Salt Lake City, UT • July 2, 2009― When children or adults have special needs, their parents or caregivers can have special fears about their future care, finances, happiness and independence.

But families in the state of Utah will take a break from that anxiety on July 8th during a trip to the Spring Mobile Ballpark to see the Salt Lake Bees take on the Colorado Springs Skysox. The Salt Lake Bees, MassMutual Financial Group, and EP Global Communications are making this trip to the ball park possible by donating at least 250 tickets, although double that amount of been requested, to special needs families so they can attend the game.

“This is much more than a trip to the ballpark. It’s a loud and clear statement that people with disabilities are an important part of our community,” said Bret Hortin, Agency Special Needs Planner, at Intermountain Financial Group, LLC, the Salt Lake City general agency of MassMutual.

Parents raising children with autism are very concerned about the future independence, quality of life, social and inter-personal connections, employment and housing opportunities for their children, according to a December 2008 Living with Autism study by Harris Interactive, MassMutual and Easter Seals.

These parents also say they’re “financially drowning” and don’t know where to turn for help. The study found parents afraid their family will fall short of cash when they need it most – to care for their children and retire.

“Taking in a ballgame won’t erase their fears or the challenges these families face, but the spirit and symbolism of hundreds of people going to a ballgame together shows people with disabilities and their families are not alone and they play a critical role in their community,” said Todd A. Reid, JD, CLF, General Agent

MassMutual and its agencies are holding these ball park events across the country this spring and summer. They’re called Disability Awareness Nights (DAN) and are done in collaboration with Exceptional Parent Magazine.

“DAN events are important because parents who have children with special needs are not only struggling to manage their finances and care for their children – they’re trying to give their children typical life experiences, like making friends, or simply enjoying a day at the ballpark,” said Todd Reid.

People with disabilities are a special focus for MassMutual and its SpecialCare planners across the country. The Special Care Planner receives advanced training and information in estate and tax planning concepts, special needs trusts, government programs, and the emotional dynamics of working with people with disabilities and other special needs and their families. The certificate program is offered by The American College in Bryn Mawr, PA exclusively for MassMutual financial professionals.

“We’re advocates for people with disabilities and other special needs. There is no reason why they should live in fear or isolation; helping them improve their quality of life is a top priority for MassMutual,” said John Chandler, MassMutual senior vice president.

For more information on MassMutual’s SpecialCareSM program contact the Special Care Planning team at Intermountain Financial Group at 801-453-2264 or visit www.massmutual.com/specialcare

-END-
CRN201103-117329.
About MassMutual
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual and its subsidiaries had more than $360 billion in assets under management at year-end 2008. Assets under management include assets and certain external investment funds managed by MassMutual's subsidiaries.
Founded in 1851, MassMutual is a mutually owned financial protection, accumulation and income management company headquartered in Springfield, Mass. MassMutual's major affiliates include: OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MML Investors Services, Inc., member FINRA and SIPC (http://www.finra.org/ and http://www.sipc.org/); MassMutual International LLC and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB. MassMutual is on the Internet at http://www.massmutual.com/.
About Intermountain Financial Group, LLC:

For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2008 and nominated again in 2009. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Provo, Utah. The agency boasts over $530 million assets serviced as of year-end 2008.

It Is Official! The Utah W.I.F.S. Chapter is Formed!

2009-06-03T14:13:00.003-06:00

Women in Insurance and Financial Services (W.I.F.S)
Local Chapter Now Formed

Women in the insurance and financial services industry now have a group to call “home”

Women in Insurance and Financial Services (W.I.F.S.), solidified the long-awaited formation of a Utah Chapter at an event attended by the national organization’s president-elect, Kathleen Godfrey of Buffalo, New York. President-Elect Godfrey expressed from personal experience how this organization can bring solid solutions to women by offering training, education, mentoring, and overall support on a local level.

Thanks to the grass root efforts of Renee Tribe, LUTCF, and Amber Dixon, the kick-off luncheon was held Wednesday at the Market Street Grill in Cottonwood. Over 30 women attended the event and learned about the local and national organization. As the organization’s name implies, it is focused on women who hold a variety of positions and licenses in the insurance and financial services industries.

Renee Tribe, the new chapter president, and Amber Dixon, the chapter’s public relations and marketing executive board member, started this project with the support of their general agent. In February, an initial exploratory lunch was held, and based on favorable responses at that meeting; the official kick-off was scheduled. “Women need to support women,” stated Renee Tribe. She added, “The financial services and insurance industries are tough, rewarding, ever-changing, and essential. For these reasons, it is highly important to be a part of a support group such as W.I.F.S. – so that in the entrepreneurial world of finance and insurance, you work for yourself, but are not by yourself.”

President-Elect, Kathleen Godfrey, spoke about personal experiences that led her to this career and how interacting and learning from other women in this profession helped her succeed. Ms. Godfrey stated, “Although there are many national organizations, this one is unique because it is focused specifically on women in the financial and insurance industry. It is not a network group, but a support group armed with tools and solutions that can help advance and encourage the success of women.”

The local chapter plans on meeting quarterly and offering CE credit at least once a year and is currently compiling feedback from members and members-to-be for additional options offered to members. The annual dues are $40 and each event is a pay-as-you-go fee.

Coinciding with the kick off lunch, new members of Utah W.I.F.S. donated clothing to the Utah-based Turning Point Center. Turning Point is a center for personal and career development and is a community resource. The Professional Clothing Source portion of the center offers clothing to women who are returning to school and/or the work force and do not have the resources to build a wardrobe. Local merchants and individuals donate clothes that are then made available at no cost to the women in the program.

The Board members would also like to thank Mr. Todd Reid, general agent with Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual and Mr. Roger McQueen, the general agent with Northwestern Mutual for donating money towards the kick-off luncheon and helping make it a success.

For more information to get involved with the new Utah Chapter contact Amber Dixon, Interim Membership Committee Chairperson, at 801-453-2274 or email her at adixon@finsvcs.com; and visit the national W.I.F.S. organization’s website at http://www.w-wifs.org/_. We are also on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
# # #

About W.I.F.S.:
Women in Financial Services is a national organization of women in the insurance and financial services industries. The organization was originally formed in 1936 as the Women Leaders Round Table (under NALU, now NAIFA) and in 2000, expanded to include all areas of financial services. Financial organizations use W.I.F.S.’ Fortune Academy and Mastermind teleconference monthly programs as an economical way to expand women’s meetings. The organization provides an avenue where Financial Services Professionals can network, learn from others in the business, and give back to the next generation. Chapters are located throughout the country, and the organization holds bi-annual conferences.

Women in Insurance & Financial Services in Utah

2009-05-21T12:59:00.002-06:00

We had a fantastic turnout at our Utah chapter turnout for the newly formed Women in Insurance and Financial Services (W.I.F.S) chapter in Utah kickoff luncheon on Wednesday May 20th! WIFS is the ONLY national organization exclusively devoted to helping women succeed in both insurance and financial services. Now we have a local chapter to support you on a more personal level. No matter your tenure, if you are a producer, independent, captive, or in management, we invite you to join WIFS.

You have a lot of choices for association membership. We invite you to experience why WIFS is unique.

Want more information about joining? Contact our Membership Community Chair, MaryLynn Allred at 801-928-8506 or marylynnallred4@msn.com. You can also visit us on LinkedIn under Utah Women in Insurance and Financial Services.

SpecialCare Planner to work with families with disabilities and special needs

2009-05-12T11:48:00.001-06:00

Intermountain Financial Group, LLC Hires Special Care Planner

Bret Hortin has been named the Agency’s SpecialCaresm Planner to work with families with special-needs children.

Salt Lake City, UT—May 12, 2009—Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah General Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has named Bret Hortin as the Agency’s SpecialCaresm Planner last week to work with the Agency’s financial services representatives by providing expertise in working with families with disabilities or other special needs using MassMutual’s SpecialCaresm program.***
Mr. Hortin has been helping families and businesses achieve their financial goals for over 20 years; beginning his tenure with Intermountain Financial Group 13 years ago. Mr. Hortin has recently accepted the position as the agency’s first SpecialCaresm Planner to help assist families with developing valuable financial strategies and creating strategic financial solutions that integrate with Government programs. “The special needs market is growing at a phenomenal rate,” stated Todd A. Reid, JD*, CLF, General Agent. “Bret, who has a personal vested interest and is the only career agent in Utah certified specifically for this specialized area, works diligently to provide access to information and specialists that will help caregivers make those all-important life care planning decisions.”
Mr. Hortin empathizes with parents who are faced with the challenges of having a child with special needs because of the knowledge that there may come a time, through sickness, disability or death, when they will no longer be able to provide for their child. “When our son was born with congenital heart defects, we were overwhelmed and had little understanding or information about planning for the future care of a disabled child,” began Mr. Hortin. “When MassMutual developed the SpecialCaresm program I instantly enveloped it because my wife and I would have loved to have had this resource available to us 17 years ago. This is what motivates me to help others plan for their future.”
The mission of the SpecialCaresm program and Mr. Hortin is to help make a positive difference in the lives of people with disabilities and other special needs, their caregivers, and other family members. Through the network of other specialists and professionals, Intermountain Financial Group can provide appropriate referrals to further assist families with their unique situations and help coordinate family education and communication.
Contact Bret Hortin at 801-453-2264 if you or someone you know would like to sit down with him and his network of professionals to develop a life care plan to include government benefits, appropriate legal documents and necessary financial products to help plan the future of your special needs child.

About the company:

For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2008. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Provo, Utah. The agency boasts over $740 million assets serviced as of year-end 2007.

# # #
* Licensed but not practicing
**Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)
***MassMutual’s SpecialCaresm program provides access to information, specialists, and financial products and services that can help improve the quality of life for people with disabilities and special needs.
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

Intermountain Financial Group, LLC Sponsors Women in Insurance and Financial Services (W.I.F.S) Local Meeting

2009-03-18T10:10:00.002-06:00

Intermountain Financial Group, LLC. (IFG) sponsored the first ever Women in Insurance and Financial Services (W.I.F.S.) luncheon in Utah on Wednesday. This luncheon signified a big step forward for Utah’s women by developing the first and only local Utah Chapter of W.I.F.S., a national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting women in the financial services industry.

Renee Tribe, LUTCF, and Amber Dixon, who are affiliated with IFG, began working on developing this chapter back in 2008 with the support from their General Agent, Todd A. Reid, JD*, CLF. On Wednesday their hard work came to fruition where board members were selected and potential members applied. “We had a great group of women who attended our luncheon,” stated Renee Tribe, the Chapter’s president. “Because W.I.F.S. is dedicated to encouraging and advancing the success of women in the financial services arena, I felt very strongly about starting a local chapter to help Utah’s women working in this field with a place to collaborate.”

IFG is the Utah agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), a Diamond Level partner of the national W.I.F.S. group. “As the General Agent of IFG, I have always had a commitment towards helping women succeed in the insurance and financial services industry,” said Todd A. Reid, JD, CLF, General Agent. “Sponsoring the luncheon was my way of showing my support and the support of our agency to the many talented Utah women in our field.”

MassMutual is committed to supporting the growth and success of women in business and the community at large through financial education, a diverse portfolio of products and services and corporate sponsorships. IFG allied with MassMutual’s efforts through assisting in the formation of a local W.I.F.S. Utah chapter, which was another way of sustaining that growth.

For more information to get involved with the new Utah Chapter contact Amber Dixon, Membership Committee Chairperson, at 801-453-2274 and visit the national W.I.F.S. organization’s website at http://www.w-wifs.org.

# # #
About W.I.F.S.:
Women in Financial Services is a national organization of women in the insurance and financial services industries. The organization was originally formed in 1936 as the Women Leaders Round Table (under NALU, now NAIFA) and in 2000, expanded to include all areas of financial services. Financial organizations use W.I.F.S.’ Fortune Academy and Mastermind teleconference monthly programs as an economical way to expand women’s meetings. The organization provides an avenue where Financial Services Professionals can network, learn from others in the business, and give back to the next generation. Chapters are located throughout the country, and the organization holds bi-annual conferences.
About Intermountain Financial Group, LLC:
For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2008. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Provo, Utah. The agency boasts over $740 million assets serviced as of year-end 2007.
# # #

*Licensed but not practicing on behalf of MML Investors Services, Inc. or Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.
**Securities and investment advisory and financial planning services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Intermountain Financial Group, LLC Hires New Recruiter

2009-03-09T11:37:00.005-06:00

Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah General Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has promoted Anton Brog to serve as the Agency’s recruiter. Mr. Brog will actively be recruiting individual’s to join the firm in the financial advising capacity helping people and businesses with their financial needs.

Mr. Brog joined the Intermountain Financial Group in late 2007 to head their strategic alliance department and recently accepted the added position as recruiter. “We are excited that Mr. Brog has accepted this new position within our management team,” stated Mr. Todd A. Reid, JD*, CLF, General Agent. “He has the knowledge, the fortitude, and the experience to expand the Agency’s already strong team of financial professionals.”

Mr. Brog, who earned his MBA with the University of Utah, has over nine years of experience in the financial services specialty and is a registered principal with the Agency. “I am looking forward to utilizing my advanced skills in the sales and marketing arena’s to be able to promote this career opportunity for an award-winning agency,” Mr. Brog said. “I am jumping right in and will be creating a strong presence at the local universities and in the Utah communities.”

About the company:

For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2008. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Provo, Utah. The agency boasts over $740 million assets under management as of year-end 2007.

# # #
* Licensed but not practicing
**Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

New Hires

2009-03-09T11:29:00.003-06:00

Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has hired Clint Womack, Justin Kent and Kellen Fowler as financial services advisors. Clint, Justin and Kellen help individuals, families, and small business owners with their life insurance and investment needs while supporting the client’s goals for a more secure future. Clint, a graduate from Northern Arizona University, joined the Agency with entrepreneurial experience in the mortgage and real estate realm. Justin, a Springville resident, is a graduate of BYU with a Bachelors of Science degree in Business Finance and has years of managerial experience. Kellen is a graduate of BYU with a Business Management degree.

About the company:

For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; Provo, Utah and Boise, Idaho. The agency boasts over $740 million assets under management as of year-end 2007.

# # #

*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.
Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

New Hires

2009-03-09T11:26:00.000-06:00

Intermountain Financial Group, the Utah Agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), has hired Curtis Rawlings, CPA and Renee Tribe, LUTCF, as financial services advisors. Curtis and Renee help individuals, families, and small business owners with their life insurance and investment needs while supporting the client’s goals for a more secure future. Curtis, a graduate from Utah State University with an MBA, joined the Agency with financial experience as a CPA. Renee, has over six successful years of experience as a financial advisor, is a participating member of Women in Insurance & Financial Services (WIFS), and a PTA President.

About the company:

For more than 156 years, local residents and businesses rely on Intermountain Financial Group to help them secure their financial futures. The company has been in awarded the Work/Life Award by the Utah Department of Workforce Services in 2008 and 2007 naming them one of Utah’s best places to work and the national Sloan When Work Works award in 2008. The company currently has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; Provo, Utah and Boise, Idaho. The agency boasts over $740 million assets under management as of year-end 2007.

# # #
*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

We Won 2nd Consecutive Year

2008-07-17T15:41:00.002-06:00

Salt Lake City, UT, July 17, 2008 – Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual(http://www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com/), a general agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), was awarded Utah’s Work/Life Award at a banquet held on July 16, 2008. This is their second consecutive year.
The Utah Department of Workforce Services recognizes and honors companies that are creating exceptional workplaces and businesses by effectively addressing employee work/life needs and striving to create and maintain a culture of equity and opportunity. Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual was one of the few esteemed winners, in the medium category, selected for this award from an overall pool of 188 nominations. The Company was the sole company from the financial services industry to be awarded.
“This is our second year of participating and of receiving the award,” Amber Dixon, Marketing Manager, said. “It is great to be recognized for our innovative employee relations practices and noticed for the work/life balance our Agency and the industry provides.”
The agency is headquartered in Salt Lake City and has offices in Provo and St. George serving the all of Utah.
# # #

*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.
Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

Media Article about our award

2008-07-14T15:33:00.004-06:00

6/20/2008

Utah Companies Honored for Helping Employees Balance Work and Life
Annual Work/Life Awards Announced
by Natalie Hollingshead

Some companies only care that their employees put in an honest 9 to 5 workday.
Other companies see the face behind the timecard and strive to create an environment that caters to both the work and life needs of their employees.

Every year, the Utah Department of Workforce Services honors such companies with its Work/Life Awards. This year, 21 local companies were selected for the award because of their dedication to creating exceptional workplaces and businesses by addressing employee work and life needs.

“Every year this award gets harder and harder to win,” said Lynette Rassmussen, Director of the Department of Workforce Services’ Office of Work & Family Life. “The success of Work/Life Award-winning companies shows up in many forms, including improved productivity, customer relations, retention, recruitment and marketing.”
Nearly 190 companies statewide applied for a Work/Life reward, with 21 businesses garnering awards. Awards were given in three size categories: Micro (fewer than 50 employees), Medium (50 to 500 employees) and Large (more than 500 employees). Top awards in those categories were given to Cirque Corporation, Cooper Roberts Simonsen Associates and 1-800-Contacts, respectively.

The winning companies will be honored by Gov. Jon M. Huntsman at the annual Work/Life Awards Celebration on July 16 at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City. The event will include educational workshops and best practice exchanges and is open to the public.

Recognized nationwide for the rigorous evaluation and application process, the Utah Work/Life Award is Utah’s premier workplace excellence award. Now in its 10th anniversary year, interest in the award has risen dramatically from the award’s early days, Rassmussen said, with new companies undergoing the entry process each year.

While some participating companies are new to the Work/Life Awards, many of the companies have been contending for awards for several years. For example, Futura Industries, which placed third in the Medium Category, has entered the contest for 10 years, said Susan Johnson, president of Futura Industries, manufacturer of custom aluminum extrusions. 1-800-Contacts, the top winner in the Large category, is on its fifth Work/Life Award.

“Every year we’ve applied for an award we’ve got one,” said Seth Pickett, human resources manager for 1-800-Contacts, a direct-selling contact lens company that had $249 million in sales in 2006. “It has been really to neat to see how the program has grown. When we got our first award in 2003 there weren’t many people (at the celebration) and now there are 1,000 plus people in the hall. There are employers out there that aren’t out to nickel-and-dime their people; they’re out there to help them because they understand the benefits of doing so.”
1-800-Contacts initially become involved with the Work/Life Awards because company executives wanted to find out “where we sat in regards to everyone else.” They also wanted to take advantage of the best practice tours and exchanges that are an integral part of the Work/Life Awards.

“We wanted to use it as a learning mechanism and find out how we could adapt some of the things that other companies are doing in their workplace so our employees can enjoy their lives a little more while working here,” Pickett said.

While company employees enjoy some “perks” that are original to the establishment — including an eight-chef gourmet cafeteria, fitness center staffed with personal trainers and flexible work schedules — some practices have been integrated into the 1-800-Contacts way as a result of the Work/Life award program.

For example, Pickett and others learned about a local company that routinely gave fresh fruit to its employees on the manufacturing line. 1-800-Contacts management liked the idea so much that they have instituted a “Fruit of the Month program,” where they spotlight an exotic fruit and make it available all day, every day to everyone in the company.

Pickett was also inspired by a Blue Cross’ employee recognition program and tweaked that company’s model to create a 1-800-Contacts program.

It may seem like a lot of trouble to go through for employees, but these days it isn’t enough to just create jobs, Pickett said. Business owners and chief executive officers have to create an environment in which their employees can not only survive but thrive.

“As the job market gets tighter and tighter in Utah, people are looking for places where they actually enjoy work. They need time with their family, time for personal needs. This award helps us put our name out there as one of the premier employers in Utah where you can get that.”

Although large corporations may seem like the only places to experience perks like an on-site eatery and in-house gym, the Work/Life Awards also highlights small-and medium-sized companies that cater to their employees.

Cirque Corporation, the innovators behind capacitive touchpad technology on laptops, has only 32 employees and won the top award in the Micro category. Although the company is small, employees enjoy a wide-range of benefits at work because the company is so successful.
“We have stable jobs, excellent health care and all of the things that are reasons why people go to a big company, minus the red tape of a larger organization,” said Nate Coy, sales manager for Cirque Corporation.

Cirque management is incredibly open with its employees, Coy says, and everyone is privy to a once-a-month sit-down where the company’s progress is revealed. No matter what an employee’s position in the company — on the sales team, a software engineer or an engineering manager — he or she is treated as an integral part of the team.
“They put a lot of time into finding the right employees and they treat them really well,’ Coy said. “Some places do all kinds of crazy rewards but here you are just treated like a valuable employee. People come to work and they’re just happy.”

In addition to the openness and respect employees get at Cirque, there are also some unique programs. Every employee gets two community service days a year — paid time-off that doesn’t come out of their vacation time where employees can give back to the community. There is a $500 yearly fitness allowance per employee, which can be used to hire a personal trainer or purchase a gym pass.

Like many companies, Cirque buys season tickets to Jazz basketball games. However, all of the tickets are raffled off so that every employee has an equal chance of scoring great tickets.
That action is telling of the attitude around Cirque, where every employee is valued equally, said Trevor Clifton, a software engineer who has been with the company for seven years.
“We are a tight-knit group,” Clifton said. “Everyone is very friendly and uplifting. As far as the work we get to do here, we see immediate results and long-term results and that is very satisfying. There is nothing I’ve found that compares with what we have here.”
Winners of 2008 Work/Life Awards

MICRO (fewer than 50 employees)
1. Cirque Corporation
2. Fehr & Peers
3. Petzl America
4. The Intrepid Group
5. Utah Foster Care Foundation

MEDIUM (50-500 employees)
1. Cooper Roberts Simonsen Assoc.
2. Forever Green
3. Futura Industries
4. Intermountain Financial Group
5. MVCI Owner Services
6. Software Technology Group
7. The Leavitt Group
8. TURN Community Services9. Westminster College

LARGE (over 500 employees)
1. 1-800 Contacts, Inc.
2. ARUP Laboratories
3. Citi Cards
4. Comcast
5. Mountain America Credit Union
6. Nicholas & Co., Inc.
7. USANA Health Sciences

Two of our Managers Made Management Council

2008-05-07T15:26:00.003-06:00

Two Intermountain Financial Group Associates Qualify for Management Council

Salt Lake City, UT., May 7, 2008– James Duke and Justin Ricks with Intermountain Financial Group Agency, LLC, a Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) general agency based in Salt Lake City and with offices in Provo and St. George, under the leadership of Todd Reid, have qualified for the MassMutual’s Management Council.
The Management Council recognizes their leadership and outstanding performance as a sales manager for the Intermountain Financial Group Agency.

"Both of these Sales Managers work hard coaching and recruiting individuals," said Todd Reid, General Agent. "Their performance last year was incredible to watch and the award each of them received is most assuredly deserved.”

Duke and Ricks have been with Intermountain Financial Group for 5 years and each has been in the industry over a decade. During their tenure with the Agency, each has received many company and industry honors.
###
James Duke and Justin Ricks are registered representatives of and offer securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.

Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.
Crn200904-090151

We won the Crystal Achievement Award!

2008-05-05T10:01:00.004-06:00

MASSMUTUAL’S INTERMOUNTAIN FINANCIAL GROUP AGENCY RECEIVED

CRYSTAL ACHIEVEMENT
General Agent Todd A. Reid Recognized for Agency’s Growth

SALT LAKE CITY, St. George, Provo, UT., April 16, 2008 – The MassMutual Financial Group announced that its Intermountain Financial Group, LLC (IFG) agency, a MassMutual general agency in Utah under the leadership of General Agent Todd A. Reid, JD, CLF, has received the Crystal Achievement Award from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual). The award recognizes the agency for continuous growth in production, new agents and persistency over the previous year.
MassMutual has an extensive field force of more than 4,000 agents in over 80 agencies and only a select few are recognized with this award.

Todd Reid attributes his agency’s success and receipt of the award to, “The quality of our advisors, the products offered by MassMutual, and our overall dedication to our clients and prospective clients.”

For more than a century, IFG has provided a comprehensive offering of a diverse array of products, including life insurance, annuities, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement planning products, mutual funds, and access to money management to individuals and businesses in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

*Securities and investment advisory services offered through qualified registered representatives of MML Investors Services, Inc. member SIPC. (Salt Lake City Agency – 6340 S. 3000 E., Suite 500, SLC, UT 84121 – (801) 943-6277)
###
MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
Company (MassMutual) and its affiliated companies and sales representatives.
Insurance offered through MassMutual and other fine companies.

Technorati Profile

We hired a dynamic woman to oversee Strategic Alliances with banks, CPA's, and lawyers.

2008-01-28T10:04:00.000-07:00

Michelle Christensen is a young up-and-comer in the Financial Services arena. Ms. Christensen graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2003 with a Juris Doctor degree and immediately began to embark on her law career. During her law practice, she worked with Transportation Alliance Bank Inc. helping businesses make informed financial decisions and it was during this time that she found her niche within the financial services industry. She switched from a law career to come to Intermountain Financial Group in order to help businesses and professional individuals achieve their greatest potential through financial alliances.

Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual is the Salt Lake City agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual); a Fortune 100 company. She has been hired to head up the Agency’s financial alliance division and has already made great strides towards creating a solid reputation within the community. Ms. Christensen rallied to be the evening sponsor for the NAWBO reception which was held after the Athena Award’s which were presented by the Salt Lake Chamber earlier this month and also assisted in the promotion and networking of the event.

Ms. Christensen is highly talented in her field and has been spending her time in getting to know various community members and businesses to assist them with their financial needs and potential lucrative unions. She believes in supporting each and every business and/or individual achieve their highest earning potential and walks every step of the way with them building strong bonds with her clients and securing future ventures.

In a male-dominated field, Ms. Christensen moves forward with determination and strength earning respect and admiration from her cohorts and clients alike. She is definitely a woman to watch as I am sure we will all be seeing her rise high not only in her field, but the Utah community as well on a professional and personal front.

It is great to have her onboard. I knew that you didn't have to have a finance degree to be successful and I knew not all lawyers practiced law. What a great example.

2008 and ready to recruit

2008-01-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

It is 2008 and talk about jumping right in to recruiting and marketing for my job. Being the recruiting manager for a financial services firm is highly demanding but one that I believe in 100%. I hope that I can get the word out more and a goal of mine on a professional level is to be a stronger presence in various groups around the Salt Lake valley in Utah and exude a more professional demeanor.

With the housing market going crazy, gas prices rising, child care costs exorbitant, I can see the strong need for a career that is not only flexible but stable as well. That is the type of position I am hiring for but what confuses me is why more women in Utah do not take advantage of the career, or any career for that matter. True, there are larger families in Utah, but would that not mean that more money would be needed to save up for college costs? Wouldn't disability be that much more important for the bread-winner of the family? I mean, what would happen if that person gets hurt and is no longer able to work?

I realize that many women want to stay home with their children, but a financial services professional allows for that as well. I have joined the few women's groups available in Utah and even those are not as full as one would expect. Women have a natural market which would be marketing to other women and assisting them in securing their own financial future outside of the shadows of their spouse's. Yet, I do not see it happening like I feel it should.

Yes, my 2008 goal is to understand and hopefully change that quandary. I want to reach out to the career changers, the college graduates, the current financial representatives and share with them the successful story of the company I work for. The company, by the way, is Intermountain Financial Group/MassMutual (www.intermountainfinancialgroup.com). I know I will do it, I just hope it is sooner than later.