Partner Spotlight

Work Hard,
Play Hard
Page 6
Chris’s
Corner
Page 4
Employee
Spotlight
Page 8
The Source
Volume 2 | Issue 2
Partner Spotlight
Chapman Schewe Benefits Consulting
It’s been said that insurance is a relationship business. Certainly, our newest
partners at Chapman Schewe Benefits Consulting would agree. The firm,
operating in Houston and San Antonio, is a prime example of like-minded
entrepreneurs coming together to make better lives for themselves, their
employees and their clients. From the development of Chapman Schewe to
the merger with Higginbotham, Managing Director Harry Chapman proves his
relationships have one-by-one led him to the BEST IN TEXAS.
Just prior to establishing Chapman Schewe, Harry was the managed care officer
for the central U.S. region at CIGNA (fun fact: before insurance, he was Mayor of
Northampton, MA). He and Dan Schewe previously worked together at Lincoln
National and remained good friends. Lincoln was exiting the employer health care
business, leaving Dan in need of a new position. At the same time, Harry was
looking for a move. He believed his understanding of the contracting basis for
managed care would give him a significant advantage as a broker. So in 1992,
the two came together to create their own practice in Houston.
Then Harry met Rick Smith while placing business with, coincidentally, CIGNA.
They recognized in each other a shared commitment to innovation and customer
service. So in 1995, Rick opened Chapman Schewe in San Antonio.
Continued on p3
Global Reach. Local Touch. Single Source.
Describe your office
culture in one word
“Integrity.”
Harry Chapman,
Managing Director
Stats
Year Established: 1992
Number of employees: 19
Practice areas: Employee benefits
F.O.R.C.E.
Family Of Responsible Caring Employees
Safe Keeperz 4Kidz
Lisa Martinez in our Waco office started a
project called Safe Keeperz 4Kidz. They
collect stuffed animals to comfort children
during emergency situations. Lisa had
an overwhelming response from the
Fort Worth office (shown in the picture).
She groomed each animal, packaged
them individually and distributed them
to emergency responders. So far there
has been 320 Safe Keeperz handed
to TxDOT, Lorena Police and Fire
Departments, Bruceville-Eddy Police and
McLennan County Sheriff’s Department.
Habitat for Humanity
Despite the unexpected cold and rainy
weather, more than 30 Higginbotham
volunteers worked March 22 and 23
to build a home with Trinity Habitat for
Humanity for a family of nine.
North Texas Food Bank
Assurant elected Higginbotham to
choose the charity to benefit from the
auction at its annual sales conference
because they recognized our
commitment to Texas communities.
The conference theme was Stamp Out
Hunger, and $16,000 was raised for the
Tarrant Area Food Bank.
Goodwill 5K Spring Sun Run & Walk
Our Corpus Christi and Portland
offices sponsored the Goodwill Annual
5K Spring Sun Run & Walk for $700.
Higginbotham had 15 employees
participate, and we received the first
place award for Corporate 5K Run &
Walk.
Upcoming
Events
May 8: Employee Shareholder
Meeting, Modern Art
Museum, Fort Worth
May 22-26: Crowne Plaza
Invitational, Colonial Country
Club, Fort Worth
Contact
Send any story ideas, Best
in Texas performances,
photos or suggestions to:
dcaruthers@higginbotham.net
Ben Hogan Foundation
Higginbotham sponsored the first annual
Ben Hogan Classic at Fort Hood on
March 15. This Military appreciation day
treated 180 soldiers to a golf tournament.
It also catered to their families with
a junior golf clinic for more than 120
children, dinner for 350 families and a
concert by Jolie Holliday.
The Blast
The 6th annual The Blast 5K Run and
Walk organized by Fort Worth producer
Mike Sankary in honor of a friend of his
daughter Alexa was record-breaking.
The Run/Walk raised well over its
goal of $200,000 for Cook Children’s
Neuroblastoma Program with more than
2,000 participants including several
Higginbotham employees and their
family members.
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Higginbotham Community Fund
Grants to Texas Non-Profits
Women’s Center of Tarrant County, Fort Worth Office — $1,000
The Women’s Center of Tarrant County inspires, teaches and empowers women and families to overcome violence, crisis and
poverty.
Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health, Fort Worth Office — $1,000
The Laura W. Bush Institute for Women’s Health was established to help grow women’s health research, education and
community outreach and to impact women and their families.
Halo Flight, Corpus Christi Office — $125
Halo Flight is a nonprofit air and ground ambulance service. It operates three helicopters to perform both inter-hospital and
emergency scene transfers in 26 counties surrounding Corpus Christi.
Total Contributions
and Pledges as of 3/19/2013:
$241,390.83
Check the intranet for the latest activity
each quarter
Partner Spotlight
Continued
A joint venture brought Harry to
know Beth Madison and Bill Fisher,
both of whom had partnered with
Higginbotham in 2008 and 2012,
respectively. He also had an existing
relationship with Rick Stephens in
Higginbotham’s Fort Worth office
from when they worked together
at EQUICOR. On Rick’s urging,
Harry explored the idea of joining
Higginbotham too; “Without his
recommendation, I would not have
perused the opportunity. I am truly
grateful for Rick Stephens putting
Chapman Schewe and Higginbotham
together.” And so they merged in 2013.
Harry believes in the power of
meaningful relationships, saying “not
one individual can achieve success in
this business, but with a united group
that includes integrity and respect for
each other we will surely not fail.”
Contact
Address: 10375 Richmond Ave, Ste.
1800, Houston, TX 77042
Phone: (713) 552-1954
Fax: (713) 334-0644
Address: 16170 Jones Maltsberger Rd,
Ste. 101, San Antonio, TX 78247
Phone: (210) 349-9981
Fax: (210) 349-9983
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Chris’s Corner
late hour, she wasn’t in the mood for
small talk and went straight back to the
task at hand.
Why is Higginbotham successful?
Have you ever tried to answer that
question in a few words? If I asked all
of our 543 employees that question,
there would likely be 100 different
responses—all of them being correct.
Perhaps a story can help articulate the
answer…
I walked into the office at 7 p.m. a
few weeks ago. Tracy Jackson was
headed to the copy room with a stack
of certificates. When I asked her what
she was doing, she said, “Parker Holt
wrote a new account today, and we
need to get the certs out.” Given the
In the true spirit of Higg, Tracy takes
on lots of duties, like so many of you
do. You might even say that she has
many jobs. So, how does Tracy’s story
help answer the question at hand? Is it
that she’s a hard worker? Is it that she
can do just about any task at Higg? Is
it that she’s willing to give extra effort?
While all of these are “yes” answers, I
believe the best answer is this: Tracy
has a servant’s heart. There is no task
too menial, no client too small, no
employee inconsequential.
Similar stories of employees
supporting each other play out office
by office, department by department
within Higg. You’re willing to serve
others, whether they are clients,
fellow employees, carriers or our
communities. I’ve heard countless
stories from these folks about our
people going “above and beyond.”
These seemingly little things make
Higg stand out among the 35,000+
agents and brokers in the country.
That makes me proud to be part of
your team.
These “little things” have big results.
As of year-end 2012, we have 25
producers that each account for
over $1 million in revenue; some
significantly more. This is an elite
group not only in our firm, but in the
industry too. You could say that these
producers have hit rock star status.
When you speak to them, they say
that they lean on Higg’s day-two
services, their account managers,
marketers, CSRs, other producers
and many, many others. I have yet
to hear one say, “It’s all me, baby!”
No single person can claim “I am
Higginbotham.” Our firm is successful
because “We are Higginbotham.”
We knocked the cover off the ball in
2012. If we continue to rely on one
another, support each other and live
with a servant’s heart, we have a great
opportunity to continue our great run.
Chris Rooker,
Managing Director, P&C
We Are Higginbotham...
“
...because I think it is awesome how each Higginbotham agency reaches out to their community to help make a difference
by giving to local charities and organizations.
- Sheryl Grace, Wichita Falls
”
“
...because to me building relationships is the foundation for any true success in this life; Higginbotham not only understands
that but also cultivates an environment for it. - Chas Dummit, Fort Worth
“
”
...because our Wichita Falls office has provided outstanding insurance needs for my family for more than 30 years, and
since I live in Austin and work for Higginbotham I’ve been given the opportunity to provide the same level of care for my coworkers, clients and community.
- Nancy Littlejohn, Austin
“
”
...because I have friendly co-workers who are always willing to lend a helping hand and teach me new things, and because
Higginbotham offers many opportunities to grow and excel.
- Angela Gonzalez, Houston
”
How would you finish the sentence? Tell us by emailing dcaruthers@higginbotham.net
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New Faces
Welcome to the Best in Texas Team
Tammie Carpenter
Comptroller
Houston
01/01/13
Jessica Carroll
Administrative
Assistant
Houston
01/01/13
Harry Chapman
Managing
Director
Houston
01/01/13
Shon ChatmanTaylor
Account Manager
Houston
01/01/13
Nancy Cutshall
Executive VP
Houston
01/01/13
Alan Fisherman
Medical Director
Houston
01/01/13
Deborah Lewis
Account Manager
Houston
01/01/13
Rhonda McConnell
VP of Account
Management
Houston
01/01/13
Kenneth Mensio
National Account
Executive
Houston
01/01/13
Donnell Michalec
Account Manager
Houston
01/01/13
Richard Nevins
Employee Benefits
Producer
Houston
01/01/13
Lucy Rodriguez
Sr. Account
Manager
San Antonio
01/01/13
Not Pictured
Rick Smith
Employee Benefits
Producer
San Antonio
01/01/13
Billy Crocker
P&C Producer
Austin
01/07/13
Meriah Graves
Certificate
Assistant
Fort Worth
02/12/13
Jennifer Campbell
Bond Marketer
Fort Worth
03/01/13
Shelly Watkins
Section 125 Admin.
Fort Worth
03/01/13
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Work Hard, Play Hard
Higginbotham Events
Habitat for Humanity
Houston Cook-off
Corpus Christi Customer
Service Week
Wichita Falls’ New “Lifesaver”
Gail Longley’s Retirement Party
Corpus Christi Customer
Service Week
Portland Wear Red Day
Rob & Heather Marsh Wedding
Producer Award Banquet
Austin Wear Red Day
Goodwill 5K
Producer Award Banquet
Robert & Brienne Lilljedahl
Wedding
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Habitat For Humanity
Wichita Falls Wear Red Day
Gail Longley’s Retirement Party
“Snow Ball” Fight
Goodwill 5K
Waco Wear Red Day
Houston Cook-off
Judy Boyles’
Retirement Party
Producer Award Banquet
Habitat For Humanity
Fort Worth Wear Red Day
Corpus Christi Customer
Service Week
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Employee Spotlight
Who: Donna Karpenko
Office: Fort Worth
Best in Texas Performance: Anne Burkett received an
email from Carla Toby with Sonic Healthcare to let her know
how helpful Donna Karpenko was in solving her problem.
“...I really appreciate that she took that little bit of extra time
to do that, as it happens so rarely these days. ...In a big firm
like yours this sort of personal attention means a lot.”
Who: Leah Scoggins
Office: Fort Worth
Best in Texas Performance: On March 27, Leah Scoggins
was a featured speaker at the Executive Healthcare Network
of DFW meeting. She presented “Building a Sustainable
Wellness Program 2013+” to nearly 40 professionals at this
networking event.
Who: Beth Madison
Office: Houston
Best in Texas Performance: In February, Beth Madison
received the Community Pillar Award from Preservation
Houston. The award was given for exemplary leadership in
the community and outstanding contributions to Houston’s
growth and prosperity. Preservation Houston recognized
both her philanthropic work and Beth’s success as a
business owner.
game. ...It was very important for Fast Trac to make a good
impression to our customer and Amanda came through with
flying colors. It’s your customer service representatives like
her that will make Higginbotham grow even larger in the
future.”
Who: Melissa Williams
Office: Austin
Best in Texas Performance: Melissa
Williams received a thank you card and
flowers from a client for providing superb
customer service. Melissa worked with
the client on providing a certificate
of insurance to a vendor in which a
government contract was on the line. The certificate had to
be revised multiple times due to changes in specifications
from the vendor. She also copiously reviewed the policy to
check for compliance and endorsed the policy accordingly.
Melissa took the time to explain everything she was doing in
order to reassure the client, who was very pleased with her
patience and professionalism.
Who: Higginbotham
Office: Corpus Christi
Best in Texas Performance: Our partners in Corpus Christi
won Construction Service Firm of the Year by the South
Texas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors for the
fifth year running! The AGC is the leading association for the
construction industry.
Who: Jeanne Holy
Office: Austin
Best in Texas Performance: Jeanne completed an open
enrollment for a 400+ person group. Prior to the enrollment,
she pre-filled general application information onto each
paper application for the insured’s employees to easily
complete. After the enrollment forms were received, Jeanne
logged all of the data onto a spreadsheet that not only
made it easier for the carrier to enroll into its system, it also
reduced the potential for errors or lost applications. Jeanne
is very detail oriented, organized and always provides great
support to our clients, producers and vendors.
Who: Mary Ellen Moore
Office: Corpus Christi
Best in Texas Performance: Mary Ellen
Moore was given the Office Support
Staff award at the South Texas Chapter
Associated General Contractors annual
Construction Industry Awards party on
January 25. The award was voted on by
members of the AGC.
Who: Randy Lee
Office: South Texas
Best in Texas Performance: Congratulations to Randy
Lee becoming the managing director to our South Texas
region. He has managed the firm’s Corpus Christi, Houston,
Portland and Victoria offices since 1995. Now, Randy will
also lead the four other offices we operate south of Austin,
as well as any additional offices in this region that partner
with us in the future.
Who: Amanda Villanueva
Office: Fort Worth
Best in Texas Performance: Russell Watson of Fast Trac
Transportation emailed Drew Noss to let him know how
much Amanda helped him get the proper certificates issued
to its new customer. “They were making us provide them
with an unusual amount of certificates, it seems everybody
and their brother wanted different wording on them or
different forms but she was on top of her
Who: Higginbotham
Office: Austin
Best in Texas Performance: Our Austin office was
recognized by the Austin Business Journal as one of the
2013 Healthiest Employers of Central Texas.
Certifications/Designations Earned
Ana Allen, Dallas - Chartered Benefit Consultant
Stephanie Pitzer, Fort Worth - Certified Risk Manager
Justin Cook, McKinney - Certified Insurance Counselor
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Producer Award Recipients
Two Million-Dollar Club
Total Revenue (in ascending order)
Rusty Reid
Michael Parks
Jim Hubbard
Jim Ledbetter
Three Million-Dollar Club
Total Revenue (in ascending order)
Randy Lee
Bill Stroud Award
Greatest Percentage Revenue Increase
Ron Still
C. Douglas Dickerson Award
Most New Business
Paige Cokinos
Production Bonuses
Based on Revenue Brackets (in
ascending order)
Matt Berry, Jr.
Melissa Harrison
Tim Miller
Bob New
Mike Whitney
Rob Fraiche
Sam Hulse
Kelly Somoza
Jody Young
Trey Tollett
Tracy Jo Brown
Steve Addkison
Dana Jones
Dudley Ray
Mark Vann
Rick Stephens
Matt Heinzelmann
Matt Berry, Sr.
Jim Hubbard
Ryan Moss
John Collins
William Blanchard
Dan Rybak
Mark Lee
Tami Rodgers
Ron Still
Michael Parks
Jim Ledbetter
Randy Lee
Sales Center Achievement
$2 Million Combined Revenue
Sharon Godwin
Brenda Elam
Stacey Lee
Theresa Misner
Million-Dollar Club
Total Revenue (in ascending order)
William Gammon, III
Matt Heinzelmann
Mark Lee
Jason Littlejohn
David Weeks
Curtis Page
Steve Addkison
Ron Still
Dana Jones
Rob Marsh
Mark Vann
Matt Berry, Sr.
Tracy Jo Brown
John Fawcett
Ryan Moss
Dan Rybak
Bourdon Barfield
John Collins
Tami Rodgers
John Petrosky
William Blanchard
10 Trips to Las Vegas
$2 Million Automatic Qualifiers
Randy Lee
Jim Ledbetter
Jim Hubbard
Michael Parks
Most New Business, Rookie
Mike Cleavinger
Most New Business, P&C Veteran
Paige Cokinos
Most New Business, Financial
Services Veteran
Ron Still
Greatest Increase, $500,000+ Book
Koby Hackradt
Tami Rodgers
Mark Lee
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