Accident Fund Honors Two Employees: Holaday Named 2009 Employee of the Year; Kittmann Receives Leadership Award

LANSING, Mich., March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Accident Fund Insurance Company of America named Andy Holaday its 2009 Employee of the Year and Keri Kittmann the recipient of its 2009 Leadership Award.

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Andy Holaday Receives 2009 Employee of the Year Recognition

If a big task needs completion, Andy Holaday is your person. He takes ownership of any assignment, so much so that every project he was associated with last year never missed a deadline or target date.

"He does whatever needs to be done to get the job finished in a timely fashion with excellent results," said Accident Fund President Mike Britt, who presented the Employee of the Year award. "He is not afraid of getting involved in the details to make sure that the final work product is of high quality, and his expertise regarding policy and claims data makes him a true asset to the company."

As a senior data and diagnostic specialist, Holaday says he "spends a lot of time on making quantitative data accessible to decision makers in a way they can utilize it. [The award] means the most to me because it's an affirmation from the people I work with and that I greatly respect. Accident Fund is a place that rewards people that have talent, initiative and that think outside of the box. People can be creative and thrive in that type of environment."

Holaday, who joined Accident Fund in 2005 and lives in Lansing with his family, says that doing what he enjoys doing and being appreciated for it is just a "win-win."

Award winners are selected based on contributions during the previous year. Holaday was instrumental in helping the organization interpret, manage and disseminate valuable data more effectively and efficiently, particularly with his involvement in the creation of a predictive-modeling database that lets business users access internal and external information easily and quickly.

Keri Kittmann Wins Accident Fund Leadership Award

Humbled but also delighted by the recognition, Accounting Director Keri Kittmann says being named the 2009 Leadership Award recipient at Accident Fund is really more of a reflection on the great team of people she has working with her.

"They work hard to make me look good," says Kittmann, who will have been with the company 10 years this May. "The award is a testament to how we get things done. Being communicative, respectful to everyone at all levels and empowering staff has worked for me and contributed to our team's success."

Kittmann, who lives in DeWitt with her husband, Chris, and daughters Ella and Reagan, was a key member of the union negotiations team who helped secure a new labor agreement for the company's bargaining unit last year. She also has been instrumental in developing a finance organization for the Accident Fund enterprise, which brought its distinct subsidiaries into one system, allowing for efficiencies and savings in multiple processes. And she implemented the Model Audit Rule, a method to monitor internal controls that are part of the financial-reporting process, with a cost savings of nearly $750,000.

"Keri embodies everything that one looks for and values in a leader," said Accident Fund Vice President of Finance and Administration Jim Keal. "She is a positive role model and a team player and has achieved success not only in the Finance department, but throughout our company."

Established in 2008, the Leadership Award is given to a supervisor, manager or director within the company who's proven to be an outstanding motivational and inspirational leader for his or her team. How well a leader advances his or her team's overall performance in contributing to the company's success is also a determining factor.

"We have a great leadership team here at Accident Fund," Kittmann says. "It's a nice honor to receive amidst all these great leaders."

Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Lansing, Mich., Accident Fund Insurance Company of America actively markets in 18 core states and insures workers compensation clients across the country. Accident Fund is rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Accident Fund Holdings, Inc., the 10th largest workers compensation insurer in the United States. For more information, visit Accident Fund's Web site at www.accidentfund.com.

SOURCE Accident Fund Insurance Company of America