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Each year, the Insurance Business America publishes a national publication listing the top 100 professionals that are making big waves in our industry. It is with great honor to announce that our own Jeff Eiserman will be featured in the 2017 HOT 100!
As many of you know, Jeff is one of the leading Cyber Liability experts in our region. Whether he is a source for a local magazine story or he’s serving on a panel for national seminars, Jeff’s the go-to guy when it comes to cyber insurance and risk management.
http://www.ibamag.com/us/rankings/hot-100-2016/
We are honored to announce that CoxHealth has presented us with the Elite Agency Achievement Award for top ten insurance agencies for current business, new business, and retention. We look forward to our continued relationship with Cox and our continued success in the industry.
CoxHealth’s Bart Stead presents John Akers with the Elite Agency Achievement Award at our Branson office.
John Akers displays the 2015 Elite Agency Achievement Award next to past awards of the same merit.
CoxHealth’s Bart Stead presents the Elite Agency Achievement Award to our Springfield office. (Pictured from left to right): Jennifer Campbell, Mindy Pippin, David Arney, Kevin Robbins, Bart Stead, Erica Gaynor, Peggy Gawley and Myleah Shrimpton.
DOL Issues New Overtime Payment Rules
DOL Issues New Overtime Payment Rules
OVERVIEW
On May 18, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule regarding overtime wage payment qualifications for the “white collar exemptions” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
GOING GREEN AT WORK AND AT HOME
Many people have taken the earth’s resources for granted, and it continues to become apparent that we need to change how we live to conserve our planet for future generations.
Hackers’ Billion-dollar Bank Heist Foiled by Typo
An unknown group of hackers nearly stole $1 billion from the Bangladesh central bank in a cyber heist in February. Though the cyber thieves were discovered, they stole about $80 million before being stopped.
According to senior bank officials, the hackers somehow breached Bangladesh Bank’s systems and stole its credentials for payment transfers. The thieves then began sending transfer requests to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Those requests—totaling nearly three dozen—were for transfers from Bangladesh Bank’s accounts at the Federal Reserve to various accounts in Sri Lanka and the Philippines.
Four transfer requests, totaling about $81 million dollars, went through before a fifth request, for $20 million, misspelled the name of Sri Lankan nonprofit organization “Shalika Foundation” as “Shalika Fandation.” The misspelling prompted a routing bank, Deutsche Bank, to contact the Bangladesh central bank for clarification, at which point officials stopped the fraudulent transactions.
Bangladesh Bank has said it has recovered some of the money, and is attempting to recover the rest with the aid of anti-money laundering authorities in the Philippines. Additionally, the Bangladesh government has chastised the Federal Reserve for failing to stop the transfers earlier, and insinuated possible legal action. The Federal Reserve has responded by saying its systems weren’t breached and that it’s been working with Bangladesh Bank officials to try to recover the stolen money.
© 2016 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.
Wellness Works! Avoiding Spring Allergies
Allergy season is already upon us in certain parts of the United States, and unseasonably warm weather is partially at fault. Weather patterns related to El Nino have caused plants to bloom earlier than normal, and the combination of blooming flowers, pollen in the air and warmer temperatures is a nightmare for allergy sufferers.
Keep the following tips in mind if you are affected by seasonal allergies when spring arrives in your area:
- Take off your shoes as soon as you get home and leave them by the door. This will reduce the number of pollutants inside your home.
- Take a shower before you go to bed. This helps you avoid taking mold or pollen to bed with you.
- Avoid going outdoors when the pollen count is high, which is typically during hot, dry and windy days.
- Do some spring cleaning. Dust accumulated indoors over the course of the winter can sometimes be worse than outdoor allergies.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive, nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice. Readers should contact a health professional for appropriate advice.
© 2016 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.
Data Breaches—A Growing D&O Concern
Insight for business owners and risk managers provided by Ollis/Akers/Arney
A data breach can be a devastating event, affecting a company financially and damaging its reputation with customers. But as a director or officer at your company, you face litigation risks based on the decisions you make following a breach and on how you influence cyber security policies, as these are often considered board-level issues.
Best Practices Agency 2015 !
We’re delighted to once again retain our status as a member of the Best Practices study group for the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA).
The agencies comprising the study group are selected every third year through a comprehensive nomination and qualifying process and awarded a “Best Practices Agency” designation. The selected “Best Practices” agencies retain their status during the three-year cycle by submitting extensive financial and operational data for review each year. Only 196 independent agencies throughout the U.S. retained their status for 2015.
The Best Practices Study was initiated by IIABA in 1993 as the foundation for efforts to improve agency performance. The annual study of leading independent insurance agencies, which is conducted for IIABA by Reagan Consulting of Atlanta, Ga., documents the business practices of these “best” agencies and urges others to adopt similar practices.
We’re proud to be part of only 196 independent agencies throughout the country who are committed to using best practices to provide the best solutions to our clients.
To learn more about the IIABA, visit www.independentagent.com.
Happy 50th Medicare!
On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law Medicare to provide low-cost hospitalization and medical insurance for the nation’s elderly. To celebrate Medicare’s 50th birthday here are some interesting Medicare facts.
- Johnson signed Medicare into being in Independence, MO.
- Former President Harry S. Truman was the first Medicare enrollee.
- The cost for Medicare part B premiums in 1966 was $3 per month.
- At the end of 2014, the Kaiser Family Foundation reported the number of Americans on Medicare as 49,435,610.
- 10,000 to 13,000 people turn 65 every day in the US.
- A recent change to Medicare is the “Doc Fix Bill” or H.R.2 which will change how physicians are paid.
If you have questions about Medicare or Employee Benefits, reach out to us at ollisco@ollisco.com or 417-881-8333.
AHA Platinum Achievement Honoree
Ollis & Company has a long standing relationship with the national and local branches of the American Heart Association. From the Heart Walk to Rock the Red Bash to fundraising internally, our ideals align under the common goal for helping people live longer, better lives by promoting health and wellness.
We’re honored to be among the first class organizations who commit to wellness on a level warranting the Platinum Achievement designation. Wellness is part of our culture, and an important part at that. We weave it into the day-to-day at our office by offering fruit for our staff, selecting healthy menus for lunch meetings, and providing an on-site workout facility free of charge to our staff.
– Cameron Black, Director of Wellness Consulting
The American Heart Association designates Platinum Achievement honorees as those who have committed to:
- Offer employees physical activity options in the workplace
- Increase healthy eating options at the worksite
- Promote a wellness culture in the workplace
- Implement at least nine criteria outlined by the American Heart Association in the areas of physical activity, nutrition and culture
- Demonstrate measurable outcomes related to the workplace wellness
Click here to read more about Fit-Friendly worksites and the American Heart Association.
Phone: 417-881-8333
Email: cameron.black@ollisco.com
Connect with Cameron on LinkedIn
