We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature our Senior Knowledge Management Specialist, Shannon Schumm
Shannon has been with us for 16 years and is based in our Colorado office.
Let’s get to know Shannon!
What made you want to work in Learning and Development at California Casualty?
Originally, I had a friend (that I had worked with at a previous job), who worked for CalCas about 5 years before I was hired. She said that California Casualty was a family business and a fantastic place to work. Once I got hired, I learned more about the company, its member groups, and dedication to our local community servants.
I am proud of what CalCas stands for. I am married to a police officer and knowing that there are companies out there that support our LOCAL heroes (teachers, firemen, police officers, and nurses) gives me a huge sense of pride. So many businesses recognize and honor our military heroes, but often forget about our local heroes that serve our communities. California Casualty often goes above and beyond to offer specific and tailored benefits for our customers.
I am also from Southern California so I thought it was ironic to work for a company with my home state in the title from Colorado.
What is your favorite part about your job?
I truly love my coworkers. I am part of a small but mighty team. Each of us brings something different and unique to the table.
By celebrating our team’s differences, we are able to come to amazing solutions for the greater good of our users. We are passionate about providing the right solution to our end users. We push each other to grow, learn, and strive to bring out each other’s very best.
I love knowing that I am able to help ease the complexity of knowledge our employees have. We have one source of truth for our employees to rely on to look up job-related guidelines and procedures. I work with our internal groups to ensure the helps system is up to date and accurate. Having accurate documentation helps create trust within our organization, trust within our documentation, and that trust flows through our employees to our customers.
I also love the friendships that are created at work and then transcend to lifelong friendships. I am honored to work with so many amazing humans, and even more proud to call them friends too!
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
Where to begin? I have learned far more than I ever expected; from getting licensed in 44 states as a Claims Adjuster to learning DITA to manage our internal content. I was originally hired as a Claims Adjuster and later transferred to the Knowledge Management Team.
Our KM Team manages the cCMS and we are basically like tech writers, authors, editors, SME’s (all in one) for an insurance company. I have provided narration for internal training courses, trained new employees on our help system, learned our admin side for our cCMS, and am the administrator for one of our training tools that allows content development and offers multiple outputs (simulations, documents, etc.).
Every day provides a new opportunity to learn and grow which our company strongly supports.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
I teach yoga and yoga sculpt locally. I am pretty involved in the studio’s yoga community. I have participated in leading BootCamps and Teacher Training for the past few years.
Our family loves to go camping and fishing as often as my son’s club baseball allows.
I love new adventures, with that in mind, I just got a new mountain bike which should be super entertaining……and will probably get to know the local ER’s well.
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I am ringmaster of my family circus!! I have 1 daughter who just turned 20, a 14-year-old son, (who eats breaths and lives for baseball) and a stepson and his beautiful wife 2 grandbabies! Of all of that only 1 is still living at home.
We have 3 dogs –my husband is K-9 handler, so we have the police bomb dog Max the German Shepherd, and family dogs Sitka (german shepherd) and Echo (Dutch Shepherd/Malinois). Needless to say, no outfit is complete without dog hair.
I love dad jokes, puns, and anyone who is quick-witted and likes to laugh. As Calvin Turner has told me I am fun, and fun at parties!
If you want to learn more about Shannon or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with her on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature our Underwriting Service Representative, Robin Chavez
Robin has been with us since the summer of 2017 and is based in our Colorado office.
Let’s get to know Robin!
What made you want to work in Underwriting at California Casualty?
I really enjoy serving those in our community that serve the public, and that’s what drew me to begin my career with California Casualty.
Shortly after I started in insurance, I knew that I wanted to move into underwriting. When I saw that a position in underwriting became available at California Casualty, I jumped at the chance to join the team!
What is your favorite part about your job?
I enjoy critical thinking and variety.
Working as an Underwriter gives me the ability to use my mind daily and apply my decision-making abilities to diverse workgroups.
I love my job. I have been given clear goals and expectations to be successful in my position. I have been empowered to take charge of my own professional development and have had management support with my development plan.
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
Throughout my career at California Casualty, I have learned so much; everything from risk management, professional written and verbal communication skills, multi-tasking proficiency, to individual accountability, and even company collaboration.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
I am very family-oriented and spend most of my time with my husband and children.
We love to be outdoors; hiking, camping, and bike riding. However, we also like our down-time to relax and watch movies together.
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I spent my high school years living in Germany and have been fortunate enough to do quite a bit of traveling around America, Europe, and Africa.
My husband is a Firefighter and was one of the first responders involved in both the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires here in Colorado.
I am a huge Harry Potter fan and cannot wait until I get to take my kids to Potter World in the future!
If you want to learn more about Robin or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with her on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
The Pinnacle Club is an elite group of achievers at California Casualty that consist of only the very top performers in our Sales Department.
To reach this career milestone you must be excelling day after day, as stats are analyzed on a monthly basis from January – December. This elite group is the top tier of our company’s new account representatives and every day they are setting the bar higher for their peers around them. “We have a really incredible sales staff, who are doing incredible things, like setting multiple sales records. These Pinnacle Club qualifiers are the very best of the best.” -Greg Friz, Sales Manager AVP.
For 2019, the Pinnacle Club is full of new qualifiers, but many are legacy members of the club; some are being recognized for the 18th, 19th, and 20th time!
Congratulations to our Sales Pinnable Club members, thank you for all that you do for California Casualty and our loyal customers. View the full list of inductees below.
We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature our Underwriting Service Representative, Hope Lees
Hope has been with us since the summer of 2018 and is based in our Colorado office.
Let’s get to know Hope!
What made you want to work in Underwriting at California Casualty?
I had always wanted to be an underwriter. When I first joined the insurance industry that’s been the goal. I love being able to review, investigate and problem solve.
What is your favorite part about your job?
I love that each account is different! Every day at work really is a new day with new challenges – it’s exciting!
Underwriting is a real team sport so to speak; you have your peers and your mentors all helping you better understand guidelines, procedures, rare occurrences, or new changes. I love that I am able to come into work every day and enjoy my job and leave it all at the door when I go home.
Management really supports you; stress isn’t a problem here like at some other insurance jobs I worked at in the past. Every day is a new day – it’s never boring here!
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
In my time at CalCas I have gained a better all-around improved set of skills including problem-solving, research abilities, and time management.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
Spending time with our friends and family! My husband and I love having our friends over – we all pick a new show to watch and we’ll make wings and food for each week’s new episode.
We love finding new restaurants to try.
We go to concerts throughout the year.
I love traveling! We’ll do quick weekend trips to the hot springs, Las Vegas, Arizona, anywhere we can find a quick last-minute getaway!
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I moved from South Florida to Colorado 15 years ago.
I am the oldest of 4 children – only daughter.
We have 4 rescue cats that were abandoned due to their health conditions. They’re doing amazing and are the sweetest angels.
My husband and I were high school sweethearts – together 8 years, married for 5!
If you want to learn more about Hope or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with her on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
Each summer, for nearly 40 years, California Casualty Partner Relations Field Marketing Managers from across the nation have gathered in one central location to celebrate their achievements from the previous year.
This year, to keep our employees safe and healthy, the ceremony was held virtually with over 70 participants- including California Casualty President and CEO, Joe Volponi.
21 awards were given in total for 2019 including, 1 Rookie of the Year Award, 4 Honors Club Awards, 15 Pinnacle Club Awards, and 1 Partner Relations Advocate Award. Below is a list of our 2019 recipients.
Rookie of the Year:
Honors Club:
Pinnacle Club 5th Place:
Pinnacle Club 4th Place:
Pinnacle Club 3rd Place:
Pinnacle Club 2nd Place:
Pinnacle Club Top Achievers:
Partner Relations Advocate Award:
Congratulations to our 2019 winners!
Thank you for all that you do for California Casualty and our customers, you are greatly appreciated.
We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature our Senior Personal Insurance Consultant, Emmett Hughes.
Emmett has been with us for six and a half years and is based in our Kansas office.
Let’s get to learn Emmett!
What made you want to work as an Insurance Consultant at California Casualty?
I was exhausted from working in the HVAC industry, so I thought I would try my hand in the insurance business here at CalCas.
What is your favorite part about your job?
I have awesome co-workers and management!
I also like that I get to do the majority of my work remotely from home with my family.
I get to work with some very creative and helpful people. The work environment is extremely welcoming- even if I’m having a bad day my job still rocks!
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
I have learned the true reality of the sacrifices that public safety employees and educators/support staff make for their communities. Most of the time it’s a thankless job, but I get the opportunity to express our gratitude.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
Going on family bike rides and walks with our two dogs.
Spending quality time with my 5 and 9-year-old children.
Exploring interesting things to do in our local community.
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I once met the Nature Boy, Rick Flair, in Tulsa, OK and got his autograph! WOOOOO! (only real fans know)
I’m extremely interested in anthropology and am fascinated by the idea of human origins.
I enjoy watching UFC.
I’m Midwest, born and raised, but I cannot stand to listen to Country music. I ’m a fan of ’80s, ’90s, and 2000’s Rock and Alternative.
I would love to visit Stonehenge, The Pyramids, and Machu Picchu
If you want to learn more about Emmett or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with him on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
