On June 2nd, we kicked Pride Month via our Newfront Town Hall and I was so pleased to see so many of our Newfront colleagues donning the rainbow colors – including special wristbands sent to each employee to aid in the launch of a new Employee Resource Group. As I was thinking about a few words to share to open our conversation that day, I realized that it is almost a year to the day since we held our June 3, 2020 Social Justice Town Hall. One year ago, across the entire country, people were saying the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. In those three names – George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery – our country found a rallying cry for social justice and for equity.

That rallying cry was a cry for answers. Let me again share a few of my words from a year ago:

So where do we find answers when our world is turned upside down? Dare I say, we must find answers in love. Martin Luther King, Jr., did, when he said, “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.” MLK was a Christian minister and knew that the great commandment is: “Love God with all your all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. And, love your neighbor as yourself.” Can I say, “we must love!”? The great sage of India, Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, offered this: “The consciousness in you and the consciousness in me, apparently two, really one, seek unity and that is love.”

One of the five stated goals in Newfront’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Charter is, “To drive acceptance and LOVE within Newfront.” The word “LOVE” in all caps.

So when I think about those words today, in the context of celebrating Pride, I think of the rallying cry, “Love wins.” The phrase was popularized after the 2015 Supreme Court decision in favor of marriage equality for same-sex couples. Love wins. Who wants to take the other side of the argument that love wins?

How can you argue against the power of love, including self-love and acceptance? In recent weeks, the struggles of transgender youth have been brought to the forefront by actor Elliott Page, who referred to his transition surgery as “life-saving.”

In a recent interview, Elliott said: “I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer. And the more that I hold myself close and fully embrace who I am, the more I dream, the more my heart grows and the more I thrive.”

“I think it’s about: How can I feel grateful for my joy, and embrace my joy, and allow myself to have that joy — but then put that joy and that love into action?”

Love wins when love is put into action. It is written, “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Tauren Wells wrote a beautiful song of that title, “Love is action.”

Today, we celebrate Pride month by kicking off a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) – emerge at Newfront. Through emerge at Newfront, the ERG will champion a vibrant Newfront work community and a safe workplace for our LGBTQ colleagues, family members, and allies. Newfront is a place of positive work alliance, promoting diversity in talent acquisition and vendor selection and through emerge at Newfront, we hope to further support corporate social responsibility activities through outreach and engagement with the LGBTQ community, while helping everyone in their quest to be FABULOUS.

So today, as we kick off Pride Month, let us embrace Nelson Mandela’s call to action, which says:

“Social injustice is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. YOU can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.” Newfront Team: WE can be great. We WILL be great, together, because we live our value, “In This Together.” Because “we are there for each other and honor the differences of each person in our organization!”

How fitting that the 2021 San Francisco Pride Celebration Theme is “All in this together.”

On June 2nd, we kicked Pride Month via our Newfront Town Hall and I was so pleased to see so many of our Newfront colleagues donning the rainbow colors – including special wristbands sent to each employee to aid in the launch of a new Employee Resource Group. 

Newfront Kicks Off Pride Month with New Emerge ERG

Last month was the second Mental Health Awareness Month set against the backdrop of a global pandemic. And while we are in a much different – and dare I say better – spot than we were this time last year, the significance of mental health awareness is no less profound. At ABD, we endeavor to offer resources to help our team acknowledge and address their own mental wellbeing. We framed the month with recognition of the various stages from “surviving” to “thriving” and encouraged our team to actively participate in learning and living along that spectrum.

We kicked off the month hosting Paula Davis, founder of the Stress and Resilience Institute and author of . Paula helped us think about burnout as an organization and rather than focusing entirely on an individual’s symptoms, shifting our attention to the causes of burnout, and embracing a systemic, holistic solution.

She shared the symptoms of burnout (e.g., chronic exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy) and the cause as an imbalance between certain job demands and job resources. The antidote, according to Davis, is to create thriving and resilient teams. Davis recommended creating a culture of resilience by keeping teams aware of tangible and intangible resources at their disposal; actively inviting teams to contribute new ideas; and constantly keeping teams informed.

We wrapped up the month with Dr. Eric Potterat, a clinical and sports psychologist and retired U.S. Navy Commander considered one of the leading experts in high performance psychology, performance optimization, and teamwork under pressure. Dr. Potterat shared the value of self-awareness and revealed stress mitigation methods for high-pressure working environments. He also shared invaluable practical tips to both understanding and learning the characteristics that contribute to higher productivity and more consistent success, and ultimately excellence.

We heard many “nuggets” from both professionals that can help individuals and organizations create a mental wellbeing and success strategy. A few we loved:

Mental strength is the ability to control the human stress response and it can be learned, practiced, and improved.

Beware of catastrophizing events that have not happened.

Write down your goals, whether long-term or simply how you mean to end one day and start the next.

Find balance with work, relationships, health, and spirituality and use self-affirmation as a positive feedback cycle.

Mental wellbeing is a journey for everyone, and everyone takes a different path along that journey.

We thank Paula Davis and Dr. Eric Potterat for taking the time to share their wisdom and guidance and help ABD be a better team for our clients, colleagues, and the community.

Last month was the second Mental Health Awareness Month set against the backdrop of a global pandemic. And while we are in a much different – and dare I say better – spot than we were this time last year, the significance of mental health awareness is no less profound. At ABD, we endeavor to […]

Mental Health Awareness Month in the Time of COVID: Surviving to Thriving

A unique partnership that brought the COVID-19 vaccine to hundreds of members of diverse communities in the Seattle area in March had a little help from Advanced Professionals Insurance & Benefit Solutions, Newfront’s wholesale benefits division. 

Advanced Professionals staff were among the dozens of volunteers needed to keep patients safely flowing through the pop-up vaccine clinics, which were coordinated in part by client Business Health Trust and its plan sponsor, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. 

Business Health Trust, an association health plan that offers employee benefits to members of the Seattle Chamber, partnered with local grocery stores and other business organizations to “Get the vaccine into hundreds of arms, without wasting a single dose,” in the words of The Stranger article How an Army of Volunteers Helped Vaccinate Nearly 1,000 People in Two Days. 

“This clinic is an exciting example of how we can work together to expand vaccine access in an inclusive way and get our whole community on the road to recovery,” said Rachel Smith, president and CEO of the Seattle Chamber. 

One of the pop-up clinics was in Seattle’s diverse White Center neighborhood, which has had one of the highest rates of COVID-19 incidence in King County and where fewer than half of residents age 65 or older have received at least one dose of a vaccine. The two clinic locations offered materials and translation in multiple languages, including Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, Khmer, Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Tamil, Ukrainian, sign language and English. 

“As we continue to work to support more vaccine clinics, we are dedicated to helping bridge barriers such as language that arise,” said Sarai Childs, executive director of Business Health Trust. 

Since the first U.S. case of the COVID-19 pandemic was identified in Washington state a year ago, Business Health Trust has mobilized its partners to help provide valuable resources to its members, including stand-up hand sanitizer stations and personal protective equipment (PPE) at no additional cost. 

“Bringing the business community together to proactively support these efforts is key to helping us reopen safely,” Sarai said.  

Advanced Professionals is the managing agent for Business Health Trust, which insures more than 15,000 small business employees across Washington state. Its diverse insurance benefits include medical, dental, vision, life/AD&D, legal, retirement and more.  

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Showcases the Power of Partnership

Racism is an epidemic we need to end. We stand in solidarity with our AAPI friends, family, and colleagues. Join us in supporting and amplifying organizations and resources so we can protect Asian lives and advance racial equality.  We’ve compiled a list of resources in the Bay Area and Seattle and will continue to update regularly.

Report instances of anti-Asian assault at StopAAPIHate.org

Chinatown Ambassador Program – Join the volunteer foot patrol – Community Strolling – passing out red envelopes, building relationships with community members and visitors, cleaning up trash we see. Remove graffiti from businesses and murals, keep the sidewalks clean in Chinatown.

Volunteer or organize programs in Seattle – API Chaya empowers survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking to gain safety, connection, and wellness.

Support Asian Immigrant Women Advocates  – AIWA works with immigrant workers employed in the Bay Area’s garment, home care, hotel, restaurant, assembly and other low-wage industries, and low-income immigrant youth in Oakland.

Asian Pacific Fund COVID-19 Recovery Fund – COVID-19 Recovery Fund to distribute funds among local nonprofits working to address critical pandemic issues, including the rise in anti-Asian racism, higher fatality rates, and longer unemployment, in the Bay Area.

Support Red Canary Song – Centers base-building with migrant workers through a labor rights framework and mutual aid.

National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum – NAPAWF seeks to build collective power with AAPI women and girls to gain full agency over lives, families, and communities.

Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund – Help protect and promote the civil rights of Asian Americans by providing resources and advice to Asian American communities across the country.

If you’re in a position to give, these organizations and projects are a good place to start.

Racism is an epidemic we need to end. We stand in solidarity with our AAPI friends, family, and colleagues. Join us in supporting and amplifying organizations and resources so we can protect Asian lives and advance racial equality.  

Ways to Support the Asian American Community Right Now

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Newfront has been working to increase awareness, honor survivors, and remembering those lost to the disease. We began the month with a special guest presentation from Julie Shaver, Executive Director at the American Cancer Society, and over the past few weeks, we’ve shared stories from team members for whom the disease has directly impacted.

Linde Hotchkiss, Executive Vice President and Southwest Market Leader of our Property & Casualty practice, shared her experience cycling the Pan Massachusetts Challenge in honor of her Aunt Peg, who lost her battle with breast cancer in 2005.

Nicole Van Zant, an Account Manager on the P&C Life Science team, is a breast cancer survivor herself. Three years cancer-free this year, here she is with her “miracle baby” that she had post-recovery.

Libby Wohlmuth, a New Business Account Executive for the Private Client Services team, celebrates her mother, who is a 13-year breast cancer survivor. Here is one of her two breast cancer tattoos celebrating being cancer-free for over a decade.

Joe Maskiewicz, honors Breast Cancer Awareness month with his son.

Newfront is proud of our team members’ journeys with breast cancer and thank them for sharing their stories. To close out Breast Cancer Awareness Month, join us in attending a virtual Barry’s PINK OUT Fitness Class in support of the American Cancer Society.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Newfront Team has been working to increase awareness, honor survivors, and remembering those lost to the disease. We began the month with a special guest presentation from Julie Shaver, Executive Director at the American Cancer Society, and over the past few weeks, we’ve shared stories from team members for whom the disease has directly impacted.

How the Newfront Team Supports the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Every August, I pack my bike and fly from San Diego to Boston – which is where I grew up.  I unpack my bike and head west to Sturbridge, the start of the Pan Massachusetts Challenge (PMC).  Since 2008, I have made this pilgrimage and ride 192 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown over that first weekend in August. Every year, I learn something important about myself.

In my first year, I was grumbling a bit to myself at the beginning of day one, as we rode out at 5:30 am (2:30 am for this west coaster) and there was a particularly steep climb. My legs weren’t warm, the climb was difficult, it was really early in the morning, I had never ridden this far in my life, and, let’s face it, I was more than a little cranky. I was focusing on a man up the hill in front of me whose calves had something written on them. I pedaled closer and closer until I could make out the words “Living” on his left calf and “Proof” on his right. The world slowed to a crawl and the tears streamed down my face. I realized at that moment that I can do anything for a day.

In a more recent year, torrential downpours on Saturday made that day about 50% longer than usual as I am always concerned about safety. Because of the rain, my digital gear shifting started acting up and then finally quit allowing me to shift. This meant that I had to ride the last 20 miles with one gear – this included hills!!!  After riding 170+ miles and much of that in the rain, it was defeating to not be able to shift into an easier gear for the hills. In my desire to find something positive in this struggle, I realized that it is much easier to endure suffering if it has a definite endpoint. Those that I was riding for may not have an end to their suffering while I knew mine was finite and only 20 miles away.

Another year, it was hot and incredibly humid, and I was not able to take on enough water and Gatorade. At the 82-mile rest stop, I was cramping and getting sick. I told myself that I just needed to get to the next rest stop and then I would take an Uber to the end. I got on my bike and was staring forward, focused on just trying to stay upright. A man came up next to me and said “Hey Linde, how are you doing?” to which I responded “I am really struggling in this heat,” then I asked (not because I really cared, rather it was the polite thing to do) “How are you?”  to which he responded, “I am doing GREAT!”.  I looked to see what was going on with this man to be so happy and positive in this heat and realized that he had one leg!  I realized at that moment that it is all about perspective – I had two working legs and that was certainly enough for me to get to the finish.

I ride to honor my associates, friends, and family who are bravely fighting this disease. I ride in memory of my aunt Peg who lost her fight with cancer in August of 2005. I ride to make a difference, having raised 23,319 in the 13 years since beginning this journey. I will ride as long as I am able and seek to involve and inspire others while on this journey.

Every August, I pack my bike and fly from San Diego to Boston – which is where I grew up.  I unpack my bike and head west to Sturbridge, the start of the Pan Massachusetts Challenge (PMC).  Since 2008, I have made this pilgrimage and ride 192 miles from Sturbridge to Provincetown over that first […]

Acts of kindness change the world for the better. Small steps toward making each other smile lead to great change. Today, we celebrate “Pay It Forward Day” – a day to create waves of good feelings across the globe.

Global Pay It Forward Day is about showing love and compassion for one another and inspiring our neighbors and community to stand for kindness. It’s more than donating and dollars, it’s about changing life – inspiring each other to smile – and inspiring each other to do what we can to pay it forward.

While much of the world is closed and essential workers risk their lives daily, I’m amazed by the outpouring of good deeds I’ve seen from so many different communities across the globe. Corporations are donating and shifting resources to support flattening the curve. Small businesses are still donating a percentage of profits to charities that mean most to them, even when faced with closing their doors. Teachers are taking time to explain lessons to individual students from outside their windows. Birthday parties have shifted to parades – having participated in a birthday parade firsthand, waving from a distance, the love felt stronger than ever before.

As I shelter-in-place, I can’t help but wonder, “How can I pay it forward from home?” So, I wanted to take this opportunity to share ideas of small acts of kindness that can build and inspire others, while also contributing to the safety and wellness of your community. Look for opportunities around you and start small, even the simplest things can change the lives of those around you.

Support a local business. Even if you can acquire products or meals in a simpler way, your purchases and order contribute to another day their doors stay open.

Don’t forget to recommend local businesses to friends and spend a few minutes to write a positive review for them.

Offer to pick up grocery supplies for your neighbor, or even partner with an organization to help with food deliveries.

Send snail mail! Make cards and send them – this one is a double dose of kindness as your recipient gets a card, but you’re supporting the USPS!

Encounter someone in customer service or even someone you work with who is especially kind? Be sure to thank them and take an extra five minutes to tell their manager!

Find opportunities to give compliments. It costs nothing, takes no time, and could make someone’s entire day. Stop just thinking it. Say it. (Even remove your mask if safely distanced and share a smile – smiles are known to be contagious!)

Have friends with children? Offer your time via Zoom or FaceTime – read a book or spend time with them while they take you on an adventure!

Offer your ear and listen to someone’s story. You don’t even have to offer a solution or advice. Just be someone who listens.

Make a donation to your local food bank or through Feeding America. Now, more than ever, food banks need assistance. Consider supporting, if you have the capacity to do so.

Set your Amazon account up through AmazonSmile and select a charitable organization of your choice to receive 0.5% of eligible purchases each time you shop. I have mine set to a food bank within my community, but there are over a million eligible 501©(3) public charitable organizations to choose from.

Try not to put pressure on yourself to come up with the perfect idea or search for something monumental to kick-start your journey. Start small, just do what feels right. Paying it forward, regardless of who you’re paying it to, should be selfless – it should be something really wonderful for someone who wouldn’t expect it to come.

Recently, my daughter and I cut what felt like a million colored hearts, then taped them to our garage. What started as a project for us to pass time one afternoon, transformed into a project that has inspired our neighborhood. Soon, families were visiting (from a safe distance) to peek at our little ray of hope and smiling as they passed our house, and are now demonstrating their own unique ways to share positivity such as rainbows streamers in trees, post-it note messages in windows, and chalk art dressing the sidewalks.

Today, Pay It Forward Day, we ask you to join us in this worldwide celebration. How will you pay it forward? What small thing can you do different today that can start a feeling of goodwill or provide a benefit to your community today, and every day to come?

Let’s inspire acts of kindness, starting on this day, and continue to pay it forward together!

Share with us how you’re paying it forward with #ABDPaysItForward.

Acts of kindness change the world for the better. Small steps toward making each other smile lead to great change. Today, we celebrate “Pay It Forward Day” – a day to create waves of good feelings across the globe. Global Pay It Forward Day is about showing love and compassion for one another and inspiring […]

Earlier this month, the ladies of Newfront’s Seattle Maritime Team were honored to host lunch for a Lunch and Learn organized by the Seattle Chapter of WISTA (Women in Shipping and Trading Association). The event space was hosted by the Holland America Group.

Pictured: Jenn Rabena, Tosca Pinder, Denise Couples, Mary Mark

While WISTA Lunch and Learns tend to focus on the maritime industry, over the last year, we have had some really amazing speakers from a variety of backgrounds. August’s featured speaker was CEO & General Manager of the reigning WNBA Champions Seattle Storm, Alisha Valavanis.  Her conversational approach allowed for authentic discussion on topics that are impacting women across different industries. She used clever and relevant sports analogies around how to create a winning team and develop company culture. Attendees left with a better understanding of traits of effective leaders, empowering others to lead, and creating space for positive impact.

One thing Alisha mentioned really stuck with me, in fact, it stuck with me enough that I returned to the office and shared it with my team. It went something along the lines of, “There will be people on your team that have the skillset and are too shy or quiet to ask for the ball. Leadership is about getting them the ball.”

As I shared this with my team, we started to discuss it and spoke at length about how our own culture at Newfront supports this idea. At Newfront we believe that together is the only way forward as a company, as an industry, and most importantly, as an advocate for our clients. We play to each other’s strengths, working as a team across the firm to bring innovative product solutions and services tailored precisely to the need of every client’s business operations, organization and phase of growth.

Tosca Pinder
Maritime Producer
(206) 960-4210

Earlier this month, the ladies of Newfront’s Seattle Maritime Team were honored to host lunch for a Lunch and Learn organized by the Seattle Chapter of WISTA (Women in Shipping and Trading Association). The event space was hosted by the Holland America Group. 

Playing to My Team's Strengths with WISTA

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Newfront Kicks Off Pride Month with New Emerge ERG

Mental Health Awareness Month in the Time of COVID: Surviving to Thriving

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Showcases the Power of Partnership

Ways to Support the Asian American Community Right Now

How the Newfront Team Supports the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Why I Ride for Breast Cancer Awareness

Celebrating Kindness: Paying it Forward

Playing to My Team's Strengths with WISTA

Newfront for Businesses

Newfront for Employee Benefits

Newfront for Private Clients

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.css-13o7eu2{display:block;}Newfront Kicks Off Pride Month with New Emerge ERG

Mental Health Awareness Month in the Time of COVID: Surviving to Thriving

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Showcases the Power of Partnership

Ways to Support the Asian American Community Right Now

How the Newfront Team Supports the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Why I Ride for Breast Cancer Awareness

Celebrating Kindness: Paying it Forward

Playing to My Team's Strengths with WISTA

Newfront for Businesses

Newfront for Employee Benefits

Newfront for Private Clients

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Newfront Kicks Off Pride Month with New Emerge ERG