Daws TouchPoints a publication of Dawson Insurance
Fall/Winter 2015
All the Right Things Beverage Wholesalers, Inc., headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, supplies a wide variety of malt beverages (beer), wine, and non-alcoholic beverages to more than 1,800 licensed retail outlets in North Dakota and Minnesota. Randy Christianson, president of Beverage Wholesalers, Inc.
President’s Extra Mile Ex Second Location Message W President’s Message
Same People, Same Service – Only Better
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By Tom Dawson
y now you’ve most likely heard about our new partnership with Marsh and McLennan Agency. Soon after we made the announcement in late October, the questions and comments started: “How will this affect me? I hope I still get to work with Joni (or Matt or Crystal or whomever). You know, bigger isn’t always better.” I get it. We have all worked with companies that have gone through a merger or an acquisition where the experience has not been all that positive. This is not one of those situations. This acquisition is truly “change without change”. We are the same company that we have been for nearly 99 years. You will continue working with whomever you work with now. We did not do this to get bigger. We did this to ensure the best strategy for future growth, the best career opportunities for our team members, and most importantly, the best services and products for our clients. We truly are the same people providing the same service – only better. I promise. Another thing that is new with Dawson Insurance is our tag line, Trust Earned Daily. For years we were known by the words, “The Premium Won’t Break You, – A Loss Might!” While those words served us well, it was time to refresh things a bit with words that convey what we do day in and day out. We know and understand that trust is not something that is simply handed to us. Rather, we must earn it over time, and then continue to actively work every day to keep it. We have gotten to where we are by earning the trust of our clients, our team members, and our company partners on a daily basis ever since we were founded in 1917. As Dawson Insurance transitions to our next century with Marsh and McLennan Agency, rest assured that we know what it takes to earn and keep your trust for decades to come. If you have any questions about our change without change or our commitment to and execution of Trust Earned Daily, please call me. It is always a pleasure and honor to visit with clients. From everyone at Dawson Insurance, have a safe and wonderful holiday season! D
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TouchPoints TouchPoints • Fall/Winter • Fall/Winter 2015 2015
Extra Mile
e are excited to be part of one of the fastest-growing areas in Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo. Stop and see us soon at our new second location, 5675 26th Avenue South in Fargo (just off of Veterans Boulevard). D
xtr Client Safety C Our Team Client Safety
Our Team
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INSURANCE ADVISORS Ben Armbrust, CLCS Dan Armbrust, CIC, CPIA, CPCU, CRIS Penny Crowder, CISR, CIC Tom Dawson, CPCU, CIC Zack Dawson, CIC Brandi Hedin, CLCS Ryan Hoffman, CPCU, AIC, ARM Mark Julik, CIC, CRIS Jay Kleingartner, CIC Wayne Lauwers, CIC Jim Nyhof Dexter Peters Matt Peterson, CIC Roger Peterson, CIC Natalie Schultz, AIC, CPCU Steve Winter, CIC Ben Zietz
In All the Wrong Places
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s a culture, we take great pride in applying the metaphor of shoving 10 pounds of stuff into a five-pound bag across all aspects of life. Being wellrested is not bragging material, while being exhausted seems to be. Our comparatively less-than-average amount of vacation goes unused. Chronic sleep deprivation is a well-documented threat to our immediate and long-term safety and health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one-third or 40.6 million workers get less than six hours of sleep per night. Twenty-two million, and rising, due to the increased prevalence of obesity, are not getting good sleep due to sleep disorder. In the workplace, fatigue is expressed sideways as: Acute injuries, poor customer experiences, low production, absence, interoffice conflict, increased health care costs from chronic conditions, and more. When the speed of life and associated machinery exceed the
capacity of our attention, danger is all around. So the practical problem becomes one of how to manage it. Regulations established in the transportation industries have been among the first to get a handle on the risks posed to operators and the general public. While there is no question that safety has been improved, short of using technology to continuously monitor fatigue-producing factors, it falls on individuals to follow rules and otherwise make good choices. That being the case, the least we can do is help people make better-informed choices. Through his work with hundreds of companies as a safety coordinator, Dawson Insurance’s Matt Weis can attest that (outside of regulated transportation workers), fatigue management and fitness for duty policies are conspicuously absent from most safety programs. It’s also too common to find, “needs to pay more attention” listed as a corrective action within investigations of workplace injuries. In each of these instances, fatigue should be on the shortlist of investigated factors. To help you and others fall asleep in just the right places, additional resources on fatigue management can be found at http://www.dawsonins.com/ services/loss-control/. If you are unable to access these materials, call our office at 701-237-3311 for assistance. D
ADMINISTRATION Mary Bjerke, CPCU Jaclyn Hanson Steve Miller, CPA Maria Reinhiller Brooke Rogers Angie Wohl CUSTOMER SUPPORT BONDS Matt Edlund Becky Hecker Bridget Helm CLAIMS Jill Graveline Kathy Richard COMMERCIAL LINES Joni Alfson, CIC, CPCU Kevin Bruggeman, CPCU Donna Christlieb, AU, CIC Jennifer Davis, CISR Alex Dawson Holly Fitch, CISR Dana Gary Stacy Kemerling Lesley Koehler Melissa Krystosek, CIC Karen Lundberg Sharon McDaniels, CIC Mariah Rud Jen Rudnicki, CISR, CIC Desiree Schweigert Melissa Setzer Laura Stone Jill Stromsborg Dar Zimmerman, CIC LIFE & BENEFITS Evonne Johnson, INS Jordan Kraft LOSS CONTROL Kari Furness Matt Weis, PHR PERSONAL LINES Kendra Ahlquist, CISR Connie Bertram Stacey Frolek, CISR Ashley Krump Raeanna McCollum Crystal Rosen Renee Walkup • DawsonIns.com 800.220.4514
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Client Spotlight Clien Client Spotlight
Right Thing, Right Time, Right Place Beverage Wholesalers, Inc. Delivers Beverage Wholesalers, Inc. Dawson Client Since: 2003 Founded: 1967 Location: Corporate Office and Warehouse in Fargo, North Dakota; Warehouse Facilities in Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, and Marshall, Minnesota Number of Employees: 80 Company Overview: As a federally and state permitted and licensed alcohol distributor, Beverage Wholesalers, Inc. supplies a wide variety of malt beverages (beer), wine, and nonalcoholic beverages to more than 1,800 licensed retail outlets in North Dakota and Minnesota. Randy Christianson serves as the company’s president.
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TouchPoints • Fall/Winter 2015
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ounded in 1967, Beverage Wholesalers, Inc. (BWI) headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, has roots that reach back to the mid-1940s when it was known as Fargo Distributing and operated from Front Street (now known as Main Avenue). The alcohol distributor has grown from that one storefront to four locations: Its corporate headquarters and distribution center is in Fargo, and additional distribution centers are located in Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, and Marshall, Minnesota. Randy Christianson serves as president of BWI, and from time to time, as trivia buff. “There’s one industry in the U.S. that exists as the result of two amendments to the United States Constitution,” explains Randy. “The 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacturing or sale of alcohol within the U.S., and the 21st Amendment repealed it.” It’s hard to believe that only 80-some years ago, it was illegal in the United States (from 1920 to 1933) to have a glass of wine with dinner or to enjoy a drink or two with friends. Perhaps equally hard to believe is the vast number of statutes, regulations, and rules within the three-tier system of alcohol distribution, which basically is that
producers sell their products only to wholesale distributors who then sell to retailers, and only retailers may sell to consumers. There are of course exceptions, such as in the case of brew pubs. “Each state has different regulations, and it’s up to the distributor to ensure that excise taxes are paid, all parties involved are properly licensed, alcoholic products are registered with the state, and so on,” says Randy. “The 21st Amendment, which repealed prohibition, in addition to federal laws and regulations, gave every state, territory, or possession of the United States the right to restrict or ban alcohol, thus allowing state and local control of alcohol. Primary enforcement of a state’s right to regulate is by requiring that alcohol ‘comes to rest’ in a licensed wholesaler facility within the state.” Leading up to prohibition, there was limited competition, and excessive consumption was heavily promoted. The phrase “lock, stock, and barrel” refers to the pre-prohibition brewer owning exclusive retail establishments and selling only his/her products to the public, which significantly limited competition and choice. Undoubtedly Randy is well-versed in the industry: He started his career at BWI in 1981 as a controller and became part owner in 1984, becoming president and majority owner in 1996. One of the big changes Randy has seen in the industry during his career is the major shift in market share leaders. “There was a time when Minnesotabased breweries such as Schmidt, Grain Belt, and Hamm’s had significant market share,” Randy says. “Changes and consolidations on the brewery side of things from 1981 to 2000 took the number of brewers in Minnesota down to a handful. Now
nt Spotlight Client Sp Collectively, the Beverage Wholesalers shareholders (left) have 100 years of industry experience. MinnKota Recycling (below) offers a wide variety of recycling services.
there’s 60 to 70. On a national level, we went from a few hundred brewers in 1975 to more than 4,000 today. The three-tier system had a lot to do with that growth by giving equal and low cost of entry to the market place.” The biggest challenge with that shift, Randy continues, is having adequate storage space. Considering that 25 years ago BWI had less than 100 different store-keeping units (100 different brands and packages of beer, so to speak) and now has approximately 1,000, portfolio management becomes increasingly important. To meet the demands of an expanded portfolio, BWI doubled its Fargo warehouse/distribution center space in 2011. In December of 2014, BWI moved into a new warehouse facility in Marshall, increasing its footprint there from 20,000 to 55,000 square feet. In March of 2016, BWI will move into a new facility in Alexandria and go from 24,000 to 60,500 square feet. The Detroit Lakes location will undergo a slight interior facelift this upcoming spring. In busy lakes country, its 20,000 square feet is full to capacity. All four locations feature temperature-controlled warehousing and operate daily sales and delivery routes. “All of our competitors have quality products, and it’s all competitively priced,” Randy says. “What sets BWI apart is our ability to service and deliver to our market and get the right thing at the right time to the right place.” Aiding in “all things right” is new technology in picking orders in the warehouse. Voice picking – each location in the warehouse has an address – enables better integrity of product rotation/ freshness and reduced picking errors. About 75 percent of brewer-shipped product is delivered by Reliance Transportation, Inc., (RTI) a spinoff company from BWI that was established in 1981.
“Having a fleet of 20 to 25 trucks at our disposal gives us a great deal of flexibility in getting fresh beer from a brewer to one or all of our warehouses quickly,” Randy says. Another spinoff company is MinnKota EnviroServices, Inc., (MEI) which is the umbrella company for MinnKota Recycling, MinnKota Secure Document Destruction, and Recovered Materials Management. What started as a response to a demand from the beer industry – in the mid-1970s, Olympia Brewing required distributors to recycle aluminum cans – grew into recycling other materials and ultimately into processing and marketing materials from the recycling programs of Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota. Undoubtedly BWI will keep riding the wave of industry regulations and trends, and for Randy, he’ll do it alongside family: Sons Jason and Mike work at BWI as sales and craft brand manager and portfolio manager, respectively, and as minority shareholders, are part of the BWI succession plan as are Greg Huss, vice president of sales of BWI, Brad Holm, general manager of BWI, RTI, and MEI, and Derrick Gothberg, CIO of BWI. “We were able to get all five of the minority shareholders approved by
our major suppliers and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the minority stock transaction took place in 2011.” Collectively the shareholders have 100 years of experience in the industry. “We have a great management team,” Randy shares. “We each have an area of responsibility that is backed up by training, education, and experience.” Longevity and relationships are two things that Randy points to for BWI’s success. “We have a number of team members who have been with BWI for 25 to 40 years, including fatherand-son and mother-and-daughter team members across different departments,” Randy concludes. “It feels good knowing that team members recommend BWI as a good place to work. It means even more when a parent recommends us.” The right thing at the right time in the right place. Beverage Wholesalers, Inc. has it covered – and then some. D
800.220.4514 • DawsonIns.com
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Life & BePersonal Lines Life & Benefits
Easing the Compliance Burden:
Personal Lines
Insurance Premium Reduction Courses
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iscounts are available to those who sharpen their driving skills. Both Minnesota and North Dakota offer up to a 5% premium discount to drivers who complete an approved crash prevention course. Note that some companies for both states limit this opportunity to drivers 55 years of age and older. Options for completing this training can be found by following the links:
New Resources Available
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e are committed to providing you, our valued clients, with the best services and resources to support your business. As such, we are excited to announce a new suite of technology solutions that provide additional value for our life and benefit clients. Whether it is questions related to COBRA, ACA, FMLA, or ADA compliance, employers today have a larger compliance burden than ever before. Our new solutions enable us to help you by offering: • Employer education resources: From legislative briefs on the latest developments to HR guidance to plan design education, we have access to hundreds of resources written by a team of experienced attorneys. • Employee communications: We now provide a wide range of employee deliverables, from monthly newsletters to wellness program materials to benefits communications and much more. • Resource portal: In addition to accessing these resources on-demand in a central location, the resource portal also offers benchmark surveys, an online forum to connect to other industry professionals, and more. • Health claims analytics: To help you get the most value for your benefits plan, we’ve acquired a claims analytics tool that helps us identify utilization problems to target strategic, cost-saving solutions for your health plan. We value your business and trust in us and are excited to strengthen our partnership with these new tools. Please contact us at 701-237-3311 to learn more. D
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TouchPoints • Fall/Winter 2015
• North Dakota Insurance Reduction Courses: http://www.nd.gov/ndhp/safetyeducation/insurance-premium-reduction-courses • Minnesota Mature Driver Discount Courses: https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/ forms-documents/Documents/AccidentPreventionCourseList.pdf If you need assistance obtaining these resources, feel free to contact our office at 701-237-3311, and ask for help finding information on premium reduction courses. D
Attention Plumbing Contractors: Important Licensing Change
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he state of Minnesota has made changes to its licensing process, effective January 1, 2016. One major change is that surety bonds must now be continuous. In the past, contractors were required to renew their bond every two years. Additionally, if you are a licensed plumber and also an SSTS (subsurface sewage treatment system) contractor, you
must file a duplicate original plumbing bond with the Minnesota Pollution Control Office. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the surety department at Dawson Insurance (701-237-3311). D
Personal Umbrella Policy: Keeping You High and Dry
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id you know that you might need to carry an umbrella even if it isn’t raining outside? Much like a traditional umbrella protects you from the rain, a personal umbrella insurance policy can keep you from getting soaked. Imagine a scenario where you are responsible for a serious auto accident. Even though you already have a great auto policy with a $500,000 combined single liability limit, the damages to the other party’s property and their injuries total $800,000. Where are you going to come up with the extra $300,000? If you have an umbrella policy in force, there is no need to worry. You have a mini-
mum of $1,000,000 in excess liability on top of the limits provided in your personal policies. If you don’t have an umbrella, you could be looking at property liens and wage garnishment in order to satisfy the remaining $300,000 owed to the other party. So, even if the unthinkable does happen to you, carrying a personal umbrella policy can give you the confidence and peace of mind needed to weather the storm. D
EmployeeRetirem sNew Person New Employees Jordan Kraft group implementation specialist jordan@dawsonins.com
Jordan became a member of the Dawson team in August of 2015. Prior to joining Dawson, he worked as a COBRA implementation specialist at Discovery Benefits in Fargo, North Dakota. Jordan’s career experience also includes working as a leasing agent at Hegenes Property Management and as a support specialist at Scheels All Sports, both in Fargo. His main responsibilities include assisting producers with bid specifications and requesting bids from carriers as well as conducting employee enrollment and renewal meetings. Familiar with Dawson for some time, Jordan says he knew it was a place he wanted to work because of its great culture and vibe. Jordan resides in Fargo with his wife, Kelsey, and their dog, Koda. In his spare time, he enjoys biking, woodworking, and playing ping-pong.
Melissa Setzer account assistant msetzer@dawsonins.com
Melissa joined the Dawson Insurance team in August of 2015. She moved to Dawson from the legal field, working as a paralegal and legal secretary for two Fargo, North Dakota law firms in a variety of practice areas, including criminal defense, family law, contract review, and trusts and estates, as well as in legal document processing at Integreon Managed Solutions in Fargo. Her primary responsibilities include assisting account managers by contacting clients or companies as necessary, processing changes and policies, and providing service to clients and agents. She was drawn to Dawson because “the company has an unparalleled reputation in this region both as a wonderful employer and a stellar company with which to do business”. Noting Dawson’s volunteerism and community involvement, Melissa says it is a privilege to work for such a company. Melissa resides in Moorhead with her husband, Dan, and their family includes sons Colton and Grant and daughter, Mona. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the lake and fishing in the summer, being a “hockey mom”, machine embroidery and sewing, and reading.
Renee Walkup account manager renee@dawsonins.com
Renee joined Dawson Insurance in July of 2015 and brings industry experience with her, having worked most recently at Superior Insurance Agency in Fargo, North Dakota and for nearly nine years at Rohde Insurance Services in Fergus Falls, Minnesota prior to that. She was drawn to Dawson Insurance because of its positive reputation among both clients and employees. Renee’s primary responsibilities include managing personal lines accounts, and she says the best part of her job is helping people with the gamut of their insurance needs. Renee and her husband, Kevin, have three children and two grandchildren. In her spare time, Renee enjoys home improvement projects, shopping, spending time with friends, and going to the lake with family. D
Retirement
All the Best, Roger!
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hat a change the end of 2015 will bring: Longtime Dawson Insurance associate Roger Peterson will retire after a 41year career in the insurance industry. Roger joined Dawson in 2003 when the agency merged with Halvorson Insurance. He has worked in the personal insurance and commercial lines throughout his entire career, and he currently specializes in commercial business. Roger, who served in the U.S. Navy and is a Vietnam War veteran, actively volunteers with several vets’ organizations across Fargo-Moorhead. He is active in his church and looks forward to having more time to enjoy traveling, golfing, gardening, and most of all, spending time with his family. Roger and his wife, Susan, have two sons and four grandchildren. From all of us at Dawson Insurance, thank you, Roger, for your significant contributions to our success. Your steadfast dedication and commitment to our mission have been inspiring. You have been an extraordinary mentor, and we are grateful for your leadership, guidance, and friendship. Thank you, and congratulations! D
Dawson 24/7 Online Access
Your insurance information is always available so you can: • Obtain Certificates of Insurance. • Print auto ID cards. • Notify Dawson of a claim or loss. • View your policy information. • Make change requests such as address or adding vehicles/ drivers. Keep in mind, coverages are not bound until you receive confirmation from our office.
800.220.4514 • DawsonIns.com
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721 1st Avenue North PO Box 1958 Fargo, ND 58107
Trust EarnClaims Corn Trust Earned Daily
Claims Corner • Computer system downtime. Cyber • The disruption of your normal business operations and lost Liability business.
Dawson Insurance is 98 years strong and proud to be your local, full-service insurance agency. We provide personal and business insurance, life and benefits, and surety services. Our team focuses on being trusted advisors, ensuring our customers are properly protected and matched with the best insurance carriers, while earning your trust daily.
oes your business collect credit card info at the point of sale? Does your website process credit card transactions? Are Social Security numbers, home addresses, email addresses, and/ or phone numbers stored on your computer? Do you use the cloud for hosting applications or data? If you answered “yes” to any of these, you and your business are at risk for a data breach. Many small businesses – and most not-so-small businesses – believe that cyber liability is a big business issue. However, in the last year, 70 percent of small businesses have had their data breached! Ultimately, you are responsible for your customers’ data. The financial ramifications of a breach can be devastating for a business, and can include:
Downtown 721 1st Ave N PO Box 1958 Fargo, ND 58107
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• The investigation and remediation of the damage to your computer system. • The cost to restore your compromised or lost data. • The expense of repairing your reputation, credit, and identity. • The cost to notify your customers of the breach. • The cost of regulatory fines and legal costs. • The costs associated with a third party claim filed against you by your customers, vendors, suppliers, etc. Unfortunately, a general liability policy typically does not cover this type of loss. Please speak with your agent to ensure you are properly covered. D