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LWCC
– ESTABLISHED 1991 –
TOP EXECUTIVES: Kristin W. Wall, President & Chief Executive Officer; John Hawie, Sr. Vice President & Chief Strategy & Investment Officer; Paul Buffone, Sr. Vice President & Chief Claims Officer; Michael Stiltner, Sr. Vice President & General Counsel; Gretchen Hofeling, Vice President & Chief Financial Officer; Brent Toups, Vice President of Policyholder Services & Agency Relations; Angela McGhee, Chief Actuary NO. OF EMPLOYEES: 247 PHONE: 225.924.7788 WEBSITE: lwcc.com
IN THE 1970s and 1980s, the costs associated with workers’ compensation insurance for Louisiana employers were steadily increasing. Despite legislative reforms in both 1983 and 1989, the costs of workers’ compensation policies rose to alarming rates. Over the next several years, one by one insurers exited the state. In 1991, led by then senator and former Gov. Murphy J. “Mike” Foster Jr., legislation was introduced to create a private, nonprofit mutual company to ensure all business operating in the state of Louisiana would be able to obtain and keep workers’ compensation coverage. Louisiana voters approved the constitu-
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tional amendment that created LWCC and it became effective Nov. 21, 1991. When LWCC opened for business on Oct. 1, 1992, it hit the ground running, issuing 381 policies and receiving three claims on the first day. Now in its third decade, LWCC has evolved and is proud to celebrate 25 years of business operations. As the largest writer of workers’ compensation insurance in Louisiana, currently LWCC employs over 240 people and serves over 20,000 policyholders in the state. What services do you provide? LWCC provides employers many services and value-added benefits includ-
ing strength and stability, underwriting, safety services, claims management, a statewide occupational medicine provider network, in-house legal and fraud units, online services, and premium audits. To what do you attribute your success? Hard work, perseverance and keeping our eyes on the future while keeping our feet firmly planted on the ground. What values or principles guide your business? We have five core values that guide our business practices and actions
every day: innovation, learning, will, connections, caring and commitment. What’s the best management or marketing advice that someone has offered you? Do the right things, for the right reasons, at the right time. What is the biggest lesson you have learned in business? Trust your instincts. What challenges has the business faced over the years and how did you handle/overcome them? LWCC has faced many challenges