I’m excited that I not only get to kick off 2025 with our first Holmes Murphy blog of the year, but that I get to do it by honoring some extremely talented individuals!

At Holmes Murphy, we have what’s called the “Holmes Murphy “Experience.” In simple terms, this encompasses:

• Our Purpose — This is our Why or our North Star. It doesn’t change. It’s “Caring for Your Unique Potential is our Soul Purpose,” and it’s why we exist.
• Our Mission — This is our What. What do we do? “We make a difference by promoting health, protecting wealth, and delivering peace of mind.”
• Our Care Code — This is our How. How do we deliver on our purpose and our mission? Through our SOUL, we:
  • Seek understanding by leaning in, listening, and learning.
  • Operate courageously by always doing the right thing.
  • Uplift others by investing in their success.
  • Lead differently by being “all in.”

These actions speak to the organization we strive to be for our employees and clients. In fact, we feel so strongly about these actions that we created a “Game Changer” award in 2015. This annual award honors select employees who live out our Holmes Murphy Experience, and specifically, our Care Code each day.

We recently named our 2024 Game Changers. They are five incredibly deserving individuals — Chuck Snyder, Jennifer Peterson, Lorie Peterson, Kyla Routson, and Paul Standal. Allow me to give you a little insight into each.

Chuck Snyder

If anyone can say they’ve logged as many air miles as Chuck, I’d be surprised. As a Sr. Risk & Safety Consultant based in our Kansas City office, Chuck is often on a plane, traveling to help clients and support our team. But it’s not just his frequent flyer status that makes him a Game Changer — it’s his dedication, expertise, and the way he uplifts everyone around him. Chuck is a mentor, problem-solver, and connector. He doesn’t just see risks for our clients, he spots the potential for improvement and sets our Sales team and clients up for success. We’ve often heard feedback about Chuck, praising his specialized knowledge, knack for teaching, and willingness to share his tools and tricks of the trade. He is the epitome of what we want to see in a Game Changer — he doesn’t just talk the talk; he walks the walk.

Jennifer Peterson

Jennifer is based in Dallas and is the Stop Loss Operations Manager for Avant Specialty Benefits, a Holmes Murphy PLUS company. Jennifer has built and led the operational side of our Stop Loss business since day 1. Her leadership has led to numerous efficiency gains, which have allowed our Avant team to operate their fast-growing business without interruption to the overall client experience. Her willingness to get involved in complicated claims discussions has made a huge impact for Avant and our clients, and her thoroughness and understanding of our carrier partner contracts has directly impacted several claims getting paid quickly and accurately to ensure that our clients receive the funds they are expecting. She is always seeking out more knowledge on industry-related topics and truly makes those around her better through her drive for excellence, care for our team, and willingness to share abundantly her knowledge and experience.

Lorie Peterson

As a Vice President, Client Manager, Team Lead in our Property Casualty division based in Minneapolis, Lorie is consistently looking for ways to streamline processes and create efficiencies for our clients. In fact, they’ve often commented about the wealth of knowledge she brings to the table, her commitment to excellent service, and her ability to always make time for helping her clients understand the most complex issues with ease. Lorie looks at the big picture and knows that her contributions and what she does matters to all, no matter the complexity or level of understanding needed to be an effective team player. Lorie always ensures she sets aside time to focus on her team, share her knowledge, and teach those new to the industry the technical processes and procedures they need to be successful. We are so fortunate to have Lorie on our team and as part of our family!

Kyla Routson

Kyla is a Sr. Project Manager on the Strategy team and is based in our Waukee office. Kyla has been instrumental in driving the progress and success of many Holmes Murphy projects. Her ability to lay the foundation for execution, including when and who to bring in during various project timeframes and creating a communication plan all can rally around have been a huge benefit to ensuring we implement programs and solutions our Holmes Murphy team needs to help our clients be successful. She’s also not afraid to challenge the status quo and ask questions that make others think. She is consistently engaged in listening and learning, and she is all in when it comes to the work she does. Kyla’s competitive nature and desire for results help drive our business. She wants Holmes Murphy and our clients to win, and that’s a true Game Changer.

Paul Standal

Paul, who is a Sr. Client Service Consultant, has been a key contributor to the development of our fast-growing Employee Benefits team in Minneapolis. He is a mentor and a teacher, and his work with others has allowed them to excel in their roles. He’s also an incredible team player. He’s helped with a number of client accounts he does not lead — to include those in other Holmes Murphy geographies. He’s a great sounding board and is the type of teammate who is fiercely committed to delivering a consistent, timely, and professional client experience regardless of the challenges, capacity constraints, or unforeseen hazards. I can’t say enough about his dedication to all those around him. Always willing to lend a helping hand, Paul’s considerate and thoughtful approach brings our Care Code to life and makes this Game Changer a valued member of our Holmes Murphy family.

GameChanging.Fully.

I love the Holmes Murphy culture, our employees’ engagement with our clients, and how they consistently live out their purpose and offer up their unique talents to make Holmes Murphy better. I hope you see this same level of uplifting service each day you work with us!

P.S. If you see or work with Chuck, Jennifer, Lorie, Kyla, or Paul, I encourage you to congratulate them. We are proud of their efforts, and we hope you are too!