Bringing a Revolutionary Program to a Centuries–Old Business

January, 2005

Hickory, NC – Blue Ridge Risk Services of Davidson, NC announced today that it has successfully helped Shuford Mills and Shurtape of Hickory, NC to implement innovative Fortune-100 level Workers’ Compensation Best Practices at the company.

“We, at STM Industires, Inc., Shurtape Techologies, LLC and Shuford Mills, LLC, have with Blue Ridge Risk Services’ leadership and assistance, attained a new level in controlling and reducing our costs for workers’ compensation.” According to Jerry R. McIntosh, Controller.

Blue Ridge Risk Services, BRRS, implemented their Workers’ Comp Plus cost reduction program at STM Industries’ to help the company significantly reduce their costs of Workers’ Compensation, increase employee satisfaction and increase the business’ operational efficiencies. The Program itself is based on Six Sigma Principles which are today being practiced by many of The Fortune 100.

The new process involves changing the way incidents are handles, the way employees are treated and the role of the employer and employee. Safety is always the first goal. However when there is an incident, a formal process begins immediately. Medical care is the #1 priority but even in this first response period, the process is very different. A company nurse contacts the employee and will work with the employee and his family through the entire return–to–work process. In this way, among others, a partnership is created between the company and the employee.

“On the surface, workers’ compensation appears to be a rather simple process.” Explains Tim Cummings, President of Blue Ridge Risk Services. “However it is very complicated because the process of administering a claim and helping the employee involves many people and each one of them has an impact upon the results. The usual outcome is that the individual stakeholders don’t work as a unified team thus causing the business to lose money unnecessarily.”

The next phase of the process involves transforming the traditional rehabilitation process. Blue Ridge’s Workers’ Comp Plus program brings the recovering employee back to work. This increases the business’ productivity, reduces the business’ workers’ compensation expenses and returns the employee to his original wages .

“We’ve taken an expense of which the employer pays 100% and found a way to help the employee and help the company.” Says Cummings. “With our program, the employer saves a significant amount of money, the employees are happier and the business increases its productivity levels. This is one of the all time greatest win–win scenarios.”

Jerry McIntosh of STM Industries said, “Blue Ridge Risk Services’ leadership in implementing Workers’ Compensation Best Practices has had a tremendous impact on our workers’ compensation cost. The Six Sigma process has changed our entire approach from one of reaction to pro–action. We know where we are going on all fronts.”

“It was very rewarding to work with STM’s management team because their goal is to be the best at everthing they do.” Cummings continued. “We had great leadership from their senior management, Steven Shuford, President, Jerry McIntosh, Corporte Controller and Shirley – Director of Human Resources.”

When asked why he started this business in 2001 after working in Risk Management for 25 years at a Fortune 100 company, Mr. Cummings explained. “I have touched every aspect of worker’s compensation beginning as a claim adjuster, so I’ve had a chance to develope processes that are the most effective in reducing cost. When I saw how many American businesses were striving to control their cost but were unaware of the leverage they possessed to impact their bottom line, well, I became compelled to share my expertise.”