09/29/22

In Loving Memory Of One Of Our Family Members, Lori Johnson

General Interest

It is with great sadness that we announce that Elliot, Powell, Baden and Baker lost a bright light September 22, 2022 with the passing of one of our family members, Lori Johnson.

Lori was a valued team member at Elliott, Powell, Baden and Baker for the past seventeen years as a Commercial Lines Assistant. But for all of us she was more than a co worker.

“Lori was one of the nicest people I have ever had the privilege to know,” says EPB&B President Marc Baker. “I am grateful to have had the honor of working with Lori for seventeen years. She was an integral part of our EPB&B family and a wonderful resource to our customers. The office will not be the same without her smiling face and positive vibes.”

“ Lori always came to work with a smile on her face and joy in her voice,” adds Lori’s longtime co-worker, Commercial Lines Account Manager Leeann Harmon. “She was so proud of her family, and you could see the love in her eyes when she would share a new picture from one of her nieces or nephews. Lori had a heart of gold, and I feel honored that she was not only my co-worker but a good friend.”

Our hearts are with Lori’s family during this difficult time and hope they find comfort in knowing that Lori will always be part of our family at EPB&B.

.Here is more about the special life of Lori Johnson

09/28/22

AUTUMN LEAVES: Four Tips For Easier Raking

General Interest

Fall leaves. They are beautiful as they turn golden brown on the trees, but not so pretty when the wind and rain hit and they cover your lawn in a big sloppy mess. Leaving leaves sitting on the top of your lawn guarantees mold, pests, and weed seed through the winter.

It may be hard work, but here are some tips to make raking your leaves this Fall a little easier.

Wait For Them. No need to rush out with your rake at the first sign of dropping leaves. Save yourself time and energy and wait to tackle the task until most leaves are on the ground. This also leaves more time to watch football.
Divide and Conquer. Staring down a yard full of leaves can be daunting. Plan to divide the yard into segments and complete each area before moving on. Stop to grab some water and stretch your back every ten minutes or so.
Use Proper Technique. You wouldn’t play golf with a baseball bat; the same can be said for raking leaves. A proper rake is key. Make sure it is long enough you do not have to stoop over and rake in small strokes toward you and not away. Your back will thank you in the morning.
Use A Tarp. Instead of raking leaves into piles directly on your lawn, rake them onto a tarp. When the tarp is full, you can drag it to a compost bin at one time instead of repetitive bending to pick up the piles.

If you have kids, harness that youthful energy and get them involved too. Enjoy ythe beautiful Autumn weather and happy raking.

09/25/22

EPB&B Awarded Top Workplace In Oregon For Eighth Time

EPB&B In The News

Recognition

Elliott, Powell, Baden, and Baker was recognized today as The Oregonian Top Workplaces 2022. This is the eight time in the past ten years (and fourth consecutive year) that EPB&B has made the Top Workplaces list of small employers of one hundred employees or less.

It is more than the hybrid work schedule, chair massages, team lunches, and generous bonus structure that makes Elliott, Powell, Baden & Baker, Inc. an excpetional place to work. We pride ourself on looking at things in a different way and value being nimble. Instead of measuring our success based on the number of transactions we complete, we focus on the quality of relationships we form, including the bond between our employees and our organization.

Here is what our employees have to say about being part of the EPB&B team.

“EPB&B has an atmosphere of caring about employees. There is a strong feeling of community.”
“EPB&B strives to make employees feel welcome and part of a work-family team.”
“EPB&B truly takes care of employee’s needs and values our time with our families.”
“EPB&B gives back substantially to the community. It is a great example of the agency’s strong values”.

“I am proud that at EPB&B we have a culture of teamwork, trust, appreciation, and growth,” says President Marc Baker. “I believe that a positive workplace leads to a superior customer experience, and our growth in the past decade is confirmation of that.”

A big shout out to our team for making EPB&B such a positive workplace.

09/19/22

Four Autumn Driving Safety Hazards

Auto Insurance

You can feel it coming; summer’s long warm days slowly fade into cooler mornings and darker nights. Autumn is here, and with it comes some additional hazards that make driving tricky requiring some extra attention .

Children. With school back in session, be extra mindful of school zones where kids may be walking to and from school. Although you may see them, they may not see you, making their actions unpredictable. Be on the defensive and go slowly.
Darkness. It is getting darker earlier these days and with the end of daylight savings time on November 6, 2022, time spent driving in the dark will only increase. According to the National Safety Council 50% of traffic deaths occur at night.
Foliage. A favorite part of Fall is watching the leaves turn from green to beautiful golden hues, but eventually, they must fall, and when they do, they will litter the road. When leaves become wet, they create a slick mat that can be as slippery as a patch of ice.
Wildlife. Fall is a mating season for many forms of wildlike, especially deer. Drivers are 3.5 times more likely to hit a deer in November than any other month (1 in 100 in Oregon). Be particularly aware when driving at dusk and dawn when deer are on the move.

Please se be cautious and aware and together we can keep each other safe while on the road.

09/14/22

SAIF declares $75 million dividend

Worker's Compensation

We are please to share the following press release from our professional partner SAIF Corporation. Good news for policy holders.

September 14, 2022

Today the SAIF board of directors declared a $75 million dividend for its policyholders.
SAIF determines whether a policyholder dividend is appropriate based on capital levels, claim trends, and the overall economic environment.

“Like all Oregon businesses, SAIF is cautious about current economic trends,” said Chip Terhune, president and CEO of SAIF. “However, after careful consideration, we felt declaring this dividend was the right thing to do to serve our policyholders.”

The dividend will be based on premium for policies whose term ended in 2021 and will be distributed in October. This is the 13th year in a row SAIF has been able to offer a dividend, and the 25th dividend since 1990.

As a not-for-profit with a public mission to make workers’ compensation coverage available, accessible, and affordable, SAIF is one of the only insurance carriers in Oregon that has regularly returned dividends to policyholders. For SAIF, it’s an important part of our value to customers.
SAIF is able to pay dividends because of its solid financial position and continued success in managing workplace safety and health and controlling losses.
50,960 policyholders will receive the dividend.

About SAIF
SAIF is Oregon’s not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company. For more than 100 years, we’ve been taking care of injured workers, helping people get back to work, and striving to make Oregon the safest and healthiest place to work. For more information, visit the About SAIF page on saif.com.

09/09/22

Free Webinar Series: Is Your Company Cyber Ready?

CATO

Cyber Security

Are you Cyber ready? 65% of all U.S. businesses experienced a breach or ransomware attack in the previous 12 months. Is your company prepared to meet the challenge? Here’s your chance to ask the experts. Justine Avera of EPB&B Insurance , Peter Talmage and Etay Maor of CATO Networks are teaming up in a dynamic series of webinars to help you become Cyber Ready.

Cyber security is a hot topic right now. 65% of all U.S. businesses experienced a breach or ransomware attack in the previous twelve months. Network Security and Data Breach Insurance is becoming more difficult to qualify for and getting the limits you want. Could you complete the security checklist and meet all the guidelines? Here’s your chance to get some tips from the experts, Justine Avera of EPB&B Insurance , Peter Talmage and Etay Maor of CATO Networks . Register below.

Webinar #1 Is Your Company Cyber Ready?

Date: September 29^th, 2022

Time: 12 pm – 1 pm (PDT)

Justine Avera is a 28 year veteran in the insurance industry, specializing in manufacturing, cargo and distribution, cyber security, professional liability, and intellectual property insurance. She supports entrepreneurs with strategic problem solving, individualized risk analysis, and utilizes a collaborative approach. If you need help protecting your company or nonprofit organization from volatile cyber security threats, or navigating your insurance options, contact Justine Avera

Phone 503-445-8402 / 800-488-2869; Email, Javera@epbb.com

Peter Talmage – Regional Sales Director PNW Cato Networks knows that simplicity in business networking and cybersecurity begets agility, reduces attack surface and turns IT into a business enabler. His focus on realizing strategic outcomes has driven his successful career in business technology. With 20+ years of technology consulting and sales under his belt, Peter understands business leaders are not interested “what” a provider offers. They are interested in “why.”

Etay Maor is the Sr. Director of Security Strategy at Cato Networks and an industry-recognized cyber security researcher and keynote speaker.

Previously, Etay was the Chief Security Officer for IntSights, leading strategic cybersecurity research and security services. Before that, Etay held numerous leadership and research positions as an Executive Security Advisor at IBM, where he created and led breach response training and security research, and as Head of RSA Security’s Cyber Threats Research Labs, where he managed malware research and intelligence teams and was part of cutting edge security research and operations.

Etay is an adjunct professor at Boston College and holds a BA in Computer Science and a MA in Counter Terrorism and Cyber Terrorism. Etay is a frequent featured speaker at major industry conferences and is part of RSA Conference and QuBits conference committees. Major news outlets often tap him for his astute commentary on and insights into the cybersecurity news of the day.

Learn more about how Elliott, Powell, Baden and Baker, inc. and CATO Networks can help your business.

09/07/22

Five Tips To make School Lunch Planning Easier

Uncategorized

General Interest

As a soon to be empty nester, this is the first Fall in almost two decades I have not had to make school lunches. Although it like a chore some days, i’ll admit I’m going to miss it. As I did, you may start each school year with the best of intentions to make healthy, creative lunches to send with your kids to school, only to find yourself falling back on PB and J’s and Lunchables by the time Halloween rolls around. I get it. Between work, carpools, homework helping, and attempting to have a social life, lunches tend to become an annoying afterthought, but with a little planning and a few tricks, you can help keep your sanity and your child’s meal the envy of the lunch table.

Think Lunch When Making Dinner. What’s better than leftovers. When making dinner (or ordering takeout) make a little extra to pop in you child’s lunch box the next day. Who doesn’t love leftover stir fry, pizza or homemade chicken soup.
Freeze Mini Meals. Next time you make a batch of pasta, chicken and rice or enchiladas, put lunch sized servings in storage bags and pop in the freezer for easy and nutritious lunches for those mornings when you are short on time and creativity.
Freeze Juice Boxes As Ice Packs. Place them in the lunch boxes the morning and by lunchtime they will be ready to drink. Extra bonus you will not have to harass your kid for your ice packs back . Yogurt tubes and, applesauce pouches work well too. .
Make Lunches At Night. If nothing else, it leaves more time in the morning for you to get your kids up, fed and out the door in time for the bus.
Use Creative Packaging. Using bento boxes is an easy way to pack a lunch, using each compartment for fruit, veggies, entree, and treats. And despite what you put in the box, it always looks like you put a little in a little extra effort.

Share the workload and get your kids involved in menu planning using this easy lunch box planner. And for those whose children have a more sensitive palette her are some lunch ideas for picky eaters.

Packing a fun, nutritious lunch is a nice way to let your kids know you are thinking of them during their school day. Enjoy it as this is one job that will be over before you know it.

Sherri Sacconaghi, Creative Strategist for EPB&B, is a former Health and Nutrition Coach, who definitely misses making school lunches.

09/06/22

Five Road Rules For Sharing The Road With School Buses

General Interest

New school clothes are ready, backpacks are prepped and alarm clocks are set as kids head back to school. This also means school buses are back on the road. And while their slower speed and many stops might slow up your morning commute, they are a vital part of the school day. Designed for safety, with flashing lights, giant mirrors, stop-sign arms and bright yellow color; school buses hard to miss on the road. In fact, students are seventy times more likely to get to school safely when taking a school bus instead of traveling by car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

So after the kids hop on the bus in the morning, leave a little extra time to get to work, the gym or the coffee shop and remember the rules of the road when it comes to buses.

Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road – it is illegal in all fifty states to pass a bus if it is stopped to load or unload children.
If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop.
The area ten feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus.
Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to be unaware of hazards and risks.
Mind school zone speed limits, they can sneak up on you quickly.

Add a smile and a wave to your neighborhood bus driver, after all they are carrying precious cargo.

Nothing says end of summer like seeing buses back on the road. Thanks to all the bus driver’s out there for getting our kids to school safely.

09/01/22

Thank you! Your Support helped EPB&B Make More Happen and win $10,000 for Project Never Again

Community Involvement

About EPB&B

Non-Profits

We’re lucky to have such a fantastic network of customers, colleagues, and professional partners. Thanks to you, we reached our goal of 500 votes on our Make More Happen Award story, and as a result, Liberty Mutual and Safeco will double their previous donation to $10,000 for Project Never Again. Visit our story to learn more about our work with Project Never Again and how you can further support their mission.

This award was a team effort, and we thank you again for your support.