Washington Business Fall 2013 | Page 31

washington business AWB EARNS AWB EARNS USCOC USCOC ACCREDITATION ACCREDITATION WITH WITH DISTINCTION DISTINCTION FOR THE FOR THE SECOND TIME SECOND TIME 2013 2013 AWB MEMBERSHIP AWB MEMBERSHIP EXCEEDS 8,000 EXCEEDS 8,000 MEMBERS MEMBERS 2012 2012 AWB EARNS AWB EARNS ACCREDITATION ACCREDITATION WITH WITH DISTINCTION DISTINCTION FROM THE U.S. FROM THE U.S. CHAMBER OF CHAMBER OF COMMERCE COMMERCE 2011 2011 OLYMPIA OLYMPIA BUSINESS WATCH BUSINESS WATCH BLOG STARTED BLOG STARTED 2006 2006 AWB’S NEW AWB’S NEW BUILDING BUILDING ADDITION ADDITION COMPLETED COMPLETED 2006 2006 premiums are pooled together. At the end of the plan year, officials take a “retrospective” look back and if the amount of premiums collected exceeds claim costs, participants receive a refund. Unlike some retro programs, AWB returns 100 percent of the CompWise refunds to employers, a distinction that helped it become popular. At t h e s a m e t i m e B r u n e l l wa s strengthening AWB with programs such as HealthChoice and CompWise, he was also raising its profile throughout the state by writing a weekly newspaper column that’s published regularly in The Columbian, the state’s fourth largest daily newspaper, as well as dozens of smaller papers in every corner of the state. Brunell also built up the association’s annual meeting, transforming it from a quiet gathering into the Policy Summit, the state’s biggest DON C.C. DON BRUN 10) IU910)M !=1IM!%@)M !=1IM!%@)MQ 1%M!)MQ 1%M!((