News

Q & A: Union interviews BWC interim administrator

Aug. 30, 2005 - Recently, OCSEA sat down with BWC Interim Administrator Tina Kielmeyer to discuss several issues important to BWC union leaders, ranging from privatization to Quality.

Kielmeyer has been working her way up the BWC ranks for the past 23 years. She was appointed to the Interim Administrator post earlier this summer when Administrator James Conrad stepped down following the recent BWC investment scandal.

“We look forward to working with Interim Administrator Tina Kielmeyer to make sure our members continue to provide the first-rate services they currently do,” said OCSEA Board of Directors member and BWC employee Jean Fightmaster.

“She is a very dedicated BWC employee who worked her way up through the ranks and I have confidence that she will bring integrity back to BWC.”

Q: First and foremost, tell us a bit about yourself. What is your background with the bureau? How long have you been with BWC?

Q: As interim director, what are your goals in regard to maintaining a labor/management relationship?

Q: BWC is at the forefront of the Quality movement. What are your goals in regard to Quality and how can the union be an integral part of meeting those goals?

Q: From time to time Administrator Conrad would attend a BWC Assembly meeting to speak one-on-one with the union membership. Are you willing to continue this practice? What other modes of communication will you use with the membership?

Q: What is your reaction to comments regarding privatizing BWC that have surfaced with the recent scandal?

Q: What do you see on the horizon for BWC? Do you see there being any legislative action prompted by the recent scandal that could negatively or positively impact BWC employees?

Q: Do you have any words of encouragement for your employees to help them through this difficult and uncertain time?

Q: First and foremost, tell us a bit about yourself. What is your background with the bureau? How long have you been with BWC?

A: I am a 23-year veteran of BWC. You could say I grew up at BWC. I started in the Rehab Division as a college intern the summer of my freshman year at OSU.

I got hooked–I liked knowing I was part of something that helped people. I continued working part time and eventually accepted a full time position as a typist, then a claims rep as I completed my degree.

Later, when the Rehab Division moved from the IC to BWC, I became a medical policy analyst, policy director, chief of medical, and finally, in April 2004, I accepted the position of Assistant Administrator.

For the past few months I've been serving as interim CEO/Administrator. Whenever I am asked why I stayed so long at BWC, my reply is simple–I like being part of something good and I learn something new every single day and no day is exactly like the day before.

It can't get much better than this.
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Q: As interim director, what are your goals in regard to maintaining a labor/management relationship?

A: First, my goal is to continue the productive relationship that exists today. I've had numerous opportunities over my years in management to partner with OCSEA, share information and work on tough issues.

I respect that partnership–and my goal is to preserve it while I serve in this interim capacity.

BWC's bargaining unit staff represent the heart and soul of BWC–BWC's greatness is a reflection of them.

My job is just to make it possible for them to continue to do great things.
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Q: BWC is at the forefront of the Quality movement. What are your goals in regard to Quality and how can the union be an integral part of meeting those goals?

A: At this year's Quality Showcase, I said that BWC's quality movement is what has made BWC the great organization it is today. And it’s this same quality movement that will sustain us during this turbulent period. I mean that. Every time I'm asked to sponsor a QStP team or attend a team presentation, I’m amazed at the talent and passion that make up BWC. This is something we can all be proud of. My goal is to continue to grow the movement at BWC.

One of our newest quality initiatives is the implementation of a Facilitator Certification process, which allows our current facilitators, or anyone interested in facilitation, to become certified at either an associate level or a master level. This new certification process provides a great opportunity for the facilitators to enhance or gain some new skills and knowledge for both personal and professional growth.

As an organization, utilizing facilitators for our teams and workgroups has become second nature as we see their role as critical in the success of the team. Through this new process, we will provide the necessary skills to ensure their continued success. Additionally, as BWC continues implementation of our new business model initiative, we look for increased opportunities for teams to enhance and further refine this process.

The L/M partnership is and will always be the key to a successful quality initiative and we see the partnership continuing to grow through the input of all employees in the decision making/continuous improvement processes.
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Q: From time to time Administrator Conrad would attend a BWC Assembly meeting to speak one-on-one with the union membership. Are you willing to continue this practice? What other modes of communication will you use with the membership?

A: I'll come if we can agree I can dress like I do on a typical Saturday (at home cleaning house, playing with the kids). Seriously, I'd love an opportunity to attend a meeting, especially given what’s happened in these past few months. Communication, both ways, is important.

And speaking of communication, early on in the investment situation, I made a commitment to keep staff informed of what’s going on in investments and what we’re doing about it. Right off the bat, we did an internal employee survey asking employees how they would like us to keep them informed.

As a result of that survey, I’ve been sending regular emails, forwarding copies of press releases, doing periodic IPTV addresses, and putting information on the agency’s internal website.
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Q: What is your reaction to comments regarding privatizing BWC that have surfaced with the recent scandal?

A: Over the years, the issue of privatization has been discussed and soundly rejected. Given the recent situation, it didn't surprise me that, once again, the privatization issue came up in the media.

But as I've told reporters, BWC is a high performing workers’ compensation insurance operation and, while we have investment issues that need to be addressed, the rest of the operation cannot and should not be judged by those problems.

I'd put our insurance operation up against any private or public operation. We have built a great system–one that serves our customers responsibly and effectively.

As long as we continue doing exactly that, and continue improving our service delivery like we are doing with the new business model, BWC will remain the pace setter for workers’ compensation.
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Q: What do you see on the horizon for BWC? Do you see there being any legislative action prompted by the recent scandal that could negatively or positively impact BWC employees?

A: I told customer service office staff at the recent statewide meetings that the BWC of the future is going to be even stronger and greater than it is today.

When organizations face periods of adversity like BWC is today, we can do one of three things.

(1) We can ignore it and hope it goes away—but that isn't what BWC does.

(2) We can become overwhelmed, paralyzed by it all and stop taking risks and stop doing those things that made us great–but that isn't what BWC does either.

(3) Or, we can hitch up our britches, acknowledge we have a problem and then fix it.

And that is exactly what BWC does. It’s what we've done over and over, and that approach to adversity is what makes BWC the great organization it is.

On the other end of all of this, we are going to be even stronger.

Already, HB 66 was enacted to bring better accountability to BWC's investment operations and oversight. We’re currently in the process of implementing those legislative changes and I am confident BWC is going to continue improving, growing and becoming stronger. BWC employees would have it no other way—it is who we are and what we do.
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Q: Do you have any words of encouragement for your employees to help them through this difficult and uncertain time?

A: From the first day I assumed this position, I've pledged I would do whatever it takes to correct the investment issues and help restore our customers’ confidence and trust in BWC.

That phrase, “whatever it takes” has become our mantra.

At a time when it would be easy to become distracted from our true purpose, taking care of our employers and injured workers, BWC employees have remained focused. It’s that focus and passion about who we are and what we do that will get us through.

At BWC we know we are the best. We are proud of what we've accomplished and that can never be taken away from us.

Every day I am proud and honored to be part of the best team in state government. Together we will get through this and we will be stronger for it.

We will do whatever it takes.
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