Title: The water treaters' blind spot: safety concerns most of us share but few address
Learner Objectives:
The audience is informed of gaps in the safety systems typically employed by independent water treatment companies and inspired to adopt an improved approach to engaging their teams in addressing their greatest risk.
Content/Topic Outline:
Presenter:
Michael Highum, Partner, McGowan Insurance Group
Reid T. Hutchison, Co-Owner & COO of HOH Water Technology
Presentation Description:
How many days has it been since an accident occurred in your company or maybe even in your life? If it has been more than 2 years, then this topic of safety may be at the bottom of your list of sessions to attend. What if I asked the question a little differently: how many days has it been since there almost was an accident in your organization or life? If you’re like most companies, you may not even know but you’ve likely shook your head imagining the potential situations that could have arisen with your team working in the field even this last month.
The truth is most independent water treatment companies are a dollar short and day late when it comes to safety, and even those that implemented the best practices of 10 years ago have been thinking for years that they need to refresh their approach. But when focused on the supply chain, inflation and the labor market it becomes challenging to prioritize such an important and seemingly less urgent area of the business. Not only are the competing priorities difficult to get past, but independent water treaters also have the challenge of resources to tackle safety both in time and expertise.
Our greatest strength as independent water treaters are that we’re just that, independent, and have the autonomy to set our own course. But what is our strength is also our weakness, at times resulting in us neglecting areas of our business in isolation. Therefore, we must share and collaborate where we’re most vulnerable so we can grow our businesses safely. During this session we will get real and open up the real experiences of water treaters who have struggled with and are working through refreshing their approach to safety. We’ll provide insight and options that are practical, efficient and effective at protecting you, your business and most importantly your people.
Presenter Bio:
Michael Highum...
A veteran of the insurance industry with over 30 years of experience, Mike Highum is a natural fit at McGowan Insurance Group. His skills transfer effortlessly throughout the company and resonate with his clients. Mike offers dynamic experience within sales, marketing, management and product design.
As Partner of McGowan Insurance Group, Mike directs and spearheads all marketing and client experience initiatives. He knows collaborating with passionate and motivated people leads to success for the company as much as the client. For him, sturdy bonds guarantee success. Responsible for the public image of the firm, Mike enhances the agency’s lasting impact not only in the community, but across the nation.
Industry involvement is a key for Mike. From advisory councils and support organizations, he is fully seasoned in the insurance world. And that’s not all. Mike has gained committee and board level positions within organizations for which he serves as agent and risk advisor.
When Mike isn’t working with his team at McGowan, he likes to give to back to the community. He serves as board member of Heart Reach Carmel and The Mitchell Winey Memorial Foundation. He also loves spending quality time with his wife Ronni and their family at their Carmel, Indiana home.
Reid serves as the Chief Operating Officer of HOH Water Technology, a 3rd generation family-owned & operated water treatment company based in the Midwest, USA. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, Economics & Systems from Taylor University and has worked in various areas of the water treatment business from field service and sales to IT, operations, and marketing. Reid also serves as a Group Facilitator within the Rising Tide Mastermind, and volunteers in the Association of Water Technologies as a member of the Charity Task Force and Related Trade Organization (RTO) Liaison to ASHE. Since 2014, Reid has worked with various charity organizations that bring clean water to communities in need, helping to inspire over $250k in fundraising and over 500 people to participate in water charity events. He has personally traveled twice to communities in Uganda, Kenya, & South Africa to both witness the work of water charities firsthand as well as run ultra-marathons to inspire donors to give towards water related causes.