4-18-11 accident fund

www.lsj.com2G • Monday, April 18, 2011 • Lansing State Journal

It’s official: Accident Fundmoves to its new location

More than 70 years ago, as Lan-sing emerged from the Great De-pression, workers built the Otta-wa Power Station for the LansingBoard of Water & Light.Now, as the city recovers from

what some call the Great Reces-sion, crews have finished work onthe latest chapter in the powerplant’s history. The iconic artdeco building is part of the newheadquarters for Accident FundHoldings Inc. and its main busi-ness, Accident Fund InsuranceCo. of America.Features of the building’s in-

dustrial past are preserved in themodern office headquarters —from a crane used to transportcoal to large steel beams used tosupport the 176-foot-tall structure.“It’s just a really nice balance

between keeping track of our his-tory, but then also looking towardsthe company that we are today,”said Liz Haar, president and CEOof Accident Fund Holdings Inc.The workers’ compensation in-

surer, owned by Detroit’s BlueCross Blue Shield of Michigan, re-cently completed its $182 millionredevelopment of the power sta-tion into its 334,000-square-footheadquarters.Accident Fund employs 650 in

Lansing and plans to hire 500workers over the next 10 years.The massive redevelopment

project has been in the works forabout five years. Actual construc-tion at Grand Avenue and OttawaStreet began in October 2008.“When you take a look at this

corridor and when you take alook at what’s around us and youthink back to 10 years ago or15 years ago how much thingshave changed, how far Lansinghas come, I’m really proud to be apart of that,” Haar said.A complex package of federal,

state and local tax incentives andgrants helped fund the project.Among them: a roughly $10 mil-lion state business tax credit,more than $33 million in state andlocal property tax capture, anda Renaissance Zone that exemptsmost state and local taxes on thesite for 15 years.“It shows what we can all do

when we’re all pulling in the samedirection,” said Lansing MayorVirg Bernero.Bernero said the project’s sig-

nificance is only underscored bythe area’s economic challenges.“It’s transformational,” he said.

“We think it’ll be catalytic to con-tinue progress on the riverfront.”Lansing-based Christman Co.

oversaw the project which in-volved removing power plantcomponents, constructing addi-tional floors within the existingstructure, building a105,000-square-foot office addi-tion, removing one parking deckand constructing a 1,005-spaceparking ramp— all while preserv-ing historical features and usingsustainable building techniques.“About 2 1/2 years ago ... myself

and some of my partners werestanding in this old forgottenpower plant, full of rusting steeland broken windows, leaking wa-ter, dead pigeons all over theplace, and we contemplated whatwe had just committed our com-pany to accomplish,” ChristmanCEO Steve Roznowski said.But with the help of 118 con-

tractors and suppliers who put innearly 1 million worker hours, thejob was completed.

Transformationof former powerplant complete

MELISSA DOMSIC

[email protected]

“To watch it transform into the office building

it is right now is amazing. It’s so exciting to be

a part of that. I like the shorter walls, you have

more light coming in.”Patty Herbert

senior executive assistant

“It’s like you’re working in a living piece

of architectural art. The incoming natural light

... it’s fantastic.”Scott Burgess

community relations specialist

ROD SANFORD/Lansing State Journal

Back in use: The former Lansing Board of Water & Light Ottawa Power Station stopped producing electricity in 1992. Now, it’s part of the world headquarters forAccident Fund Holdings Co. and its main business, Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America.

Day of celebration: Dozens attended the ceremonial opening of the Accident Fund building, which will house 650workers. “It was obviously a lot of pride and some relief in having things done successfully, but a little sadness to have it

all be over,” said Steve Roznowski, CEO of Christman Co. which oversaw the project.

SPECIAL SECTIONCELEBRATES DEFININGMOMENT FOR LANSING

The Lansing State Journal andLSJ Media recognize thesignificance of the Accident Fund’sredevelopment of the formerBoard of Water & Light OttawaPower Station.

The insurance company’s world

headquarters promises to be thecornerstone of a vibrantdowntown, bringing more than650 workers to the riverfront.

As we eagerly await the nextsteps in Lansing’s revitalization,we wanted to take this oppor-

tunity to celebrate the AccidentFund project.

In this special section you’ll findinformation about the company,its history in Lansing, the historyof the Ottawa Power Station, aninterview with Accident Fund CEO

Liz Haar and plenty of photosdocumenting the building’stransformation.

Enjoy.

Brian PriesterPresident and Publisher

LSJ Media

LJ-0100085012

www.lsj.com Lansing State Journal • Monday, April 18, 2011 • 3G

LJ-0100086167


Congratulationsfromthe

Historic featuresw The crane that brought coal into theOttawa Power Station to fuel the powerplant has been preserved, occupyingspace on the second, third and fourthfloors.

w The lobby where customers paid theirutility bills when the power plant was inoperation has been restored to its originalart deco design, including the restorationof several steel doors.

w The original glazed brick that lines thepower plant’s former turbine hall hasbeen fully restored.

Accident Fund building offers unique features

“It was really kind of cool to know that we’retaking it from something that was so unusableand that we’ve turned it into something that is a

beautiful office space.”Bridget Barratt

project and portfolio associate

“I tell everybody already how fantastic it is to workhere. Now that I’ve seen the headquarters, I didn’tthink it could get any better. It’s amazing howthey’ve kept the integrity of the old and it’s all

modern at the same time”Vanessa Schoals

trainer

The old crane operator’s door is part of the Lansing Board ofWater & Light’s huge former crane and pulley system still visibleas part of the new Accident Fund headquarters.

Mix of old and new

New office featuresw A large training center will allow the companyto expand its training options.

w A fitness center with 16 pieces of equipment,locker rooms and a fitness studio where avariety of classes will be offered toemployees.

w A spacious cafeteria overlooks the GrandRiver, featuring indoor and outdoor patioseating and healthy vending options.

Source: Accident Fund

Photos: Rod Sanford/Lansing State Journal

w The sixth floor, where the Accident Fund Holdings Inc. boardof directors meets, features a wall that displays informationabout the history of the insurer and the history of the powerstation. The floor also has an outdoor deck with a view ofthe river.

w The Accident Fund headquarters consists of two buildings— the former Ottawa Street Power Station and a newfour-story glass and brick structure— connected by afour-story glass atrium.

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project.

Lansing Economic Area Partnership (Leap,Inc.)would like to thank Accident

Fund Holdings, Inc. andLiz Haar for theircontinued support.We also recognizeBlue Cross Blue

Shield of Michiganand The ChristmanCompany for theirbrilliant execution

of this projectto revitalize

GreaterLansing.

Congratulations toAccident Fund Holdings, Inc.on their move to a “grand”location along the mighty

Grand River!GrGr

LJ-0100086572


A chat with the CEOLiz Haar got her start in

the insurance business as anumber-cruncher.It began as just a job, but

turned into a career.After working as an actu-

ary for Michigan Millers Mu-tual and Citizens Insurance,Haar became chief actuaryfor Accident Fund InsuranceCo. of America in 1997.Since taking over as CEO

in 2005, Haar has led theLansing-based companythrough its national ex-pansion and headquar-ters project.Accident Fund Hold-ings Inc. is now theninth largest workers’compensation insurerin the country.

Does AccidentFund still plan tohire 500workers inLansing in the next10 years?The long-termgrowth plans reallyhaven’t changedvery much.As everybody

knows, the economyhas been a littledown the last cou-ple years. Workers’compensation is sig-nificantly affected bythat.Our job is to help

businesses and whenthere are either fewerbusinesses or business-es have fewer employ-ees, that has an impact

on our overall volume.But our strategies arestill being effective. We’restill successful throughoutthe country, so long-termwe really don’t see thatchanging even though it’sbeen a little stalled for thelast couple of years.

In 2009, company lead-ers formed a parent

company, Accident FundHoldings Inc. to overseefour subsidiaries.Willthat move add to your lo-cal workforce?We have two sets of Lan-

sing-based employees. Wehave people that work forthe holding company that docentralized functions for allof our operations across thecountry and then we havethe original Accident FundInsurance group.The corporate or holding

company ... team, we do an-ticipate growth in that areaas they continue to take onresponsibilities for all fourentities that we have. Theareas in that group as anexample would be our fi-nance area, our informationtechnology area, human re-sources, those corporate-type functions.

What are your expec-tations for growthwithinthe subsidiaries?We have four insurance

entities, each with a uniqueniche market.We have the Accident

Fund, which goes after whatwe call mid-market typebusiness. As small business-es grow across the country,we do see that as an eco-nomic opportunity.We also have two other

entities that focus more onlarger, more complex risk.United Heartland ... is an ex-cellent service provider tohealth care entities — nurs-ing homes, hospitals, and wesee significant growth in that.Third Coast Underwriters,

which is one of our newerentities, also has target mar-kets where we expect eco-nomic growth. Clean energyas being an example of that.CompWest, while Califor-

nia, which is their largeststate, has also been particu-larly hard hit by the econo-my, we also see some signsof potentially rebounding.

So, we expect some growthfrom there as well, probablythere a little slower than theothers.

Whatmakes the newheadquarters unique?Everywhere you walk

through the building ... you’llsee a mix of the modern andthe historic. It’s just a reallynice balance between keep-ing track of our history butthen also looking towards thecompany that we are today.The other thing that this

power plant did is it gave usthis really nice open spacewhich brings in a lot of light.It’s very conducive to em-ployee collaboration.As you walk through the

building, you’re going to seea lot of spots that we havewhat we just call soft meet-ing space or huddle space,where if you need to get aquick group of people to-gether, you don’t have to gothrough the bureaucracy offinding a meeting room andgetting it scheduled.

Will you hold any com-munity events on thesixth floor outdoor patio?We’ll definitely hold em-

ployee and customer events.We have already been ap-proached by a number ofcommunity events to usethat space.We’re very supportive of

the community and we’llconsider all of those. Wecan’t promise though thatwe can accommodate every-body, but it is somethingwhere we’re going to be veryopen-minded and recognizethat this is a beautiful spacefor the Lansing area.

Howhas the communi-ty feedback been on theheadquarters project?The amount that the com-

munity has embraced this andthe amount of positive feed-back that we’ve received, itreally makes a big differenceand it’s been very special.

MELISSA DOMSIC

[email protected]

“I’m excited because I have a window view andit’s actually of the city of Lansing. You’ll see thesame people, and you’ll do the work, but you’re

excited about the environment.”Shelly Willoughbybusiness systems analyst

“We have more choices as far as the vending. It lookslike we’re going to have a lot more microwaves,so there won’t be as long a wait for microwaving

anything you bring from home.”Tim Bowen

print center technician

Liz Haarw Occupation: President and CEO, Accident Fund Holdings Inc.

w Age: 45

w Residence: Howell

w Experience: Actuary at Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Co. and Citizens Insurance Company ofAmerica; several executive positions at Accident Fund; became president and CEO at Accident Fundin 2005.

w Education: Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan-Dearborn

w Family: Husband, Rob; three children

WelcomeHome

Thanks forallowing us to be

part of your vision.

Your friends at

Photography: Ike Lea

www.christmanco.comLJ-0100085236

Cooley Law School congratulates the Accident FundCompany ofAmerica for supporting the revitalizationof downtown Lansing.The insurance industry is an enormous economic force in the Lansing regionand responsible for thousands of jobs in the region, and expected to groweven more in the future.

Cooley offers a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Insurance Law, one of the fewInsurance Law programs in the nation.

Find out more at cooley.edu/insurance,or contact

cooley.edu

Thomas M.Cooley Law School is committed to a fair and objective admissions policy.Subjectto space limitations,Cooley offers the opportunity for legal education to all qualified applicants.Cooley abides by all federal and state laws against discrimination. In addition, Cooley abidesbyAmerican BarAssociation Standard 211(a), which provides that “a law school shall fosterand maintain equality of opportunity in legal education, including employment of faculty andstaff,without discrimination or segregation on the basis of race,color, religion,national origin,gender, sexual orientation, age or disability.”

Scan this code to learnmore about Cooley’sInsurance Law LL.M.program.

Thanks ForSupportingLansing

Accident Fund Company of America

Knowledge.Skills.Ethics.

Cathy J.McCollum,Cooley DirectorGraduate & Extended Programs(517) 371-5140, ext. 2703

Professor Lisa DeMoss,Cooley DirectorGraduate Insurance Program(517) 371-5140, ext. 2821

LJ-0100084518


Key events in the history of the Lansing Board of Water& Light’s Ottawa Power Station, which has beentransformed into part of a headquarters for AccidentFund Holdings Co. and Accident Fund Insurance Co.of America.

w 1940—The Ottawa Power Station is dedicated atOttawa Street and Grand Avenue, along the GrandRiver. Its black granite base dissolves upward intobrickwork in reds that lighten to orange and yellow,symbolizing coal combustion.

w 1950—Lansing Board of Water & Light expands itspower capacity with more generators and boilers,

boosting it from 31.5 megawatts to 81.5 megawatts.

w 1992—BWL stops electric production at the plant.

w 1995—BWL seeks redevelopment plans. The winneris General Motors Corp., which wants to relocate itsRochester Hills Oldsmobile training facility to theOttawa site.

w 1997—After BWL supports GM’s redevelopment plan,the automaker switches gears, deciding instead tofocus on consolidating its operations in downtownDetroit, where its headquarters is located.

w 1998—BWL’s board unanimously rejects Chicagodeveloper Thomas Coates’ $57 million plan to

transform the Ottawa Power Station into a hotel andentertainment complex that would involve Earvin“Magic” Johnson and Sony Corp. The board saidCoates’ funding and partners had changed since theplan was originally submitted.

w A group of mid-Michigan environmentalists, artistsand downtown supporters propose converting OttawaPower Station into a freshwater research andeducation aquarium. The plan never made it past thedrawing board.

w To make the building more marketable, BWL spends$3 million to clean up some environmental hazards,

such as asbestos, and remove equipment.

w 1999—Columbus, Ohio-based Steiner and Associatesproposes an $80 million urban development called“Power Tower” that would include cinemas, clubs,restaurants, hotel rooms, shops and offices. It wouldincorporate public and private funding. The proposaldidn’t go anywhere.

w 2000—BWL builds a $30 million chilled-water plantto provide air conditioning to downtown offices.

w 2001—The Oldsmobile/GM Heritage Center and theR.E. Olds Museum consider merging to buy some of thePower Station, but BWL wants more than the

$800,000 the two nonprofits can commit. As part ofthe plan, Convergency Centers Corp. also would havebuilt a telecom hotel in another portion so e-commercebusinesses could house file servers and otherequipment, and Lansing developer H&H Inc. wouldhave used the top floor for an upscale restaurant oroffice space.

w 2002-07—Several other proposals to redevelop thePower Station come and go, including one calling for acasino and another to put state offices in the building.

w 2007—Accident Fund Insurance Co. of Americaannounces plans to move its national headquarters

into the power plant.

w The 150-foot smokestack atop the plant comes down.

w 2008—Crews start work on a new $20 million waterchiller plant at the corner of Allegan and Pine streetsso BWL can dismantle the old one located in the PowerStation as part of the Accident Fund project.

w Lansing-based Christman Co. begins work on the newAccident Fund headquarters.

w Demolition worker Samuel Lowe dies after falling 100to 110 feet down an open vertical shaft in the powerstation.

w 2009—Carleton-based subcontractor Homrich Inc. is

fined $10,500 for two safety violations, including onerelated to the worker fatality.

w Accident Fund struggles to secure financing for theparking structure planned for the headquarters.

w Crews raze part of a city parking structure over GrandAvenue to make room for the headquarters project.

w BWL dedicates its new chiller plant in downtownLansing.

w Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the Detroit insurerthat owns Accident Fund, announces it will moveabout 250 Lansing-area employees into the worker’scompensation offices on Capitol Avenue once the new

headquarters is finished. It later revises that number tonearly 300 employees.

w Accident Fund Holdings Inc. is formed as the holdingcompany for Accident Fund of America Co. and threeother insurance subsidiaries.

w 2010—Christman and Accident Fund work with theLansing Economic Development Corp. to issue about$31 million taxable bonds for the parking deck.

w 2011—Accident Fund celebrates the completion of itsheadquarters in March. Employees begin moving to thenew office in April.

—LSJ research

Near the end of production: Above, theinterior of the Ottawa Power Station in

1989, three years before it stopped producingelectricity. The plant sat vacant for years before

the Accident Fund decided to redevelop thebuilding as part of its world headquarters.

In disrepair: Once the building wasno longer in use, it became a mess

of broken windows, rusting steel anddead pigeons. In 1998, the Board of

Water & Light spent $3 million to cleanup some environmental hazards and

remove equipment. The goal: to makethe behemoth more marketable.

Lansing State Journal file photos

Dismantling history:In 2008, workersremoved the lettersmarking the Board ofWater & Light building.The smokestack alsowas dismantled as thetransformation frompower station toinsurance headquartersgot under way.

In the beginning: This photo of the Lansing Board of Water & Light’s Ottawa Power Station was taken in 1938, likely fromthe Michigan Avenue bridge.


Open for business: A crisp, clean layout greets workers at the new Accident Fund Holdings, Inc., headquarters. The former power plant, coupledwith a new addition to the north, will house 650 workers immediately, with the hopes of adding 500 over the next 10 years.

Preserving the past:Many of the originalfeatures of the OttawaPower Station can be foundin the new Accident Fundheadquarters. The lobby hasbeen restored to its artdeco design, including therestoration of the steeldoors. Also preserved wasthe huge crane used tobring coal into the plant.


Riverfront digs: The transformation is complete in late March, with 650 workers moving in in April. The contractors tried to maintain the history of the building while adding in new features, too.

HISTORY OF THE ICONIC POWER STATION ON LANSING’S GRAND RIVER

ElectricityInsurance

THE LIFE OF A POWER PLANT

FROMTO


Our Business isgrowing yours

CBIZ Insurance Services, Inc.Saint Joseph, Missouri

[email protected]

Congratulations Accident Fund

on your historic new location!

What’s next on the development front?Accident Fund Holdings Inc.’s

headquarters is the newestdevelopment to grace thedowntown Lansing skyline.

But more is on the way. Here aresome other upcoming projects:

w REO Town power plant: TheLansing Board of Water & Lightplans to build a $182 millionnatural gas-powered electric andsteam generation plant in REOTown, moving 180 workers to thedistrict south of downtownLansing. The public utility plans toconstruct an eight-story,46,500-square-foot plantadjacent to the former GrandTrunk Western Railroad Depot onWashington Avenue. The depotwill be restored and house officeand meeting space. Constructionis slated to begin in June and theplant should on-line by early 2013.

w Former Accident Fundheadquarters: Starting inmid-July, Detroit insurer BlueCross Blue Shield of Michigan

plans to move nearly 300Lansing-area employees from asite on South Creyts Road inDelta Township into AccidentFund’s former 130,000-square-foot home office at 232 S. CapitolAve. They should be settled in bySeptember, Blue Cross Presidentand CEO Dan Loepp said.

w Knapp’s building: East Lansingdeveloper Eyde Co. wants to turnthe former Knapp’s departmentstore at the corner of WashingtonSquare and Washtenaw Streetinto a building containingretailers, office space, a businessincubator, high-end apartmentsand underground parking. Theoverall cost, including the valueof the land and historic building,is $36.4 million. Eyde hopes tostart preliminary work in the nextcouple of months and completeconstruction by late 2012 or early2013. But the project hinges onseveral factors coming togetherin a complex financing package.

wMarketplace:Gillespie Group isworking on floor plans for an80- to 85-unitresidentialbuilding for theformer CityMarket sitenear the cornerof Cedar andShiawasseestreets. TheEastLansing-based developer, headedby Pat Gillespie, hopes to breakground later this year and completethe $6.5million to $8.5millionbuilding by spring 2013. Office andcommercial buildings would beadded depending on demand.

w Ballpark North: Gillespie alsohas proposed another mixed-usecomplex for the property north ofCooley Law School Stadium,though details have not beenunveiled. Construction wouldbegin after Marketplace.

—Melissa Domsic

Gillespie

Lansing State Journal file photo

Redevelopment in sight? The Eyde Co. has plans to redevelop the Knapp’s building to include officeand retail space and high-end apartments. The project hinges on a complex financing deal.

2010President’s Club Awardfor Outstanding Results

Congratulations on your beautiful newHeadquarters!- From the President’s Club AwardWinners

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Congratulations on your beautiful newHeadquarters!- From the President’s Club AwardWinners

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We appreciate our partnershiptogether and wish you

continued success ahead.

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ALIVEAGAINThe Ottawa Power Sta-

tion has been part of down-town Lansing’s skyline formore than seven decades.A creation of the Lansing

Board of Water & Light,the plant started out asthe power plant its nameimplies. Now, after sittinglargely dormant for nearlytwo decades, the station isabout to enjoy new lifeas part of the headquartersfor Accident Fund HoldingsInc. and its main business,Accident Fund InsuranceCo. of America.“I’m overjoyed for the

city,” said Bob Trezise,president and CEO of theLansing Economic Devel-opment Corp. “Especiallyin this time, the symbol ofthat building being one ofhope and of our city beingable to come together anddo the impossible is a realindication about our hope-ful future.”BWL used proceeds from

electric sales to build theoriginal $4 million plant,dedicated in 1940.Nine years later, the

public utility built an ad-dition to double the build-ing’s length. In 1950, itupgraded the power capac-ity from 31.5 megawatts to81.5 megawatts.Machinery inside the

iconic art deco buildingsupplied power to the Lan-sing area for more thanhalf a century before end-ing electric production in1992.

Several groups came for-ward with plans to redevel-op the site — from aGeneral Motors Corp. train-ing facility to an entertain-ment venue involving NBAsuperstar and Lansing na-tive Earvin “Magic” John-son and Sony Corp. — butnothing worked out.“Everybody seemed to

have their own idea of whatit should be. It speaks to theiconic nature of the build-ing,” said Lansing MayorVirg Bernero.In 2000, BWL built a

chilled-water plant in thebasement, still hoping forsomeone to step forwardand redevelop the rest ofthe building.Finally, after several

more proposals fizzled, Ac-cident Fund announced in2007 that it would moveits corporate headquartersto the historic building.There were hurdles

along the way, includingsecuring legislation thatwould give the insurer ac-cess to certain tax incentiveprograms.“It seemed as though the

city was this close to sayingwe can’t do it, it’s too big,it’s going to be too ex-pensive,” said Mark Nixon,BWL spokesman. “To theBWL and all the peoplethat work there, it is trulya renaissance, the likes ofwhich we just have notseen and probably neverwill again in our lifetime.”

Long dormant plant buzzing with activityMELISSA DOMSIC

[email protected]

“This was a coal-fired power plant and we’retrying to turn it into a professional office complex.So, when you came in 2 1/2 years ago trying to

envision how this was going to turn into what yousee today, it seemed like that wasn’t … possible.”

Robert Saxtonproject manager

“We have a workout facility that’s goingto be great. I look forward to taking

some classes.”LouAnn Gill

agency relations technician

Lansing State Journal file photo

Changing the skyline: The iconic smokestack was removed from the former Ottawa Power Station

in 2008 in preparation of its rebirth as part of Accident Fund’s headquarters.


New resident: Accident Fund’s national headquarters is now open

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Brick by Brick a Vision is made Complete.Congratulations on your Historic new Home.

Congratulations

By the numbers

$182 millionproject cost

334,000square feet in headquarters

1,005spaces in the six-story parking

ramp

1,630tons of steel used in the

headquarters

11miles of plumbing

8miles of audio/visual cable

3,755gallons of paint

13,800sheets of drywall

96.8percent of construction waste

diverted from landfills

75percent of existing walls, floor and

roof maintained in project

On the projectLansing-based Christman Co.

oversaw the Accident Fundheadquarters project, whichinvolved nearly 120 contractorsand suppliers.

The following companiesprovided architectural andengineering services:

w Project architect of record: St.Louis-based HOK

w Historic preservation architect:Quinn Evans Architects

w Landscape/planning architect:TowerPinkster

w Structural, mechanical andelectrical conceptual engineer-ing: ARUP

wMechanical and electricalengineer of record: Tow-erPinkster

w Civil engineer: Fleis &Vandenbrink

w Parking deck architect/engineerof record: Carl Walker

w Design consultant on fixture,furnishings and equipment:MAYOTTEgroup Architects


Major undertaking: Thetransformation of the OttawaPower Station and the additionto the north was started in2008.

“The symbol of thatbuilding being oneof hope and of ourcity being able tocome together anddo the impossibleis a real indicationabout our hopeful

future.”Bob Trezise

president and CEO of the LansingEconomic Development Corp.

Insurance

LJ-0100086414

LEON BREWBAKER, BILL BREWBAKER, CHRISTOPHER BREWBAKER,CHRISTINE WITT, AMY KNICKERBOCKER, SANDI POTTER,

MIKE PALMER & CHRISTOPHER HALLIDAY

108 N. Clinton Ave. • St. Johns, MI 48879 • 989.224.3251330 W. Lake Lansing Rd., Ste. 3 • East Lansing, MI 48823 • 517.332.3766

Email: [email protected] • www.abins.com

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LJ-0100084796LJ-0100085331

LJ-0100084477

219 E. Lawrence Ave., Charlotte, Michigan 48813(517) 543-1740 / Fax: (517) 543-5911

www.russellschrader.comE-mail: [email protected]

Russell &SchraderInsurance

Agency, Inc. Stephen B. ShookPresident

PridePerformance

Product

LJ-0100084637

Congratulations!Kristina M. ManoogianPresident2501 Coolidge RoadSuite 300East Lansing, Michigan 48826-4040

517-351-57801-800-968-4929Fax: 517-337-4405www.scwinc.com

LJ-0100084633

McKenzie & CrosbyP.O. Box 319212 North Clinton AvenueSt. Johns, Michigan 48879

Phone 989-224-2479Fax 989-224-1264

Insurance For Every Need

Congratulations to all ourfriends at The Accident Fund

2395 Jolly Rd., Suite 195 • Okemos, MI 48864800-678-8327

www.vossins.comLJ-0100084636


Accident Fund has a history dating back nearly a century.

But where did the 99-year-old company come from and what does itand its 1,035 workers do?

The Lansing-based company focuses on workers’ compensationinsurance, covering an employer’s costs when a worker injured on thejob files a claim for wage replacement, medical coverage and otherbenefits. It has 650 employees in Lansing.

Accident Fund Holdings Inc. is the Lansing holding company thatoversees four subsidiaries: Accident Fund Insurance Co. of America inLansing; United Heartland Inc. in New Berlin, Wis.; CompWest InsuranceCo. in San Francisco; and Third Coast Underwriters in Chicago.

The subsidiaries offer coverage in different parts of the country tocompanies ranging from small businesses to large constructionconcerns.

Accident Fund was established in 1912 by the state of Michiganwhen the state’s first workers’ disability compensation law was passed.The fund was part of the state treasury and was operated by Michiganbusiness owners.

In 1976, Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelley ruled Accident Fundwas a state agency and its employees were civil servants. His rulingwas upheld in court in the 1980s and the state took control of theorganization in 1990 and made it part of the Department of Commerce.

In 1993, Gov. John Engler authorized the privatization of AccidentFund. A year later, Detroit-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michiganbought the company and still owns it.

— Melissa Domsic

Take a look: Thewindows

throughout theAccident Fund’sheadquarters

allow for stunningviews of Lansing’s

downtown,including theGrand River,

Boji Tower andthe Capitol.

ROD SANFORDLansing State Journal

The Accident Fund: What is it?


Open for business: The Accident Fund in April moved into its newheadquarters onGrandAvenue in Lansing. Celebrating themoment are DanielLoepp, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan CEO (left); Liz Haar, president andCEO of Accident Fund Holdings Inc., and Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero.

113 North Washington Downtown Lansing 517 . 482 . 1171 kositcheks.com

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ON THEREBIRTH OF A

LANSINGLANDMARK!

ON THECongratulations


Leading Michigan to a healthier future.SM

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is a nonprofit corporation and independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Daniel J. Loepp, President and CEO ofBlue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan Senate

Bob Trezise, Lansing EconomicDevelopment Corporation

Rep. Joan Bauer, Michigan Houseof Representatives

Michael Finney, Michigan EconomicDevelopment Corporation

Robert McKay, State Historic Preservation Office

Elisabeth Knibbe, Quinn Evans Architects

Michael Quinn, Quinn Evans Architects

Nicki Badgero, MAYOTTEgroup Architects

Pat Gillespie, The Gillespie Group

James Cash, Christman CapitalDevelopment Company

Lansing Economic Area Partnership (Leap), Inc.

Doug Stites, Capital Area Michigan Works

Sandy Draggoo, Capital AreaTransportation Authority

Dennis Fliehman, Capital RegionCommunity Foundation

Steve Roznowski, The Christman Company

Mayor Vic Loomis, Jr., City of East Lansing

Mayor Virg Bernero, City of Lansing

Chuck Clark, Clark Construction

Kellie Dean, Dean Transportation

Stuart Goodrich, Delhi Township

Ken Fletcher, Delta Township

Adam Havey, Emergent BioDefense Operations

Steve Curran, Harvest Creative Services

Gordon Mackay, Indian Trails Incorporated

Mary Lannoye, Ingham CountyController/Administrator

John Brown, Jackson National LifeInsurance Company

J. Peter Lark, Lansing Board of Water and Light

Brent Knight, Lansing Community College

Denyse Ferguson, Lansing EconomicArea Partnership (Leap)

Tim Daman, Lansing Regional Chamberof Commerce

Brian Priester, Lansing State Journal

Jack Davis, Loomis, Ewert, Parsley,Davis & Gotting

Stacie Behler, Meijer, Inc.

Susan McGillicuddy, Meridian Charter Township

Lou Anna K. Simon, Michigan State University

Pat McPharlin, MSU Federal Credit Union

Dennis Pace, Pace & Partners

Steve Alexander, PNC Bank

Steve Webster, Prima Civitas Foundation

Andrew Henry, Red Cedar Solutions Group

Dennis Swan, Sparrow Health Systems

John Sztykiel, Spartan Motors

Don LeDuc, Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Jeff Wesley, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK

bcbsm.com

Powering Lansing, yet again.

The greater Lansing community congratulates Accident FundHoldings, Inc. for reinvigorating downtown Lansing and thewaterfront with the move of their national headquarters to therenovated Ottawa Street Power Station.

By preserving this historic building, restoring the riverfrontin downtown and committing to a long-term presence for itsemployees in downtown Lansing, Accident Fund is creating ahealthier future for Michigan’s capital city.

In addition, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s commitmentto move its Lansing workforce into Accident Fund’s formerheadquarters on Capitol Avenue means that the Blues enterprisewill have several hundred employees in the heart of a vibrant andgrowing urban setting.

Investing in our cities is vital to the future of our state. And thisdevelopment is a shining example of commitment to oururban centers.

Congratulations, and see you downtown!

LJ-0100085349

4-18-11 accident fund

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