FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Melissa Papaleo 254-289-2056
People Report Member Forum Focuses on Health Benefits
People Report and, CIGNA Health Care draw together
consortium members to discuss health care challenges and solutions for the
foodservice industry.
Dallas – March 17, 2005 –People ReportTM members
representing all segments of the food services industry recently met in Dallas
to discuss the specific healthcare challenges facing the foodservice employers
and highlighting potential for employers.
People Report and CIGNA Health Care sponsored this forum that featured
leading benefit experts. Topics
included
health plan options, trends within the foodservice and healthcare industry,
universal coverage, as well as best practices from other market segments.
"CIGNA HealthCare is committed to developing flexible products and
services for employers," states Bill Corba, general manager for CIGNA
HealthCare, Southern California. "Participating in forums like this enable
us to share knowledge and gain added expertise to ensure that we continue to
meet the needs of our customers and provide them with benefit plans that feature
choice, expansive and quality provider networks, strong medical management
while moderating health care costs."
“With health care costs quickly becoming one of the
industries biggest concerns, it is important that we open the dialogue with the
health care industry about the unique challenges we face as an industry”,
stated Joni Thomas Doolin, chief executive officer and founder of People
Report. “At the same time, it is essential for the foodservice industry to be
able to compete within the marketplace by offering competitive benefits.”
Outcomes of the session will be reported back to all PeopleReport members
throughout the year in additional newsletter articles, and at a special
presentation during the 10th Anniversary Best Practices Conference,
November 2 and 3, 2005.
Attendees included: Mike Conrad, VP, Sales
Southern CA, CIGNA; Bill Corba, President & General
Manager, CIGNA; Phillip Crowley , Chief Financial
Officer , Lawry's Prime Rib Prime; Valerie Davisson, SVP,
Human Resources, Brinker International; Mary Fregia, Benefits
Consultant, Carlson Restaurants ; Joan Friedman, Assistant
Vice President, HR, Dave and Buster's Inc; Pat Harrier, Director
of Compensation and Benefits, Buffalo Wild Wings ; Tina
Hebert, Director of Human Resources, la Madeleine Bakery, Café,
Bistro; Carl Jefferson, Senior Director, Field Human
Resources, Denny's; Stuart Jennings, Director, Comp &
Benefits, Restaurants Unlimited; Linda Norton Wendt , Vice
President of Human Resources, Taco Bueno Restaurants; Sue Redhair, Benefits
Manager, Dave and Buster's, Inc.; Kelli Valade, Vice
President, Compensation, Brinker International; Derek Weiss, Assistant
VP, Marketing, CIGNA; Scott White, VP, People &
Performance Systems, Applebee's International, Inc.; Vici Wilkerson, HR
Director, Fired Up, Inc.; Mary Wilkins, Regional VP, National Sales,
CIGNA
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People
Report™ is the foremost provider of workforce metrics, benchmarks, trends and
best people practices for the foodservice industry. With more than 85 member
companies, the mission of People Report is to be the catalyst for service
companies seeking to balance people and profits. Services include quarterly and
annual reports for its members that track, analyze and benchmark the people
side of the P&L. In addition to its member only reports, People Report
conducts broad national research on the service sector workforce of today and
tomorrow, including demographics, compensation & benefit information,
recruiting and training practices, turnover costs and solutions and more. Visit
the experts on current and future HR trends for the foodservice industry at www.peoplereport.com to download and
order reports, find a speaker, as well as learn more about membership.