StrongRootsHelping ourcommunities growPLUS:Not so risky businessUnum regional dialect

One-on-One

2 one

Unum’s strategic philanthropy…

Our company and our employees are committed to serving thelocal communities where Unum has a presence. This is a veryimportant component of our overall corporate social responsi-

bility efforts, along with our environmental initiatives, our advocacyfor public/private partnerships, our commitment to smart corporategovernance, and our focus on enhancing our workforce environment.Unum has a long history of philanthropy reflected in our standing

commitment to the annual United Way campaign as well as otherinitiatives in education and the arts. We realize the value of giving

back to the community in ways that can solve problems, empower and inspire peopleand build stronger families.Most importantly, our employees volunteer countless hours on behalf of the causes

they care most about. Whether they spend time reading to kids, mentoring a student orpromoting a fundraising event for a great cause, they play a vital role in making a differ-ence in the quality of life for individuals and the broader community.As we read this issue of One, we are reminded that community relations isn’t about

donating money as much as it is about building relationships. We invest financialresources only after we have listened and learned about how we can be an effectivepartner in helping achieve that organization’s objectives.At Unum, we have a plan in place for how and where we invest our hard-earned

resources, not unlike other assessments we make throughout our business. As we contin-ue to invest in public education, support people with disabilities, promote wellness, andbring the creative arts to underserved audiences, we are also challenging other business-es to do the same. Part of our commitment to enhancing our communities is to elevatethose critical values in the public dialogue in an effective way.When we combine our company’s ongoing philanthropic efforts with the enthusiasm

and dedication of our employee volunteers, everyone benefits — our communities, ouremployees and our company. We can each be proud of our accomplishments.

Best wishes in 2009,

Joe FoleySenior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

CONTENTSSPRING 2009

D E PAR TMEN T S

4 VoicesEmployees reflect on collaboration

9 Fast FactsUnumemployees demonstratecommitment to their communities

12 DepartmentProfileInformation and RecordsManagement

14 Unum CultureUnique regional dialects

oneCOV E R STORY

5 Strong RootsUnum helps communities bloomthrough strategic philanthropy

F EAT UR E S

10 Risk ManagementInterviewwithMike Temple and FrankWilliamson

13 Recognizing ExcellenceRewards conferences bring highachievers together

SPRING 2009 3

BACK PAGEMaking a DifferenceColonial Life’s Les Blackwell:Empowering others affected by disability

Wicked coolregional phrases!

VO I C E S

4 one

Our collaboration efforts with Unum US

allow us to share best practices in how we use

our enrollment tools and technology. Just as

importantly, our partnership helps us stay

abreast of what’s going on in the marketplace,

as well as with our competitors.

Henry PriceColumbia

In 2008 Colonial’s architecture team and

Unum US Enterprise Architecture began

monthly collaboration sessions, which have

been very beneficial for sharing strategies and

direction. Through these sessions we’ve found

that we are evaluating similar tools or heading

down similar paths. It provides another way to

validate strategies and direction.

Tim FitzgeraldPortland

In IT we continue to improve our collabora-

tion across the many different areas. The move

to service-oriented architecture has helped fos-

ter this teamwork because of the many inter-

dependencies on other areas to supply the

data needed to build applications. The Simply

Unum project and the model it created has

helped break down any barriers to collabora-

tion. People are focused on the end result.

Scott LancasterChattanooga

The recent collaboration among Colonial

Life’s and Unum’s IT organizations has been

extremely productive. We’ve worked together

to keep apprised of our evolving development

methodologies and tools so that we avoid

incompatibility and minimize expenses. We’ve

also shared voluntary benefits technology

expertise with Unum, and Unum has shared its

group technology expertise with us. Overall,

collaborating helps both companies realize

long-term efficiencies and facilitates even

greater opportunities to work together.

AlanWhelchelColumbia

One key element is to really work at under-

standing the vantage point of your work part-

ners and the challenges they face. Having this

knowledge allows you to support one another

and in turn be a united front as you strive to

reach your common goals.

Tricia TetreauPortland

I have experienced many collaborative

teams at Unum over the years including

Management Excellence, the IT Training

Advisory Board and the IT Work Environment

teams. As a team member, I always find the

ideas and insight I hear from my peers to be

extremely energizing and the programs we

develop in this way are always richer and

more robust as a result.

Andrea RomaPortland

I participated in a team to develop and

present a joint workshop between the IT

Project Leaders and IT Managers, focused on

improving speed-to-market. Through collabora-

tive strength-based teamwork we delivered a

workshop that was very well received, with a

lot of positive feedback from the participants.

Linda HuittPortland

The strong collaboration between Business,

IT and QA was the main reason we were able

to implement the CSO and GCI projects within

the July, October and November releases. I

really want to thank all of our partners in

Business and IT for working so closely with the

QA CoE organization. The way the teams ral-

lied together to identify and resolve risks that

were identified while we were testing was a

great testament to the teamwork needed to

deliver projects with quality under tight time-

frames.

Eric LacombePortland

onePublished

for all Unumemployees

Joe Foley

Senior vice president

and chief marketing officer

Jim Sabourin

Vice president, Corporate Communications

Mary Clarke Guenther

Director, Corporate Communications

ContributorsUnum

Dan Alderman, Amanda Carmichael, Mary Fortune,

John Luehrs, Sunny Murray, Laurie Vaughen, Stacy White

Colonial Life

Craig Beatty, Jeanne Reynolds

UnumUK

Jane Chaplin

Publishing & Design

Parthenon Publishing

Employees reflect on Unum’s collaborative spirit:

Wewant tohear from youSend your opinions, comments, story ideasand more to us at news@unum.com orto One magazine, Unum, c/o CorporateCommunications, 5 South, 1 FountainSquare, Chattanooga, TN 37402, U.S. Allsubmissions should include your name,address and daytime phone number andmay be published or otherwise reused inany medium. In addition, submission ofletters and/or photos implies the right toedit and publish in whole or in part. Letterreplies are written by the publication staffof Onemagazine and, when appropriate,by other company employees. All submis-sions become property of Unum and maynot be returned.

SPRING 2009 5

n the communities where we live and work,Unum and its employeesmake a big difference.We are a company communities can count onto deliver during a United Way campaign, orwhen a team of employees is called upon to vol-unteer — to roll up their sleeves and pick uppaint or gardening supplies, or to provide a gift

of hope and time to aworthy cause or organization.Unum’s culture of giving is inextricably linked to the

mission of our business:We are committed to helping ourcustomers every day, and helping our communitiesbecomebetter is a natural extension of that commitment.“Unum is a company whose business has tremendous

social value,” says Cary Olson-Cartwright, who directsUnum’s Community Relations. “Our products help pro-tect the financial security ofmillions of people, particularlywhen they need it most. At its core, our business is builton the idea of helping people, so our dedication to ourcommunities is a natural fit.”This link between why we give back to our communi-

ties and our business is a lot like that old idea that ourgrandparents used to remind us of: “What goes aroundcomes around.”

Engagementwith returnon investmentYoumight wonder how andwhy, particularly in a chal-

lenging economy, Unum continues to invest in its com-munities, and how we decide where to give money andtalent as a company.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and becomemore, you are a leader.”

– JohnQuincyAdams

IStrategicInvestmentsOur philanthropy is based on

four pillars, major areaswhere we can have a profoundlocal impact as a catalyst forpositive change.

EducationWe provide quality tools for teachersand students, as well as Unum men-tors who support lifetime learning.

Success for the disabledAs a leader in providing disability ben-efits, we have a special understandingof the complex challenges created bydisability. Unum serves as an advo-cate for people confronting those chal-lenges, and values the contributionsthey make to our economy and over-all quality of life.

Health and wellnessWe encourage and support a widerange of programs that promote an ac-tive approach to healthy lifestyles forour employees and our broader com-munities.

Arts and culturePersonal expression and collaborativecreative experiences are part of everyhealthy community. Through arts edu-cation, children and adults are exposedto activities that enrich, inspire andencourage innovation.

Strong RootsHelping ourcommunities grow

6 one

The key to the answer lies in the way our leaders view theimportant work of improving our communities. Our leadershipteam doesn’t really talk about giving as much as they talk aboutinvesting. Unum aims tomake a lasting difference, to be a catalystfor economic development and quality jobs in our communities,and to engage other businesses in the community by our example.

At the center of Unum’s community efforts is public education— a critical national issue that plays out in each of our home-towns. Strong schools are the foundation of any thriving commu-nity, and our company depends on a well-educated workforce tostay competitive.

“When we invest in areas such as education, we are directlyinvesting in our business by helping develop the workforce for the

future,” says Donna Northam,assistant vice president ofCorporateandExternal Communicationswhodirects the community relationsprogram.

Focus on educationUnum’s leaders know that

strong schools attract good jobs,produce a talented workforce andprovide beneficial development.Nearly 20 years ago, Unumwas

instrumental in the creation of theMaine Coalition for Excellencein Education. Now Unum also supports the Gulf of MaineResearch Institute, the Mitchell Institute, Jobs for Maine’sGraduates and the Compact for Higher Education. Committed topreparing students for the 21st century, employees in Portland aremaking a difference and promoting education throughout theentire state.

In nominating Unum for the Economic Development Awardfrom theMaine Development Foundation, Pete Geiger, presidentof the board of the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education,pointed toUnum’s long tradition of community involvement.

“With Unum, it is not simply ‘Here is a check and see youlater.’ Unum employees are involved— they are in the schools, inthe classrooms sharing their time and expertise,” he wrote. “Theytruly are a rolemodel for other businesses.”

In Chattanooga, a partnership with the local public school sys-tem will provide up to half a million dollars over the next fouryears, and includes a call to other businesses to step up to supportpublic education throughTechnologyChallengematching grants.

“We knowwe can’t do everything on our own, so that’s whywe developed this matching grant to encourage other businessesto partner with us,” says Cathy Barrett, manager of CommunityRelations in Chattanooga. “We are excited that they are, and thatwe are helping lead our entire community in being a strong

We could fill this magazine with a list of ways inwhich we support our diverse communities.

Here are just a few additional highlights:

Education• Educators and mentors are honored each year at local minorleague baseball or hockey games in Chattanooga, Portlandand Worcester with an induction into a “Unum Hall of Fame.”These Starting 9 and Starting 6 programs include a stipend of$500 for each honoree. In the past four years, nearly 150educators have been honored and nearly $50,000 has beendonated to teachers for their classroom supplies.

• In Portland, about 140 students from public schools across thestate spend the night at Unum for the Urban Adventure, anevent focused on team-building projects, mentoring andhands-on educational activities.

• Working with Bill Curry, a national speaker on leadership, for-mer director at The Baylor School and the current footballcoach at Georgia State University, Unum establishedLeadership Baylor, a program for public high school studentsin Chattanooga.

• Colonial Life contributes more than $120,000 annually to col-leges and universities in scholarships and instructional sup-port for achievement of higher education.

Disability• Unum UK volunteers support Queen Elizabeth’s foundationTraining College, a program that helps people with disabilitiesachieve independence by teaching them office skills.

• Unum teams up with the Chattanooga Zoo to host DreamNight, where families with children who have physical anddevelopmental issues enjoy the entire place to themselves,

Benefits to

supporter of public education.”The goal of making a lasting dif-

ference was also a central part ofColonial Life’s new partnership withthe Boys and Girls Clubs of theMidlands in Columbia, S.C., whichinvests $100,000 over three years.

“We are not just writing a checkand this is not just good public rela-tions,” Northam says. “By pairing this financial investment withour volunteers at after-school sites, we’re providing positive adultrole models and helping the organization’s staff and board ofdirectors look at newways tomeet growing challenges.”

InWorcester, Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteers go above andbeyond for their ‘Littles’ and for the Elm Park Community School.Although the school-based mentoring program asks mentors tocommit only an hour per week during the school year, Unum’s‘Bigs’ domore.

“They take their Littles toWorcester Tornadoes games or tomovies,” saysMeghanMaceiko,manager ofCommunityRelationsinWorcester. “Our campus hasadded Littles to Take Our Sonsand Daughters to Work Daybecause so many of the Littlesenjoy spending time at workwith their Big.”

Generous employeesIn the UK, Unum employ-

ees contribute more than1,000 volunteer days a yearworking with community part-ners, largely in the field of dis-ability advocacy.

Themost significant participation event for UK employees lastyear was Le Jo’g, a 1,000-mile relay from JohnO’Groats to Land’sEnd. For the past several years, Unum’s proceeds from the racehave benefitted SeeAbility, a charity that has worked for 200 yearswith people who are blind or partially sighted and have other dis-abilities.

“Last year, we had more than 150 employees in the race andraised £50,000,” says Vince Mewett, human resources director.“It’s always amazing to see the willingness of our employees totake on such a huge challenge to help others.”

In 2008, through contributions andmatching gifts, the compa-ny and its employees gave morethan $6 million in support of itscommunities. In addition, nearly80,000 employee volunteer serv-ice hours were logged, benefitingmore than 1,300 organizations intheUS andUK.

“Whether it is by walking orrunning in support of a cause, re-cycling magazines for patientsundergoing chemotherapy treat-ments or knitting caps for prema-ture babies, our employees get in-volved andgive beyondmeasure,”saysMarieMcGehee, manager ofCommunity Relations for Colo-nial Life. “It’s our employeeswho

help strengthen the fabric of our company and our community.”Across the country, Glendale, Calif., employees are working to

help fight the effects of homelessness. HomeWalk isUnitedWay’sannual 5K family walk to raise awareness and resources to end

away from the crowds.• In Portland, Unum helps with training efforts at theMorrison Developmental Center, which serves children andadults with developmental disabilities.

Heath andwellness• Unum employees give everything from their own blood tofood out of their pantries to help others less fortunate. Fooddrives at our main campuses brought in 28 tons of food andblood drives collected nearly 1,500 units last year.

• In Chattanooga, through a $500,000 contribution, Unummade possible the Unum Fitness Zone at the Siskin Hospitalfor Physical Rehabilitation, one of the premier such facilitiesin the nation. The Zone is dedicated to cardiovascular exer-cise with equipment adaptable for those with disabilities.

Arts and culture• Colonial Life displays the work of the most promising artstudents (K-college) from across the state of South Carolinaon campus through the Picasso Project. The popular eventsupports the work of the Children’s Trust Fund of SouthCarolina, Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina and Voices forSouth Carolina’s Children.

The UnitedWay• One of the most visible, companywide efforts in the US. isthe annual United Way campaign. Every year that giftgrows, and last year, despite tough economic times, Unumemployees pledged more than $1.5 million, surpassing lastyear’s amount by 12 percent. Combinedwith corporate giftsmade by each campus, the United Way received$2,446,665 from Unum and its employees in 2008.

SPRING 2009 7

community

8 one

homelessness in Los Angeles County.For the past two years, Glendaleemployees have contributed funds thathelp people get off the streets and intoaffordable housing and provide jobtraining and assistance.

“Each year we survey our staff todetermine what organizations are ofmost interest to people, andHomeWalktops the list,” says Karen Stein, vicepresident of long term disability benefitsoperations in Glendale. “It is a wonder-ful feeling to know that our effortsdirectly impact people in our localcommunity.”

History of civic responsibilityUnumhas a history of building partnerships that helpwith both

economic development and accomplishing goals for non-profit andeducational institutions.

Others are paying attention to Unum’s work as well. The com-pany consistently is named a best employer in the states where our

major campus sites are located and ishonored by numerous civic and serviceorganizations for efforts in economicdevelopment, healthy workplace initia-tives and generositywith resources.

Tennessee State Sen. Bo Watsonparticipated in the Community ServiceDay in Chattanooga in July at a localchildren’s shelter.

“It is so refreshing to see businessesand companies make the commitmentto improve our community,” Watsonsaid in a letter to Unum employees.“Thank you so much for allowing methe opportunity to participate.”

While the ways we reach out to ourcommunities may vary, one thing thatis uniform is the commitment ofUnum’s leadership to improving thequality of life of our employees and ourlocal communities.

“Our Community Relations teamdepends on the generosity of our employees’ time and passion tosupport our various nonprofit partners,” Olson-Cartwright says.“With 10,000 of us working together, we can have an incredibleeffect in our communities across the United States and theUnited Kingdom.”

Are you engaged?

Four simple ways to help you get in

touch with your inner philanthropist:

1Matching gifts Unum will match eligibleemployee gifts of $50 or more to an annual

maximum of $7,500. Also, the company will

provide matching gifts on a $2 for $1 basis to

accredited educational programs in the US.

2Employee participation gift Unumemployees who enter a walk, run or other

qualified event with an eligible organization can

have their participation matched by the compa-

ny with a $50 gift.

3Volunteer service grants For full-timeemployees, Unum will match $1 for each

hour an employee volunteers up to 500 hours

($500) per year.

4Board of Director opportunities ContactCommunity Relations if you are interested in

serving in a leadership capacity for a nonprofit

board of directors.

Visit Inside Unum to learn more and access

forms. You can also contact Gwen Moore

at (423) 295-1106 or Cary Olson-Cartwright

at (207) 575-4478.

•

2,423Studentsmentored

28 tonsFood collected

SPRING 2009 9

FASTFACTSA cross the country

and around theworld, Unum em-

ployees are dedicated totheir communities andshow their commitment ina variety of ways.

1,437Units of blooddonated

. . .OUR BUSINESS.. .OUR INDUSTRY.. .OUR IMPACT.. .

79,712Hours of

volunteer service

In the popular 1983 American film RiskyBusiness, Joel (played by Tom Cruise)finds himself in need of some quick cash

and, with the help of his friends, decides toembark on a unique and unorthodox waytomakemoney.

Some of us would argue that the deci-sions of banks, mortgage lenders andinvestment firms that led to the currentglobal economic crisis could similarly belabeled as “risky business.”

“The truth is that we’ve seen manyfinancial service companies, from banksandmortgage lenders to investment firmsand insurance giants, fail at fundamentalrisk management practices,” says MikeTemple, chief risk officer for Unum. “Whilethe circumstances were different in eachcase, the bottom line was that they weren’teffective at protecting themselves from theunderlying risk.”

Temple and others across the companyare at the forefront of making sure thatdoesn’t happen here. Adhering to soundrisk management principles ensures thatwe have strong financial resources that arenecessary to deliver on our promise ofhelping customers in difficult times.

Building a bettermodel“We’ve made great strides over the last

three to four years in advancing our riskmanagement capabilities,” says Temple,comparing our efforts today with 2003. Atthat time, before CEO TomWatjen tookthe reins, our business was skewed heavilytoward large-case employers —many ofwhich were unprofitable for us — whileour balance sheet and investment portfoliowere less than optimal. Today, our businessmix is more diverse, profitability is up andthe financial picture at the company is asgood as it has ever been.

Unum owes the position it now enjoysto the collective efforts of our leadershipteam in building a solid enterprise-wideriskmanagement culture with responsibili-ty spread throughout the company.

Here’s how itworks:Enterprise risk:An executive commit-

tee oversees our entire risk managementprogram and provides direction on currentand emerging issues related to the compa-ny, such as the impact of a recession onUnum’s growth and capital plans. Thecommittee reports to the board ofdirectors.

Business-level risk: In Unum US,UnumUK and Colonial Life, risk commit-tees are responsible for managing insur-ance and operational risks within theirrespective areas. These teams address

FrankWilliamson, left, andMike Temple

10 one

ANot SoRiskyBusiness

SPRING 2009 11

issues like underwriting and pricingprocesses, business mix and customer con-centrations by industry, sales practices, andclaim and general customer service delivery.

Corporate risk: Three other risk com-mittees oversee a variety of activities. Across-functional investment committeemonitors how wemanage our investmentportfolio, while a capital management com-mittee addresses the capital needs of ourcompany and business operations.Identifying, assessing andmonitoring oper-ational risks related to litigation, informa-tion technology and internal audit is theresponsibility of a corporate risk committee.

“Taking a consistent, holistic approach tomanaging risk is very important,” saysTemple. “The key to successful riskmanage-ment lies within our ongoing ability tomake daily business decisions based onsound riskmanagement principles.We relyon these risk committees to help guide andoversee these activities.”

Investing in our futureIn today’s economy, it’s no surprise that

managing our investments has been themost visible piece of our risk-related activi-ties recently.

“Wemanage our investment portfolio asan extension of our business strategy,” saysFrankWilliamson, senior vice president andchief investment officer. “Just like key stake-holders have expectations of our businessoperations, they also have specific viewsaboutwhat our portfolio should provide.”

Whether an employer, investor or indi-vidual, all stakeholders expect that our

assets will support thefinancial commitmentswemake to policyholders.There is also the expecta-tion that profits will comeprimarily from runningour operations well,rather than fromhigh pro-file investments like thosemade by billionaireWarrenBuffet.

“Therefore, our invest-ment strategy is funda-mentally about risk man-agement: havingmoney to pay claims in thefuture and contributing to consistent oper-ating earnings today,” saysWilliamson.

Unum’s investment committee —which includesWilliamson, Chief FinancialOfficer Bob Greving and other senior pro-fessionals —meets weekly to discuss thestate of the portfolio, which consists prima-rily of corporate bonds. Issues on the tablerun the gamut from the amount of invest-ment risk we should take to what financialholdingsmight throw us off track, and howwe can prepare for those.

Although the financial markets have suf-fered over the last year, conditions like thesecan also present investment opportunities.

“Because our business strategy does notinclude accumulating assets that customerscan withdraw, we had money to invest asthe credit crisis unfolded in late 2008,” saysWilliamson. “When news headlines wereabout the financial system being closeddown, Unumwas able in late fall to invest

more than $650 million at an 8percent return, well aboveour normal target of 6 to 7percent.”

At the forefrontWhether we realize it or

not, most of us are at thefront lines of Unum’s riskmanagement efforts. That’sbecause actions and deci-sions large and small canimpact us in a number ofways.

“There are many daily

risks front-line employees and managersface, from addressing operational issues andmanaging expenses to following soundclaims practices and interacting with cus-tomers,” says Temple. “How we react ineach of these instances has an impact onour operations, profitability and reputation.Over time, they combine to tell the story ofUnum.”

The good news is that our workforce isready tomeet this challenge.

“We have a strong corporate culturethat’s focused onmeeting the needs of ourcustomers, finding ways to improve thecompany and excelling at our work eachand every day,” says Williamson. “In thisenvironment, managing risk is a naturalinstinct for us as employees because we’realways striving to do what’s best for ourstakeholders.”

Controlling our appetiteIn many ways, risk management is a

fluid process because our desire for takingrisk changes over time and with differingcircumstances.

“A lot of discussion goes on about whatwe call our ‘risk appetite,’ or howmuch riskwe’re willing to take as a business,” saysTemple. “These conversations, and thework being done across the company in riskmanagement, ultimately aid us in definingour risk appetite and establishing guidelineswe can all follow.”

That, in turn, helps to ensure that wetake on acceptable levels of risk — ratherthan having to engage in “risky business” topay for ourmistakes.

A solid foundationIn the last five years, Unum has made great strides in estab-lishing a solid risk management foundation. As a result,today we have:

• A strong balance sheet

• Product portfolio with manageable capital requirements

• Minimal need to refinance debt

• Income generated frommultiple sources

• Healthy investment portfolio

• Reduced regulatory, litigation and operational risks

Unum’s risk frameworkFor us, risk generally falls into one of five categories: strate-gic risk, capital and liquidity risk, credit and market risk,insurance risk, and operational and reputation risk. Beforetaking action, Unum’s leadership goes through a multistepprocess to determine the potential risk involved.

• Does it align with our business strategy and objectives?

• What is our company’s capacity for taking risk?

• Does it fall within our established risk philosophy?

• What is our current appetite for taking on risk?

• Do we have adequate policies or procedures in place

to manage this risk?

•

12 one

You can think of them as librarians for the corporateset, but Information and RecordsManagement hasa muchmore sophisticated process thanthe Dewey Decimal System for keeping

track of employees’ documents and files.Scott Stancell-Condron, director of Information

and Records Management, and the department’s31 employees, are responsible not only for manag-ing records operation centers in Chattanooga,Portland and Worcester, but also for trainingemployees on how to use depart-mental exchange folders and theiRIMS system. The group also advis-es the records operation center inColumbia.

The department is also responsi-ble for Unum UK and Ireland’srecordsmanagement, althoughU.K.has to adhere to the FinancialServices Administration and Irelandhas to deal with the EU’s stringentretention guidelines.

“Ultimately, we are responsiblefor the policy that governs all infor-mation and records for the compa-ny,” Stancell-Condron said, addingthat the department just rolled out anew policy this year that all U.S.employees were required to readand take a short quiz on, to makesure everyonewas in compliance.

While there is nomandate in theU.S. for such a system, there are state and federal laws, regu-lations and guidelines that suggest the need to keep recordsfor a certain period of time, Stancell-Condron said, addingthat some of the regulations are insurance-related while oth-ers deal with the Securities and Exchange Commission ortheOccupational Safety andHealthAdministration.

Files at the records operation centers are stored for busi-ness partners for about two years before being sent to IronMountain, headquartered in Boston, which provides out-sourced recordsmanagement and storage.

The company’s departmental exchange folders house e-mails that are not deleted after 120 days. Currently, there areabout 17million e-mails stored in 250,000 of these folders.

File Catchers

Booming technology has led to evenmore information being sharedbetween individuals and campuses,meaning the company has to have away to get everything from storedaudio, video and e-mail, along with tra-ditional paper forms and reports, toanyonewhoneeds them.

One challenge is the proliferation ofsystems that store information. PDFsand other digital pieces don’t have anytype of retention or destruction capa-bilities built into them, Stancell-Condron said, creating a risk whenitems are kept “well past the life ofwhat the retention schedule says itshould be.”

Tomanage risk andmake recordsmanagement easier andmore cost efficient, the group will be implementing a newsystem—LiveLink— this year. The system canmanage alltypes of content in one place— business documents, vitalrecords, web content, digital assets, e-mail, forms andreports.

“Everything will be searchable in one area,” Stancell-Condron said, citing LiveLink as his department’s biggestsuccess to date. Currently, if someone wants a departmentalexchange folder, Information and RecordsManagement hasto set that up—which turns into a booming business at thebeginning and end of every year when departments rush tocatalogue items.

[ DEPARTMENT PROFILE ]

All Unumneeds to know is stored byInformation and RecordsManagement

Unum’s records and informationby the numbers• 65 million pages of microforms (microfiche,

rolls and aperture cards)

• 17 million e-mails currently stored in 250,000

different departmental exchange folders

• 4 million paper files stored offsite

• 1,820,332, paper files stored in the

records operation centers in

Chattanooga, Portland and Worcester.

Top: Scott Stancell-Condron, director of IRM

Below, pictured front to back: RonMullins,manager, Chattanooga Records Operations, LaciRidge, DoraMcKnight, Shirley Burns, Tracy Shaw,Renee Cole and Chris Taylor.

•

SPRING 2009 13

[ Special Feature ]

Unum’s Aspire program bringstogether nearly 400 of the high-est achievers from across all

businesses for a multi-day trainingand recognition conference that tapsinto the creative energy behind theWorld of Disney. Similarly, our salesrecognition programs honor our top-performing sales reps by bringingthem together each year at differentvenues.

“Behind both of these recognitionprograms — Aspire and our salesevents — is a strong business pur-pose,” says Joe Foley, chief marketingofficer. “These programs underscorethe reality of the need for incentiveand retention of good employees in ahighly competitive benefits industry.They are among the many ways weinvest in our people. Both are a pow-erful tool to help motivate, especiallyin a challenging economy.”

Aspire participants who will travelto theWalt DisneyWorld’s Yacht andBeach Club resort were announcedFeb. 25-27 at the main campus siteswith Disney talent on hand tomake ita world-class recognition of employ-ees among their peers. This yearAspire became the common bannerfor all UnumUS, Corporate Staff andColonial Life employees for the May3-6 conference. In the past, varioustraining opportunities had differentlabels (QUEST, SCORE, Masters,Partners and Bridge) and slightly dif-ferent goals or qualifications. Whilethere will be a number of sessions fordifferent areas to gather separately,this year’s Aspire reflects a unifiedapproach.

The sales events engage employeesin collaboration and team buildingexercises outside the day-to-dayduties at the office. In addition to the

learning that takes place, Unum US,UnumUK andColonial Life participantsgive back to the communities wherethey gather with a meaningful commu-nity project. For example, last year, theUnum US sales force built 50 bicyclesfor kids at an orphanage in the Bahamas.By building bikes, they also built rela-tionships with each other and certainlybrought some big smiles to kids whohad never owned a bike. Hawaii will bethis year’s destination for the salesrecognition events for both Unum USandColonial Life. Colonial Life is follow-ing in this tradition by exploring oppor-tunities for a community service projectaswell.

Last year, theUK top sales employeesused the opportunity of their conferenceto assist a small rural school in theAfrican nation of Zambia. Each employ-ee donated the funds that would nor-mally have purchased a conferencerecognition gift for their desks, in aneffort to leave the place they visited a lit-tle better than when they arrived. Thisyear, the group will travel to Rio deJaneiro in Brazil.

The experience isn’tmerely anecdotalabout the important return on invest-ment that such recognition and incen-tive events have for each of our businessareas, says Foley.

“Just as it is more desirable to keepour best andmost loyal customers, it iscrucial we retain our top-performingemployees,” says Foley. “The costs asso-ciated with recruiting and training newemployees are expensive. Most impor-tantly, good people who know Unumand know our customers can’t be easilyreplaced. It takes time to build thoserelationships. It also makes sense thatemployees who are exceeding expecta-tions feel appreciated and have opportu-nities for professional growth.”

The Practice of RecognizingExcellence

At Unum, Aspire recogni-tion and Disney go hand inhand. Conference attendeescelebrate being chosen byreceiving their honoraryMickey ears, and thenmeeta host of characters whileat DisneyWorld.

As part of their sales recognition confer-ence last year, UnumUK employees, ledby CEO Susan Ring, donated funds to helpa small school in Zambia.

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14 one

UNUM CULTUREArk at ee! Y’all have awicked good time withthese regional phrases.

C ommunication is the key to goodrelationships. But considering howsome of us talk, the art of conver-

sation can also be puzzling, eyebrow-rais-ing or downright humorous. We recentlyasked you to send us your favorite localwords or phrases and the response wasso huge we almost had a hissy fit.

What’s that you say?

“I’m fixin to.”Definition: I’m all overit and the action willcommence shortly.— Elaine McElyea, Columbia

SOUTHThe phrase “Bless your heart”has been around for ages and isstill going strong.

Sympathy: “Earl’s dog died.”“Bless his heart.”

Admiration: “Grandmawonthe potato sack race at the fam-ily reunion.” “Bless her heart.”

Sarcasm: “He says he can’twork because he has a badingrown toenail.” “Well, blesshis heart!”

And to disguise an insult:“Bless her heart, looks like thestylist did her hair with a weedwhacker.”

—Cindy Cunnyngham,Chattanooga

NORTH

“Worn (or wore) to a frazzle.” Spoken by someone who is very tired.“I’m full as a tick.” I ate too much.“Forty ‘leven.” A lot.“Tell you what do…” Spoken prior to giving instructions.“Act like you got some raising.” Behave yourself!

— Lonna P. Williams, Chattanooga

Pitch a fit (or have a hissy) = How someone expresses theirfrustration; also known as a temper tantrum.

— Jodi Maeder, Portland

As a transplant from San Francisco, I’ve observed geographically specificphrases on both sides of the U.S. Some interesting differences:

California TennesseeI’mwaiting for.... I’mwaiting on....I’m feeling sick. I’m feeling puny.I’m really upset about it. I’m all tore up about it.Switch off the light. Cut off the light.I shouldn’t have done that. I hadn’t ought done that.

— Louise Pons, Chattanooga

“Might could” in place of “could.” Example, “I might could give theagent a call to discuss the situation.”

—AaronMonastra, Columbia

“That was clear as mud” actually means not fully understood.—Gayle E. Sprayberry, Columbia

My favorite word fromMainers is “wicked”everything is “wickedgood,” “wicked cool”or we had “wickedfun,” etc.

—Kim Gouzie, PortlandStove-up, as in “He reallystove-up his truck when he hitthat moose.”

— J.J. Quinn, Portland

Adding ‘er’ to words, or drop-ping it altogether. A wickedgood ide-er.

— Lynn Bower, Portland

I pahkmy cah in the havahdyahd = I park my car in theHarvard parking lot.—Kelly A. Boucher, Worcester

Wicked!

Y’all is singular. The pluralof y’all is … All y’all.—PamBlackwell, Columbia

Well, blessher heart!

SPRING 2009 15

Unique pronunciation:Woostah =Worcester.

—David D. Archambault, Worcester

Pop in the Midwest. Soda inthe North. Coke in the South.—Christine Ruggiero, Portland

My favorite Maine-ism is“cunning,”which I first heard froman elderly neighbor when she

showed us a photo of her nephew andsaid, “Now isn’t he the most cunningthing you ever saw?” Who knew that itmeant “adorable” rather than “cleverlydeceitful”?

—Neil Gallagher, Portland

Picked (pronounced pik-id) = sharp—Dave A. Kneeland, Portland

Realigning words in sentences: “I turnedaround, and there she was, gone.” Or,“Throwme down the stairs, my hat.”

— Lisa A. Maliski, Portland

I’m right out straight = I’m very, verybusy.

— Trish Mitchell, Portland

Door yard = Your drivewayApiece = An undetermined distance,likely not very farAyuh (yes, in Maine we do say this) =Yes or sure, you betDungeon thick = A really foggy dayalong the coast

—Catherine Curtis, Portland

If you were not born and raised in Maineyou are simply “from away.”

— Sarah Leeman, Portland

Grinder, a type of sandwich like a hero,sub or hoagie.

— Sandy Giordano, Worcester

FROM ELSEWHERE

A few favorite Pittsburghwords or phrases:Nebby.Means "nosy" or "being in someone else's business without permission,"e.g. “She is so nebby, she went through all the drawers in my desk!”Jaggers. Better known as thorns. “Watch out for that rose bush; the jaggers canscratch you!”Red up. Same thing as clean up. “You'd better red up your room or else!”Gum band. Also known as a rubber band. (please wrap a gum band aroundthose papers so they don't get loose.)Slippy. “Watch out for that wet floor, it is really slippy!”

— Lisa R. Vasquez, San Diego

Ark at ee!

“Ark at ee”whichmeans “listen tothat!” Also, callingeveryone “Laydee”as a pet name.—Helen Hinds, Bristol

In Southern Wisconsinwhere I grew up adrinking fountain hasalways been called abubbler.

— Sharon Shou, California

Not for nothin’ = Not that it matters—Brooks S. Geiger, New York

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Craic: (pronounced crack) means fun, enjoyment. Asin “How’s the craic?”Fair play: Well done.

— Eamonn Lawler, Ireland

A seasonal favourite in Bristol is the word “pitching”which refers to what happens to snowwhen it settles.“Is the snow pitching yet?”

—Andy Nicholls, Bristol

Tomither is to make an unnecessary fuss, or to pestersomeone, e.g. “I don't want to mither her” or “Stop

mithering me!”—Georgina Kerwin, Manchester

Scunnered = Scots word meaning to be disgusted,bored or simply fed up.

—Claire Grantham, Scotland

In Bristol, “gert lush”means very nice, and “Ow Biz”means how are you?

—Chris Thompson, Bristol

Here in Bristol they add an “L” to any word ending in avowel, so you guys all live in “AmericaL”, and youprobably eat “pizzaL.”Tennis shoes are “daps.”If they really like you they’ll call you “me babber.”

— Liz Harvey, Bristol“Where’s it to?” =Where is that?

— Louise Mosson, Bristol

ACROSSTHEPOND

Y ou would be hard-pressed to hear Les Blackwell, systems

analyst at Colonial Life in Columbia, S.C., ever say the word

“can’t.” For 15 years, Blackwell has been teaching, demon-

strating and inspiring people with spinal cord injuries that they

“can” overcome their disabilities and take back their inde-

pendent lifestyles.

Before Blackwell could devote time to helping others,

he had to overcome his own life-changing experience.

In 1986, Blackwell was involved in an automobile

accident that severely injured his spinal cord. “I was

22 and thought I had the world by the tail,”

Blackwell says. “I kept thinking it had to all be a

dream and that I really couldn’t be paralyzed,

have a broken neck and require a machine to

breathe.”

After regaining partial use of his arms and

weaning himself from the ventilator during

his five months of rehabilitation, Blackwell

started volunteering his time to help others

facing similar challenges. He started by

teaching children with disabilities how to

water ski using an adaptive ski. “I’ve been

skiing since I was 5 so it was the first

recreational activity I wanted to re-learn

after rehab,” Blackwell explains. “Kids are

typically very resilient after an injury and

respond really well to activities like that.”

Later, Blackwell became a peer support

mentor to others with recent spinal cord

injuries. He has also spent the last 10 years

mentoring students at the South Carolina

Vocational Rehabilitation Computer Training

Center and serves as the chairman of the cen-

ter’s Business Advisory Council. “It’s a tremendous

feeling when you’ve genuinely helped someone

simply by taking the time to do it,” he says.

Blackwell hopes others can learn by his example

that they can get their lives back on track after sustaining

a catastrophic injury. Blackwell gave up his adaptive van for

a convertible almost 10 years ago and developed a “how-to”

video to show others the technique for getting in and out easily.

He also skydives, hang glides and is learning how to fly sailplane

aerobatics. “I’ve seen that no matter who you are or how much

money you have, somewhere in life you’re going to go through tough

times and will need a little help,” he says. “I received that help and encour-

agement 23 years ago. Now helping someone overcome or be able to cope

with a life-changing injury that could even make them a stronger person is most

rewarding for me.”

Les BlackwellColonial LifeColumbia, S.C.

Making a Difference

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Helping others overcome or copewith life-changing injuries

BETTFLASHNICK