While a change in leadership can

often signal a new beginning,

I believe there’s a new era dawning for

UNIFI that has very little to do with me

and very much

to do with

you. See if you

agree.

The theme

for UNIFI’s

2008 annual

report is

Mutual. Strong.

Trusted. While

these are true

statements about UNIFI, very few of our

peers and competitors can make these

claims. This provides a real advantage for

our customers, our producers and us:

• Mutual. Our policyholders and

members’ interests are aligned with each

other—and our own. By building a future

for them, we’re creating better futures and

new opportunities for ourselves.

• Strong. Job-one is to bring peace of

mind to our customers, and financial

strength is the best way to deliver on that

promise. When we work together, when

we think long term, when we all act as the

fiduciaries we’re entrusted to be, then we

can confidently make promises today that

will be good in 100 years.

• Trusted. When our customers or

producers think of UNIFI, they think of

you—the last person they spoke with.

You earn their trust each day when you

put them first, go above and beyond, do

what’s right and provide more value for

each dollar our customers entrust to us.

A December 2008 article in Forbes

Magazine, entitled “Mutual Respect,”

reported what we’ve known all along—

some publicly traded companies are

paying the price for trying to serve the

differing interests of their policyowners

and stockholders. As a mutual company,

we’ll always be aligned with our members

and customers. More and more, the

market is understanding this and favoring

mutual companies like UNIFI. The

opportunities are there. Together, we

must use this time to provide even more

customers’ financial peace of mind.

On a personal note, I would like to

wish John and Lana Jacobs well as they

begin a new stage of life. I know their

retirement years will be as fulfilling as their

professional ones were. My sincere thanks

to John and Lana for all they have done to

create a bright future for UNIFI.

Volume 2, No. 7Spring 2009

SECTION A

INSIDE

SectioN A‑

A farewell message from John Jacobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A

Historical Factoids: customer Firsts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2A

An ethical Workplace: Strong ethics foster strong business . . . . . . . . . 2A

Know Your Leaders: Martin charges ahead in her new role . . . . . . . . . 3A

Producer Workbench–new and improved agent portal . . . . . . . . . 3A

Focus on the Field: FAc chair sees 2009 as defining moment . . . . . . 4A

SectioN B‑

community Watch . . . . . . . . . . . 1B

Man on the Street . . . . . . . . . . . 2B

Associates enjoy work‑life balance through total Rewards . . . . . . . . 2B

Focus, metrics, swagger were key to Ameritas Group success . . . . . . . . 3B

HSAs give Acacia Federal big boost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3B

Brian thalken, storm chaser . . . . . 4B

News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4B

Featured in masthead: Nicole Taulbee, Cincinnati

M A G A Z I N E

The first baby boomer applied for Social Security benefits in 2008. Over the

next 20 years, 77 million more baby boomers will transition from career

to retirement. With their retirement, $19 trillion worth of savings they’ve been

accumulating for decades will be put to work. With it must come a change in

mindset for the industry and the companies that expect to thrive during the

boomers’ transition.

An entire generation of financial services professionals has focused on one

thing—products and services that help people save. On the eve of the baby

boomers cashing in their hard-earned chips, entities like UNIFI Companies are

preparing themselves to meet and exceed the demands of what the pundits have

called the richest generation in history. That means change for UNIFI and the

executives, managers, associates, field professionals and others associated with it.

The challenge is not in helping retirees disburse their funds as much as it’s

developing a process that helps us compete in this arena, while applying the

same levels of innovation that are seen in our wealth accumulation products

and services.

UNIFI began thinking about this additional focus shortly after our merger

of 2006. This new thinking is called the “Retirement Income Focus.” This is

not a program, a set of products or a process. It’s all of these things. It’s the way

UNIFI uniquely combines products and services from across the enterprise in a

horizontal, customer-focused One Company Marketing mindset. That means the

field professionals and their clients who trust UNIFI to help them build wealth

must now see UNIFI as the best partners to help disburse it.

It’s critical that we begin to change our thinking. As Steve Welton, vice

president – individual strategic marketing and Retirement Income Focus project

leader, said, “Baby boomers control more than seventy percent of the net worth of

our nation. They will drive much of what UNIFI does for the next twenty years.”

In the coming issues of U Magazine, we will talk to people at all stages of this

new shift in thinking. From the strategists who are helping shape it to the UNIFI

leaders who will use it to guide our future, from the front line people developing

the products and procedures to support it to the field professionals who offer it to

the clients who participate—we’ll help you understand what the Retirement

Income Focus means for you.

Retirement Income Focus: Driving UNIFI until 2029

Frank Hennessey

Bear-a-cuda team

Need help putting the baby boomer shift in perspective?Based on a March 2007 demographic study of UNIFI, 56 percent of the associates working for a UNIFI company (1,215 of the 2,168 identified in the study) are part of the baby boom generation. More than half of your fellow associates will retire within the next 20 years.

MeSSAGe FRoM JoANN MARtiN‑

JoAnn Martin

Mutual. Strong. Trusted.

A news publication for you, the associates of the UNiFi companies

A news publication for you, the associates of UNiFi companies2A

Management guru Peter Drucker

once said, “The purpose of a

business is to create a customer.”

This statement could not have been

truer than when UNIFI’s three life

insurance companies opened their

doors in the latter half of the 1800s.

So, who were the first customers of

each life insurance company?

Union Central’s primary founder,

Dr. John Pascal Paoli Peck, declined the

position as the company’s first president

in order to serve as its first general

agent. In doing so, in 1867 he also made

himself the company’s first policyowner,

purchasing a $10,000 policy with an

annual premium of $399.50.

In March 1869, the company that

is now Acacia Life was founded as the

Masonic Mutual Relief Association.

Its purpose was to provide death

benefits to the widows and orphans of

masons with funds generated through

membership. In April 1869, seven men

each paid a $3.10 membership fee. The

association paid its first claim of $204 in

December of that year.

Five local businessmen saw an

opportunity to establish a local

company that could provide better

service to its policyholders and retain

money that was going to Eastern

carriers. Ameritas Life was established

as the Old Line Banker’s Life Insurance

Company of Nebraska and sold its first

policy, #101, to Elisha Courtright of

Milford, Nebraska, on May 26, 1887.

HiStoRicAL FActoiDS‑

Customer Firsts

U Magazine5900 O StreetP.O. Box 81889Lincoln, NE 68501-1889

eDitoRJeanne Zolbeext. 87379 or (402) 467-7379

StAFF WRiteRDan Levyext. 87446 or (402) 467-7446

coNtRiBUtiNG WRiteRSMary Beth DeSalvo, Human ResourcesNancy Davis, Acacia Federal Savings BankRob Sands, UNIFI General Counsel Janet Gallo, Legal Department

PRiNteD BYUNIFI Print Shop, Lincoln

U Magazine is published for the associates of UNIFI Companies. If you have a story or photo idea, contact U Magazine at ext. 87379 or (402) 467-7379 or e-mail jzolbe@ameritas.com. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

© 2009 The UNIFI Companies.All rights reserved.

Operate in the best interest of our members n Ensure that all associates have meaningful work n Deliver value to our customers n Earn trusted relationships with our distribution partners

A farewell message from John Jacobs

When I entered the life insurance industry

41 years ago, like most young people,

I had no idea what opportunities awaited my

family and me. There’s no question the industry

has enabled me to support my family. However,

the opportunities I will cherish most are the new

people I met, the places I visited and working alongside you to touch the lives of

our policyowners and customers.

In a letter like this, now is the time when a retiring CEO usually reflects on

the past and waxes eloquently about the future. I will do neither. Instead, I

would like to leave you with this short story.

When my children were young, I coached some of their soccer and baseball

teams. At the start of every game I would huddle the team and tell them I would

ask two questions when the game was over—“Did you try your hardest?” “Did

you have fun?” If the answer to both questions was “Yes,” then I told them they

were winners whether the scoreboard reflected it or not.

I would like to answer both questions myself. Yes and yes! I challenge you to

ask yourself the same two questions at the end of each day. If you can answer

yes to both, opportunities will avail themselves to you as they have me. If you

can’t, then make the changes necessary so you can.

I will miss working with you each day. When it comes to helping our

members, customers and field producers achieve their unique vision of success,

there is no better team than the associates at UNIFI. I truly wish you all the best.

John Jacobs

Corporate scandals in

America over the past

decade have made inclusion

of ethics in the organizational

structure vital. While the vast

majority of U.S. businesses report

they have ethics policies or codes

of conduct in place, these policies

and codes are not worth the

paper they’re written on if they

aren’t followed. Perhaps the best

case in point is Enron Corporation.

Enron had a whopping 64-page code

of conduct, which senior management

apparently had not read or, worse,

felt free to ignore.

Ethical scandals and violations

in the wake of Enron shattered

corporate reputations and undermined

consumer and employee confidence

in the companies they conducted

business with and worked for. As a

result, Congress enacted laws to help

prevent unethical business practices

and companies renewed their focus on

ethics in the workplace.

Ethical conduct and integrity generates client satisfaction

Surveys have long indicated ethical

workplaces are more productive,

profitable and generate greater client

confidence. The Yankelovich Study

conducted for Calvert in 2006 found

a majority of 800 investors surveyed

agreed ethical companies present less

investment risk (55%), while 52% said

companies operating with a higher level

of integrity deliver higher returns.

Despite the growing emphasis on

ethics in the workplace, a recent survey

conducted by the Society for Human

Resource Management found abusive

and intimidating behavior remains

one of the most widespread types of

misconduct in the workplace. Plus,

the number of employees reporting

incidents of workplace violence appears

to be on the rise and the stress of the

current economic situation seems to be

making things worse.

Fostering an ethical workplace

has always been a key component of

business operations within UNIFI

Companies. As part of our commitment

to ethical business practices, all UNIFI

associates are expected to uphold sound

ethical practices in the workplace,

including treating co-workers, clients

and vendors with respect and dignity

regardless of their age, race, national

origin, sex, religion, disability or

other immutable characteristics.

Discrimination and sexual harassment

conflict with our ethical culture,

corporate policies, federal and state

laws, and will not be tolerated.

UNIFI committed to ensuring a safe workplace

Workplace violence encompasses far

more than the homicides reported

in the news. Violent acts such as

threats; physical, verbal and electronic

harassment; trespassing; and confining

or restraining victims are also on the

rise. The financial impact of workplace

violence is significant. Employees who

feel unsafe or witness violent acts in the

workplace report increased stress and

lower morale, which typically lead to

decreased productivity and increased

absenteeism and turnover.

UNIFI Companies is committed to

ensuring a secure workplace, which

safeguards the physical, mental and

emotional health of our associates.

UNIFI Companies will protect

associates from threats or acts of

violence to the best of our ability.

A safe workplace, however,

requires your assistance. Associates

aware of any misconduct or threats

to safety are urged to immediately

report their concerns to human

resources, management or through

the EthicsPoint Hotline.

An Ethical Workplace: Strong ethics foster strong businessby Rob Sands and Janet Gallo

Ethics Hotline: Here to HelpIf you witness a possible ethics violation, don’t keep it to yourself. You can call the ethics hotline at 1-866-384-4277 or use the secure online reporting Web site at http://www.ethicspoint.com.

Our ethics are who we are. They comprise our hard-earned reputation and they are the foundation upon which our trusted relationships are built. Don’t let them erode.

Rob Sands Janet Gallo

U Magazine – Spring 2009 3A

Operate with integrity and the highest ethical standards n Act with financial discipline n Maintain a presence in the communities where our associates are located n Keep our promises

On her first day as

UNIFI president

and chief executive

officer, JoAnn Martin

reflects on the present,

the future and the

power of teamwork.

Q: Yesterday you were

UNIFI’s president

and chief operating

officer. Today you’re

president and CEO.

What, if anything, has

changed for you?

When we are given A:

a new role, our position

on the team changes.

My previous role as

chief operating officer

was to execute the

agreed upon direction.

A CEO’s role is to lead

the organization in the right direction.

As for all of us when we change positions,

the key is focusing and executing on the

new role. What makes a strong team

is when every person fulfills his or her

position with passion and excellence

— and helps out when another team

member needs it.

Has the current economy changed Q:

your role as UNIFI’s president and

CEO? How do you see it impacting the

work our associates do each day?

What is happening in the economy A:

impacts all of us, as well as our company.

This is a time when we need to help

our current customers and distribution

partners. We can do this best by providing

information and alternatives, and by just

listening. We also need to support each

other in our own lives. What we can do as

UNIFI is keep all of our companies strong

so our customers have confidence in our

ability to deliver on our promises.

What is most rewarding for you?Q:

What is most rewarding in any A:

leadership position is being part of the

growth and development of our associates,

distribution partners, businesses and

our company. In the end we are about

people helping other people. What greater

reward could there be.

What’s most challenging for you?Q:

What is most challenging is to A:

continue to evolve as businesses, and as

a company, to meet the changing needs

of our marketplace and the people we

serve. You can’t stand still in today’s

marketplace. You either get better or

you get worse.

There have been a number of Q:

leadership changes at UNIFI in the

last year. How has that impacted your

new role?

Certainly we’ve had a number of A:

leadership changes since the merger.

Those before us left us with a great

company. Now we all need to step up

and make UNIFI an even better place

for our customers and our associates.

This will require many of us to assume

new roles so UNIFI doesn’t miss a beat

in its growth and success.

Do you have any other thoughts Q:

or final comments?

I’m looking forward to impacting A:

UNIFI from a different perspective.

I want UNIFI to be a place where you

want to work, where you want to entrust

your customers and the company you

want in your communities.

I appreciate all the support I’ve

received from your calls and e-mails,

and expect that together we will make

a great team.

JoAnn Martin – UNIFI President and CEO

KNoW YoUR LeADeRS‑

JoAnn Martin charges ahead in her new role

Producer Workbench, Individual

and Retirement Plans Division’s

new agent portal, will combine products

and services from Ameritas Life, Acacia

Life, Union Central Life and Ameritas

Investment Corp. (AIC), creating a

one-stop business processing tool.

The new agent portal will make

it easier to do business through

self-service transactions, simplified

navigation, consolidated information

and enhanced services. The new

features and functionality will bring

long-term benefits as well as provide

the foundation for additional

enhancements into the future.

Take a look at some of the exciting

improvements to Producer Workbench.

Accessibilityn Ameritas, Acacia, Union Central

and AIC will have access to the same business processing tool.

n Life, DI, annuities, retirement plans and AIC information will be included.

Features and functionalityn Producer Workbench becomes the

single-source online business processing tool, replacing TOOLS

n More delegation opportunities for field associates, with general agent self-serve functionality

n Personalized welcome message

n New business status and service alerts combined into one location

n Viewer-friendly announcement section

n Robust keyword search feature across the entire site

n Enhanced, more inclusive calendar of events

n New shopping cart features, including faster ordering of sales materials and real-time proofing of personalized materials

n New tabular format delivers consolidated information across all products and companies (including AIC)

Navigation Look and Feeln Clean, crisp design with consistent

branded color scheme and fonts

n Intuitive, easy-to-navigate format with visual clues to navigation, including “carrots” and “breadcrumbs”

n Quick links to frequently used information

Watch the UNIFI Intranet for more

details and timeframes about this

initiative and watch for invitations to

training sessions prior to the launch.

Portal-related information will be

archived in the “About Producer

Workbench” section in the

Communities tab of the Intranet, and

under the About Producer Workbench

link in the What’s New section on

Producer Workbench. And as always,

you can contact Business Technology at

1-888-331-2714 with any questions you

may have.

Producer Workbench—the new and improved agent portal

“The launch of the new Producer Workbench is a great accomplishment for the Individual and Retirement Plans Division and our field associates. Combining Tools and the current Producer Workbench streamlines our ability to deliver quality service, makes it easier for the field ... and positions us well for the future.

—Monica Enzweiler, second vice president – business technology

A news publication for you, the associates of UNiFi companies4A

Mutual. Strong. Trusted.

FAC Chair sees 2009 as defining moment in financial services industry

‑FocUS oN tHe FieLD‑

Strong relationships with our field

partners are critical to success. The

Focus on the Field series is dedicated to

getting to know our field force better

by talking with its various leaders. This

issue features our discussion with Frank

Hennessey, the 2009 chairman of the

Individual and Retirement Plans Field

Advisory Cabinet (FAC).

Q: What is your vision for FAC in 2009?

My specific goals are to redefine and A:

re-establish our partnering capabilities

with our field agencies, engage past

members of FAC to render their opinions

regarding the products and services we

offer clients and the best way to support

the field, and complete the merger. Many

of our colleagues, particularly those at

the home office, have been challenged

and stretched since the merger. We

need to wrap up some details regarding

integration, processes and technology for

the benefit of all.

In light of the current financial

environment, the most important thing

FAC can do is maintain a strategic and

proactive dialogue with the home office,

with the primary goal of maintaining the

financial well-being of UNIFI, the field

and our policyholders.

Others have commented that the Q:

relationship between FAC and UNIFI

is unique. Do you share that feeling?

Both FAC and UNIFI respect one A:

another and recognize that we need

each other to maintain success. We have

a forum to openly discuss any topic.

Although we don’t always agree, as long

as we consider UNIFI, the field and our

policyholders, we usually form decisions

that make sense.

How can the partnership between Q:

UNIFI and the field be leveraged most

effectively to help ensure the best

possible results?

We must be sensitive to the fact that A:

we need each other’s support now perhaps

more than any other time in recent

history, and our clients need us both. This

is a defining moment for the financial

services industry. We must be bold and

demonstrate that we are well suited to

protect our policyholders and to provide

creative solutions for their long-term

financial concern.

What would you like associates to Q:

know about FAC?

A: FAC represents the interest of the broad

field and our clients. To be relevant, we

need the field to offer their input and

experience. The monthly task force and

subcommittee conference calls are a great

venue for valuable interaction between the

home office and the field.

Any final comments for our Q:

home office associates?

UNIFI is fortunate that it’s A:

represented by so many talented and

dedicated associates, both in the home

office and the field. For us to maintain

mutual success going forward, it’s

absolutely critical to remember we are in

a service business and people do business

with people. Relationships, at every level,

are the key.

“We must be bold and demonstrate that we are well suited to protect our policyholders and to provide creative solutions for long-term financial concerns.”

WORKING TOGETHERStrong History. Exciting Future.

Ameritas Group

Helping to create beautiful smiles, putting life into focus, improving listening and promoting good health by providing innovative and value-added benefit and service solutions.

• Disruptive innovation• Customer service excellence• Distribution excellence/expansion• Financial discipline

Acacia Federal Savings Bank Offering high quality banking products while realizing the greatest benefit to our customers and the communities we serve.

• Knowledge and expertise• Trusted relationships• Customer service and response• Prudent risk management

Calvert

Helping investors reach their financial goals in ways consistent with their values and beliefs.

• Investment performance• Distribution breadth and strength• Excellence in corporate research• Engagement to advance sustainability • Full and unique family of investment strategies

UNIFI Individual & Retirement Plans

Securing dreams through personalized insurance and financial solutions.

• One company marketing• Trusted relationships• Distribution growth and development• Financial/expense disciplines

Summit

Providing clients superior investment products, services and returns.

• Excellent investment performance• Innovative client solutions• Leveraging knowledge and expertise to create value

“By ensuring all associates are properly trained and utilizing our software to the fullest, I know UNIFI is providing its customers with the industry’s best products and services to meet their needs.”

Chris Recio, Specialist – Technical Services, Acacia Federal Savings Bank

Protecting and enhancing financial security and quality of life through insurance and financial services.

• Effective capital management • Disciplined financial and risk management• Maximized resources and optimized synergies• Strong enterprise leadership

Frank Hennessey

Spring 2009 SECTION B

Mutual. Strong. Trusted.

COmmuNITy waTCh‑

Buck the Bison finds a new home on the range

The large toy bison that previously

resided in the south lobby of the

Ameritas home office has a new home

at Brownell Elementary School. Why

did “Buck” end up in this northeast

Lincoln elementary school? It happens

that the school’s mascot is the buffalo,

so it seemed like a most fitting gift for

Brownell’s students, teachers and staff.

As students gathered for a special

school assembly in January, Jan

Connolly, senior vice president and

corporate secretary, and Mary Arth,

wife of Larry Arth, unveiled the school’s

new mascot after giving them clues as

to what was under the massive draped

package.

The kids were in awe of the huge

bison. First grader Mackenzie Hurst

said, “It looks like a real buffalo and I

like how big it is.”

Standing guard at the south entrance

of the Ameritas home office, Buck was

often photographed with associates and

visitors alike.

Associates volunteer at Ronald McDonald House of Greater Cincinnati

The Ronald McDonald House of

Greater Cincinnati is a “home away

from home” for families with critically

ill children. Today, there are 277 Ronald

McDonald Houses in 51 countries. Each

Ronald McDonald House is an

independent not-for-profit

organization, governed

solely by a local board of

trustees. While

McDonald’s continues to

be a strong supporter, each

house’s board and staff are

responsible for raising the

majority of their required

operating expenses.

Union Central has

participated in a meal

program at the Ronald McDonald

House since June 2008. Six groups, or

nearly 60 associates, have volunteered

to serve lunches. The meal program

provides a much needed service to

the guest families, who are supporting

their sick children and often don’t have

the time, funds or energy to prepare a

healthy home-cooked meal.

The volunteer turnout has been

tremendous due to the UNIFI

Volunteerism and Community

Service policy. The CIC (Community

Involvement Committee) provides

funding to purchase meat items ($150

per group) and volunteers are

asked to provide other items

based on the menu plan. The

CIC has conducted a monthly

Market Day fundraising

program since October

2008 to help offset the costs

involved with serving lunch at

the Ronald McDonald House.

The Ronald McDonald

house is adding a new wing to

house an additional 30

families and was scheduled for

completion in April. To accommodate

more families, they are undergoing a

kitchen renovation that will increase

its capacity by 60 percent. The CIC

contributed $1,000 toward the

renovation last year.

(Photos provided by Eric Gregory, staff photographer at the Lincoln Journal Star)

Plungers brave frigid waters to raise money for Special Olympics

While the tune

“Barracuda” by Heart

was blaring, the Ameritas Bear-

a-Cudas took a chilly dive into

Holmes Lake on February 21 to

raise money for the Nebraska

Special Olympics. Even though it

was 23 degrees with 23 mph

winds and a wind chill of only 5

degrees, the frigid air and icy

water didn’t stop these brave

souls who were donned in their

polar bear hats.

The Bear-a-Cudas took pledges for

their plunge and raised approximately

$2,500. Adding to their fund-raising

efforts, if an Ameritas associate pledged

$25 or more, the company matched it.

Jen Svendsen said, “It feels great to

be involved in the community. I may

not have a lot of money to donate, but I

do have time. Finances are a concern

for most of us right now, so it was nice

to know people understand there are

still others in need. We appreciate

everyone who donated and are looking

forward to ‘freezin’ for a reason’ next

year.”

Pictured in photo on left: Bear-a-Cuda team members(clockwise from far left): Wendy Jordan, Jessica Breitkreutz, Jen Svendsen, Tomas Moreno, Herbie Husker (not a team member), Laurie Scholl, Aaron Frederick, Thom Klassen, Lisa Carlson, Robbi McLain. Additional members not pictured include Sarah and Johnny Schrunk and Robbi’s sister Jennifer Surgeon.

Left to right, back row: Tracy Riesenbeck, LaDonna Riesenbeck, Bruce Seaman, Tracy Dillingham, Sheali Locklear. Middle row: Janet Wiesman, Lisa Carito, Nancy King; front row: Karen Degener, Jen Mueller.

Left to right, standing: Carol Redden, Melissa Watkins, Debbie Quackenbush, Andrea Tepfenhart, Suzanne Harlow, Brenda Paddack, Brigette Horan; kneeling: Nicole Taulbee, Kristi Kidwell.

a news publication for you, the associates of uNIFI Companies2B

Operate in the best interest of our members n Ensure that all associates have meaningful work n Deliver value to our customers n Earn trusted relationships with our distribution partners

How will the current economic conditions change what you’re going to do with your 2008 income tax refund?

Man on the Street

Kat Baum Business Technology analyst II – Business Technology, Lincoln

“Our priority this year is to pay off as much existing debt as possible and any left over will be spent on improving the energy efficiencies of our home.”

James Hemmerly Product marketing Representative – Product marketing Department, Cincinnati

“Pay off whatever bills I can. That’s my main priority.”

Bonnie Chambers Licensing/Registration Representative – Individual Licensing/Registration, Lincoln

“My husband’s employer told his employees that he’s closing his doors within three to six months, so we’ll use our refund to help with the household budget.”

Tracy Dillingham administrative Secretary – Individual agencies, Cincinnati

“During these hard economic times my husband and I feel it’s necessary to use our refund to catch up on necessary car and home repairs and save the rest in a “rainy day” fund. Our summer trip is on the back burner for now due to the economy.

Roxane Bock Customer Service Representative – Group administration Partners, Lincoln

“I plan to pay more attention to items that I need versus want.”

Brian Kilby Senior Client Service Representative – Retirement Plans, Cincinnati

“We’ve been planning to finish our basement for a little over a year. Our 2008 refund would have been the last piece of the pie to make this happen. However, with all the talk about a coming economic “catastrophe,” we instead decided to add this money to our emergency fund.”

You probably hear the phrase

“work-life balance” or “work-life

effectiveness” fairly often. Magazine

articles, talk shows and news programs

often feature ways to manage your

work-life balance better. How does this

relate to Total Rewards and what

UNIFI does to support your needs?

From a Total Rewards perspective,

work-life consists of organizational

practices, policies and programs that

help associates achieve success at work

and home. Here are a few ways UNIFI

supports our associates’ efforts to strike

the right balance.

CONCERN: Employee Assistance Program (EAP)Possibly the most underutilized work-

life tool UNIFI offers is CONCERN.

CONCERN is a system of employee

assistance and work-life services

designed to help you and your family

manage career, health and personal life

questions. And it’s provided at no cost

to you.

Do you know how much

information and assistance is available?

Beyond counseling services, you can

access lots of information and support

from your computer. LifeHub, an

online service, is available to you

and your family 24/7. It offers you

confidential and convenient access on

such topics as stress, health and fitness,

parenting, relationships, career skills,

leadership, performance, emotional

health, personal finance and elder care.

You can even “Ask-A-Counselor”

by e-mailing questions or concerns

and receive a personal response from

LifeHub’s professional staff. Look for the

link and codes for online access on the HR

Intranet page under Employee Assistance

Program in the Wellness section.

Alternative work arrangementsUNIFI offers several alternative working

arrangements when business needs

allow for them. Some alternatives

are job sharing, flexible scheduling,

compressed workweeks and telework

arrangements.

Community involvementAn important part of your life is the

communities in which you work and

live. With today’s busy schedules, it can

be difficult to be as helpful with your

community’s efforts as you would like.

UNIFI offers time off for volunteerism,

community involvement and civil leave,

i.e., voting, poll services and jury duty,

as business needs allow. In many cases,

you can show your support from work

through blood drives, United Way

campaigns and other fundraisers, such

as sponsored charity walks.

Paid Time Off (PTO) and other paid time away from workWhile some organizations categorize

time off into vacation, personal or

illness time, UNIFI recognizes all our

associates don’t have the same reasons

for needing time away from the office.

This is why we have a PTO bank. You

know your time-off needs better than

anyone, so you should decide how you

use it.

UNIFI recognizes the benefits to the

parent, child and community when

parents are involved in their children’s

education. UNIFI provides up to 24

hours of paid parental leave (pro-rated

for part-time associates) so you can

attend your child’s school events or

provide classroom assistance. UNIFI

also offers paid time off for funeral and

adoption leave.

Matching contributions programThis program allows your contributions

to double the impact on charitable

organizations that are important to

you. Charitable contributions made

by associates to organizations that are

tax-exempt under IRS code 501(c)3 will

be matched by UNIFI up to $500 per

associate per calendar year. Such eligible

organizations include civic/community

organizations, American Red Cross,

Boy or Girl Scouts and higher education

institutions.

Wellness programs and initiativesYou can participate in a number of

UNIFI’s wellness-related programs,

like the fitness reimbursement and

Weight Watchers subsidy programs.

On-site fitness centers and ergonomics

programs available in some locations

help relieve stress and fatigue that can

come from a long work day.

Periodic health risk assessments

help you identify potential health

risks. These confidential assessments

consist of a blood draw and lifestyle

questionnaire that combine to produce

a Personal Wellness Profile (including

lab results) that is sent to your home.

You are encouraged to review the

results with your personal physician.

Unified Strides Program is a

pedometer-based walking challenge

designed to get you moving, and keep

moving, toward improved fitness and

overall better health.

Associates enjoy work-life balance through UNIFI’s Total Rewards

UNIFI® Total RewardsMaking a Di�erence in Your Life

For more details on

these and many other

programs and policies

that support your

work-life effectiveness, visit the

HR Intranet page.

u magazine – Spring 2009 3B

Operate with integrity and the highest ethical standards n Act with financial discipline n Maintain a presence in the communities where our associates are located n Keep our promises

While UNIFI’s 2008 results

weren’t as rosy as many had

hoped, two things were clear. First,

UNIFI fared well when compared to its

competitors and the industry. Secondly,

Ameritas Group had an outstanding

year by any measure—including the

division’s own expectations. (See

sidebar for details.)

So how, when the economic pundits

are doing their best “Chicken Little”

impressions, did Ameritas Group

perform so well?

Ameritas Group President Ken

VanCleave said that a diversified

customer base—weighted heavily

in the education and healthcare

sectors—helped in 2008, but staying

focused on core competencies was

the real key. “We leverage what we’re

good at and don’t get distracted by

things we aren’t.”

With economic storms brewing in

late 2007, the group division began

2008 with a focus on financial discipline

to remain competitive, keeping new

products and innovations ahead of

the competition and maintaining high

customer service metrics. Ken noted

that Ameritas Group’s 90 percent

customer retention rate is critical

because, unlike life insurance products,

“our customers have to renew with us

every year.”

Scott Delisi, vice president – group

field sales, explained that while 2008

required some changes in the solutions

employers and prospects offered their

employees, most things stayed the

same. “We’re spending a lot of time and

energy coaching and developing our

field force. This business is very doable,

even in down times, if you focus on the

fundamentals.”

Focusing on the right metrics is also

important. According to Karen Gustin,

vice president – group marketing and

managed care, “Group associates know

what’s expected of them every year and

there’s real pride and ownership in our

metrics. There’s give and

take and a true sense of

teamwork to meet our

goals. It never enters an

associate’s mind that they

can’t do something. They

figure out what they need

to do to succeed.”

With $55 million of

Ameritas Group’s $178

million in 2008 sales

coming from strategic

partners, Terry Young,

vice president – group

business development,

noted that relationships

continue to be mutually beneficial.

“While our partners may be having a

tough time selling their life or disability

insurance now, dental insurance is still

the second most requested benefit by

employees.”

Focus, fundamentals, metrics and

mutually beneficial relationships are

the foundation upon which the group

division created its performance-

oriented culture—and great pride.

“We have fun every day,” Karen

explained. “Over the years, our

customers tell us they like when we visit

them. It gives us a bit of swagger, which

we hope isn’t too loud.”

When you achieve what Ameritas

Group did in 2008, it would seem a

little swagger is well earned.

SPOTLIGhT ON a DEPaRTmENT‑

Focus, clear metrics and a little swagger were key to Ameritas Group’s 2008 success

Hear the rest of the storyThe U Magazine staff realizes some stories are bigger than space allows. To help you get the full story of Ameritas Group’s success during this turbulent economy, our discussion with Ken, Karen, Scott and Terry is available to download as an MP3 file. See the UNIFI Intranet for details.

Success as told by the numbers

Ameritas Group’s 2008 success is a bright spot in an otherwise

gloomy economy. So what does success look like at Ameritas Group? Here are a few of their results.

n The group division consistently ranks in the top ten dental insurance providers in the nation—usually ranking number five or six.

n Sales were $178 million in 2008:

•Group dental up 3.7%; industry up only 1.6%

•Dental lives up 11.5%; industry down 14.4%

•Group eye care up 24%; industry up 4.2%

n Ameritas Group contributed nearly $34.9 million to UNIFI’s pretax operating income. This demonstrates why it’s important to be a diversified organization.

n As of early March 2009, Ameritas Group already achieved 67% of its 2009 sales goal.

n January 2009 was the group division’s best January performance on record.

Ken VanCleave and Karen Gustin

Health Savings Accounts give Acacia Federal a big boost

Remember when December

and January were “catch-up”

months and new business slowed over

the holidays and winter months? That’s

no longer the case for Acacia Federal

Savings Bank’s retail sales and service

department. For the past two years, the

department set new records for phone

calls and new business during this time

period.

“Since we provide the Health Savings

Accounts for the UNIFI benefits plan,

we receive the accounts after open

enrollment ends and must have them

set up by the end of the year,” said

Maribeth Fish, assistant vice president –

compliance and operations.

This year’s open enrollment brought

246 new Health Savings Accounts. Plus,

because of the strife in the financial

markets, bank certificates of deposit

are “in” this year, resulting in increased

business in new CDs for Acacia Federal.

They opened 893 new accounts in

December, totaling $23.6 million.

Phones are ringing, tooIn December, the department handled

1,589 phone calls, representing the

highest number on record.*

2008 was a record year in the retail

sales and service call center with 14,949

calls. This represents an increase over

year-end 2006 with 10,827 calls and

2007 totaling 11,446 calls.

Retail sales and service also opens

and services deposit accounts and

consumer loans.

*Available phone records dating back to

September 2005.

Scott Delisi Terry Young

NEwS BRIEFS4B

RETIREmENT PLaNS‑

UNIFI Retirement Plans introduces Advantage Elite

UNIFI Companies Retirement

Plans announced a new addition to its

UNIFI Retirement Advantage Series®

of retirement plans’ group annuity

products. UNIFI Retirement Advantage

EliteSM targets the $3- to $20-million

retirement plans market with some

exceptionally competitive features.

“Advantage Elite is sophisticated, yet

easy to understand,” said Drew Powers,

vice president – retirement plans. “There

is complete fee transparency. There is

only one asset management fee charged

against the plan’s assets, eliminating

much of the confusion associated

with so many retirement plans’ fee

structures.”

Drew added that Advantage Elite is

a product that can “grow and mature

with our clients’ success. With our

multi-product portfolio, Advantage

Elite becomes the continuum for

sustaining the relationship with UNIFI

Companies Retirement Plans. There’s

no need to switch to another provider

as a business grows.”

Advantage Elite’s clients also benefit

from a client relationship manager who

coordinates all aspects of the retirement

plan. This experienced individual helps

with plan conversions, ensures the

smooth transition to UNIFI Retirement

Plans’ on-going service team and serves

as a valuable asset to plan sponsors in

helping them satisfy important fiduciary

responsibilities.

Ed Deeds, vice president – retirement

plans sales, said Advantage Elite was

built specifically with the $3-million-

plus retirement plans marketplace in

mind. “Advantage Elite broadens our

advisors’ reach into the retirement

plans market. It’s a product that can

fully serve the retirement plans advisor,

whether commission-based or fee-based

RIA [Registered Investment Advisor]

sales.”

The UNIFI Retirement Advantage

Series also includes UNIFI Retirement

Advantage SelectSM, a group annuity.

Both products feature favorable

service and support, a strong and

diverse investment platform and a

rigorous process for the selection and

monitoring of funds.

amERITaS GROuP‑

Ameritas Group call center certified world-class

Ameritas Group recently earned

its second consecutive Center of

Excellence call center certification from

BenchmarkPortal. Developed by Purdue

University’s Center for Customer-

Driven Quality, BenchmarkPortal is

the largest call center benchmarking

database program in the world.

“Providing exceptional customer

service has always been a core

competency and differentiator for

Ameritas Group,” said Roxann

Brennfoerder, vice president – group

customer relations and operations.

“With so much uncertainty in the

world, we’re proud to say our customers

can always count on Ameritas Group

associates to consistently deliver only

the highest levels of customer service

excellence. Our commitment is second

to none.”

To achieve annual certification

as a Center of Excellence, Ameritas

Group call center associates participate

in BenchmarkPortal’s rigorous

certification process based on

established scientific methods that

measure operational metrics, customer

satisfaction and agent satisfaction.

Plus, call center associates must meet

Ameritas Group’s own set of stringent

service standards by participating

in ongoing training and continuing

education.

“We benchmark the performance

of thousands of customer service

call centers across North America,”

noted Dr. Jon Anton, director of

benchmarking at Purdue’s Center for

Customer-Driven Quality. “So we can

say with complete confidence that the

Ameritas Group call center is operating

in the top 10 percent of all call centers

in its industry.”

CaLvERT‑

Calvert focuses on shareholder engagement with new fund

Calvert Asset Management stepped

up its focus on shareholder engagement

through the recently launched

Large Cap Value Fund. The fund is

committed to engaging each of the

companies in the portfolio through

proxy voting, shareholder resolutions

and dialogue with senior management,

among other tools, according to

Bennett Freeman, senior vice president

– social research and policy.

With approximately 60 companies in

the portfolio, Calvert is targeting nearly

30 of those companies for enhanced

engagement. The fund is being

marketed to institutional investors as its

first “SAGE” strategy, or “sustainability

achieved through greater engagement.”

The fund was previously managed by

Summit Mutual Funds. Prior to the

consolidation, it was called the Summit

Everest Fund.

With the new strategy, Calvert is

dabbling in a number of companies in

industries it hardly touched in the past.

For example, Calvert now holds shares

in oil majors and mining companies

that had previously been jettisoned

during environmental screening. “None

of the companies in the portfolio have

been traded since the merger,” Freeman

said. “Some of the fund’s holdings are

already emerging or established

sustainability or social responsibility

leaders. Those that aren’t and will not

change within two to three years will be

divested,” he added. Calvert is applying

bottom-line exclusions to tobacco

producers, manufacturers of certain

weaponry and companies that fall under

U.S. or international sanctions for

“grave” human rights abuses.

(Source: Money Management Letter)

Mutual. Strong. Trusted.

There were 1,690 confirmed

tornados in the United States in

2008, according to the NOAA Storm

Prediction Center, and resulted in 125

deaths, 1,700 injuries and property and

crop losses of more than $1.8 billion.

While most of us head for the basement

when the tornado sirens sound, why

does IT specialist Brian Thalken put

himself in the front lines of those deadly

storms?

“My college roommates majored

in meteorology,” Brian explained.

“One day they skipped class because a

storm was firing up in Missouri. They

invited me since I had an interest in

photography. That’s all it took.”

That was nine years, 30 tornadoes

and 30 storm-chasing days ago as of this

writing. Brian admits that watching the

storms develop and tornados appear

is a rush, but that’s not why he saves

his PTO to chase storms around the

Midwest.

“I’ve always been interested

in weather. I like doing my own

forecasting to see if I can get it right

and find the super cells.” But even if he

gets that right, there’s no guarantee. “If

the forecast holds, you drive to where

you think the storms will develop, and

then you wait. Once the storms fire

up, you pick what you think is the best

cell. Then you stay in position and

monitor.”

The other reason Brian likes chasing

storms is to help provide information

for the public. “The Weather Service

will call me to find out if what I’m

seeing on the ground is what their radar

is telling them.” The weather service

has used Brian’s live streaming video to

help evaluate weather. And the History

Channel and other media outlets

have used his photos to help tell their

weather stories.

His best days as a storm chaser

include seeing five tornados in a single

day along I-70 in Kansas. Another was

predicting the location of a storm near

Throckmorton, Texas, to then have a

tornado-producing super cell develop

a quarter mile from the exact spot he

predicted.

Brian’s had not so good days, too.

“We call them ‘busts,’” he said. “If one

little piece of information is wrong, you

could drive 300 miles and find nothing

but clear skies. You always need to

monitor, forecast and reposition.”

Brian’s advice for those who wish to

avoid tornados instead of pursue them

is two great common-sense reminders.

“The first thing is to have an NOAA

weather radio. Next, have a plan and

make sure everyone in your home

knows what to do and how to find

shelter.”

View Brian’s photos and videos at his

Web site, www.nebraskastorms.com.

SPOTLIGhT ON aN aSSOCIaTE‑

Brian Thalken chases storms to improve safety, test forecasting mettle