2017_CommitteesAnnualReport_Final

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO

Employee Owners, It has been another great year with the work of our Committees and Subcommittees as these groups take on a number of initiatives and support our best practices. A few examples include a careful review of our health plan and benefits by the Health Care Committee, engaging and fun events by our ESOP Communications Committee during ESOP month and throughout the year and the QA/QC activities led by the QA/QC Committee members to keep this critical piece of our work top of mind. All told, 138 employee owners serve on Committees and Subcommittees. The work done and the leadership provided by these employees is above and beyond an employee’s job responsibilities and is greatly appreciated and valued. BL is unique in its approach that so much gets done through our Committees, and we are very proud of this opportunity for employee owners to participate. As I did last year, I have outlined below the process to join a Committee and the length of service a Committee member is expected to serve. While each Committee is different and may have unique needs or expectations, this is the general guidance. 1. As part of this year’s evaluation process, each Committee Chairperson reviewed his or her Committee and discussed with each member his or her interest or ability to continue participating. The Chairperson then discussed with the Executive Directors the contributions of each Committee member, the level of department and office involvement and whether it was time to provide an opportunity for others to participate. 2. For those who want to participate and currently aren’t, or are asked to participate because of a certain skill or expertise: ■ ■ Employees interested in a particular Committee should contact the Chairperson and discuss, regardless of whether or not there is an immediate opening. It’s important for the Chairperson to be aware of your interest, as there will at some point be an opening on the Committee or a Subcommittee. The list of Committees and members are listed in the Company Directory/Committees section of the intranet (might not include all Subcommittees or one-time efforts). Typically, new members start on the first of the year. ■ ■ The involvement would be for a flexible two-year commitment, so that the employee knows that the time is finite and they could rotate off. This also provides others the opportunity to participate. Each Committee Chairperson provided Julia O’Brien with a list of the Committee’s members and accomplishments for 2017 and goals for 2018. They follow in this Annual Report. We hope you take the time to read through this Annual Report and learn a little more about what the Committees and your colleagues have been doing and the good work they plan to continue in 2018. If you have any questions or want to learn more, please reach out to the Committee Chairperson, Julia O’Brien or me. Thank you, Carolyn