December 2012 Employee of the Month

Some of his co-workers wonder if he ever sleeps.

It's easy to see why. Since 2004 he's served as staff counsel for the Mansfield Customer Service Office, but Mike Sourek has worked in a myriad of capacities at BWC, including a recent stint as interim service office manager in Mansfield. He's shocked to be named the December Employee of the Month – he feels the honor should be shared amongst his Mansfield co-workers.

"There are so many deserving people – especially at this service office – that the idea really never crossed my mind," said Mike. "I really believe I was selected not based on my work alone, but based upon the overall performance of this office.

As a staff counsel and the former interim service office manager, I have had the opportunity to represent them in public forums and in the hearing process. They are fantastic people who strive to provide quality customer service and a quality product to the public. Their performance and commitment to public service makes my job so much easier. I strongly believe this office has at least one employee in each area that ranks among the best in the state at what they do."

Mike has been employed with BWC since June 1991, when - while looking for a summer job - he answered a blind help-wanted ad that asked for strong math skills.

"I figured it would be a good summer job," he said. "21 years later, it's been quite a long summer."

As staff counsel, Mike's current primary responsibility is to represent the Administrator before the Industrial Commission. A large part of his day is spent reviewing cases and preparing for the hearings – daunting, considering there can be as many as 20 hearings in a week. Again, Mike directs accolades to his co-workers.

"I work very close to our service office in assuring we are making the right decision based on the facts and evidence," said Mike. "That is the most important customer service I do."

He lauds his team at Mansfield. But the admiration is mutual, according to Mike’s nominator Kathy Duffey, a claims rep 4, also in Mansfield.

"From the moment he steps into the office until he leaves at the end of the day, his focus is always on what he can do to meet the needs of his many customers, as well as promoting a positive image for BWC," said Kathy. "This employee's daily interactions with injured workers, legal representatives, BWC staff and others never appear hurried, and he makes the customer feel like they - or their issue - were the only thing that mattered during time spent with them.”

Mike has worked all over the state for BWC, and his experienced background includes time as a claims service specialist (CSS), a lump sum settlement CSS, a fraud analyst and a temporary supervisor for the automated detection and intelligence team, William Green. He was one of special investigations' employees of the year for helping develop and roll out prescription drug investigations statewide. He holds four college degrees, two of which he obtained while working here.

Mike also currently serves as the scribe for the Medical Services and Safety Committee of the Board of Directors, compiling the minutes for those meetings. He also sits quarterly on the Adjudicating Committee in Garfield Heights. He’' also called on a couple of times each year to appear before the Industrial Commissioners in Columbus on complex legal matters.

Assistant General Counsel Tom Sico, one of Mike’s supervisors, was not surprised at Mike’s Employee of the Month win, and lauded his dedication. "Due to his tenacity and love for the law, Mike zealously represents the Administrator in protecting the State Insurance Fund,"said Tom. "Most people don't know this, but prior to attending law school, Mike had an advanced degree in Mathematics, and was working on a Ph.D. He uses that attention to detail, analytical approach, and thorough documentation and reporting to his work representing the State Insurance Fund."

Mike says he loves the challenges all this experience has given him. Over the past 20 years, he receives the most satisfaction from addressing important issues that have sometimes led to statewide operational, policy or legal changes. Through it all, he's maintained his commitment to customer service, calling it "integral" to public service.

"I believe there are two core points to customer service. First, timeliness is important, and responding to inquiries as soon as possible is critical to serving the customer," he said. "However, equally important is the correct answer. If you do not know the answer, the biggest mistake is to guess, which can lead to inconsistent answers and affect the bureau's reputation. If I cannot readily provide an answer, I do explain why and give a time frame of when an answer can be expected. Even if the answer is contrary to what the customer is seeking, they usually appreciate your diligence in addressing their concerns, even if it takes a little longer than they may prefer."

Kathy summed up Mike's commitment best in her nomination form. "Commitment, energy, respect, integrity, brand and outstanding customer service," she said. "If you come to our office and mention these terms, we will all know exactly who you are talking about. When BWC hired this person, we gained a true and invaluable asset."

And that's a "summer job" well done. Congratulations, Mike!