What does it take to get workers' compensation losses under control? Buyers can better manage their cost of risk by preventing accidents from happening in the first place, aggressively monitoring the inevitable claims that occur, and being proactive in getting people back to work, right? That's easier said than done, but even the worst loss history can be turned around with the right risk manager at the helm. That much was clear from hearing the approaches taken by three finalists for the inaugural "National Underwriter Award For Excellence In Workers' Compensation Risk Management," run in conjunction with the Florida Workers' Compensation Institute, and sponsored by the National Council On Compensation Insurance.

Capsule profiles of the winners–the risk managers from Belk department stores (NU's "2007 Champion"), along with Rolls-Royce North America and Kitty Hawk (which both received an Honorable Mention)–appear throughout this report.

The award-winning programs were discussed in detail in our Aug. 13, 2007 edition. Read on for highlights of their presentations at the Workers' Compensation Educational Conference in Orlando on Aug. 14, in which all three role models share the secrets of their success.