2015 Winter Bunsen Burner

BUNSENburner
WINTER
2016

Deck the labs: Orders up! Orders out!

The packages are stacked so high they threaten to While Kenny makes deliveries, it takes a whole crew of
topple over at any moment. They wobble as he comes hardworking specialists to ensure that orders are placed
through the halls and around the corners, stopping to correctly and efficiently, that lists are made—and checked
deliver his precious cargo to the good people on his twice. Enter the OMRF Purchasing “elves.”
route. Smiles spread across recipients’ faces as he hands
them their boxes. And just like that, he’s gone. Off to Wherever they work—on the dock, in the mail room
deliver more joy to the next lucky ones on his list. or on the phone with suppliers—the Purchasing staff
negotiates great deals with vendors so OMRF’s money
Is it Kris Kringle, you ask? Nope. It’s Kenny Wright, can go where it’s most needed: into the science.
OMRF materials handler, making his rounds to labs and
offices with his trusty “sleigh” piled high with goodies. “We work hard to make every day feel like the holidays
for OMRF employees,” says Wendy Quinn, director of
“It’s as good as seeing Santa when we’re running an Purchasing Services. “Whether they order ink pens or
experiment and waiting for reagents to come in,” says pipet tips, it’s our job to make sure they get them, that
lab manager Mike McDaniel. “Purchasing always seems they get a good deal on them, and that they don’t have
to make it happen, and the sight of that cart coming to hassle with the process.”
down the hallway can make my day.”
Turn the page for a peek inside OMRF’s “North Pole.”

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE2

From tweezers to freezers, we process your orders (a total
of 12,000 each year!) and find you the best deals anywhere.

Mike Bailey Laura Thanscheidt Phillip Gresham Louretta Parker Mickey McCrotty
“Head Elf”

Taking your bSOaeconkpd!st!his Get ready!
lists, checking Trucks are here!
them twice

Tamara Richards Wendy Quinn Sharalyn Lee-Burge Roosevelt Mask
Check’em in. Here we go-ho-ho!
Sort, sort, sort!
Move’em out.

Angie Tumberlinson Kenny Wright

Danyale Zuroske

Meet penny boice Invest in
yourself
your personal

retirement expert

There’s absolutely no such thing It’s easy to put long-term financial planning on the
as a stupid question. back burner when you first enter the working world.
Retirement seems like it’s a long way off, and other
It may be an old saying, but it’s money matters require more immediate attention,
one Penny Boice stands behind like buying a home or a car or starting a family. Still,
when it comes to her specialty: it’s never too early to get started saving for your
retirement planning. golden years, as this TIAA-CREF scenario shows.

“Everyone’s life is different, and Susan is 25 years old. Kevin is 35. If they start setting
your plan needs to be structured aside $200 every month in anticipation of retiring at age
to benefit you,” she says. “The 65, how much would they have accumulated by that time,
more questions you ask, the assuming a 6 percent annual return?
more I know how to tailor yours
specifically to your needs.” Susan Kevin
In January, Penny will officially take the reins as OMRF’s
TIAA-CREF representative. She will replace Sean $383,393 $195,851
Mossman, who helped guide OMRF employees with
their retirement plan decisions for the past five years. With just a 10-year head start, Susan can save nearly
For Penny, financial planning is a family affair. Her father twice as much as Kevin. That could make a big difference
was in the business, and she knew from a young age that in her quality of life at retirement age.
she wanted to follow in his footsteps. She got started
by calculating pension plans for him while she was still a Set up your personal onsite consultation with Penny
student at Jenks High School near Tulsa. Boice at www.tiaa-cref.org or call 1-866-843-5640.
Her passion took off from there, and she officially
launched her professional career in 1986 through the
training program at New England Life, where she
specialized in retirement planning.
“It was just a natural fit for me,” she says. “It’s been my
area of expertise ever since.”
Now with 29 years of experience in the industry and 8
years with TIAA-CREF, Penny is ready to share her wealth
of knowledge with OMRF employees to help them
achieve their retirement goals.
“Whether you’re 20 or 60, it’s important to know what’s
happening with your retirement account,” says Penny.
“And it’s not a one-size-fits-all plan. We walk you through
every step of the process. What’s important to you is
important to me, too.”
Boice emphasizes that it’s never too early to start
saving, and it’s never too late to make a plan. She says
OMRF staffers have a definite upper hand in getting
on the right track. “For OMRF employees, my service is
free, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of it? It sets
everyone up for success.”

Mark your calendar for a one-on-one with Penny!

• January 20 • February 17 • March 17 • April 12

Reap Your Benefits The EAP is available to you as well as any UpEdAatPe
immediate family member and can provide
For years, OMRF’s Employee Assistance Program has
helped many employees through a wide variety of life up to six one-hour mental health sessions, six
situations, like work-related stress, parenting concerns,
addictive behaviors and marital issues. 30-minute legal sessions, or six one-hour financial

But did you know that this program also offers legal aid aid conferences. You can mix and match as needed.
and financial planning?
After your free sessions run out, you can continue with
So if you are scrambling to makes ends meet after
overdoing your holiday budget or you find yourself in a mental health counseling provided your specialist is
legal pinch, these resources are here to help guide you
through the tough times. And the best part: this help is in-network through OMRF’s insurance plan.
free and completely confidential.
This program—administered by Integris—has a
“None of the EAP services are handled onsite,” says
OMRF Benefits Manager Beth Benefield. “It is all database full of counselors and advisors, so you can pick
absolutely private. The Human Resources Department is
here to assist you if you need any help accessing the EAP, the best fit for you, says Beth.
but OMRF doesn’t have to be involved in any step of the
process. It’s entirely up to you.” “Whether you’re looking for an advisor in a specific

location or with a certain specialty, gender or even

religious affiliation, they can refer you or connect you

with someone who will make you feel most comfortable.”

To see all of your options and available services, visit

IntegrisOK.com/CAP, or simply call 405-947-2688 or

800-677-2729 for assistance. Detailed instructions for

accessing the EAP are also available under Human

Resources on the Intranet.

Seen @ OMRF

2DE5C DEC 1JAN

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