Florida Blue Center Focus: Kate Spilsbury

Just what is that Florida Blue Center you may drive past or walk by each day? Well, in a nutshell, it is a place you can go to help you make sense of health care, whether you’re a Florida Blue member or not. Our websitedescribes all the features of the Centers, but at the heart of each location are the people who work there.

In this and in future articles, we’ll profile some of the Center staff to help you get to know them on a personal level. We are pleased to introduce Kate Spilsbury, a Jacksonville Center sales consultant.

““I try to empathize with those that come in for help.”

We asked Kate a few background questions to start, and – wow – we were left scratching our heads! How did someone who worked as a chef on a train in Alaska, was the director of a local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter, and is a self-professed adventure junky, come to be the top sales consultant of all Florida Blue Centers in 2011?

Kate’s answer is the key to her success: “I try to empathize with those that come in for help. On a daily basis we talk with people who may have lost their job, a loved one, or have other difficult trials in life. Being a sales consultant, I listen and empathize with people and their situation so I can understand their needs to find them the best options.”

We discovered her efficiency doesn’t hurt, either:  “I am extremely organized and I believe that causes me to be very effective in my job. I know I have been successful in my position when customers mention how I helped their application process be quick and painless.”

If you are this good, it’s not surprising that happy new members take the time to drop you a note like this one:  Kate, thank you so much for your courtesy and patience with us on Saturday.  I’ve just reviewed all the paperwork and am satisfied that we made the correct choice.  You helped us cut through all the weeds. You deserve a raise!!

“Kate possesses a level of empathy many do not have and has wonderful communication and problem solving skills”

Pretty amazing when you realize that Kate had no prior sales experience before being hired for the Jacksonville Center’s sales position. What was it that made her stand apart from the other candidates when she was interviewed by the Jacksonville Center leader, Nick Tant?

Nick was more than happy to respond: “From the instant I met Kate it was obvious she was 100% focused on meeting or exceeding the needs of her customers.  Kate possesses a level of empathy many do not have and has wonderful communication and problem solving skills. Furthermore, it was obvious she has a desire to succeed and knows the best way to achieve her personal and team goals are to provide best-in-class, knowledgeable guidance and service to everyone she works with.  We aren’t a high pressure sales environment, but rather a team of focused experts here to serve Floridians.  Kate is a role model for all our consultants across the state.”

We are #FloridaProud of Kate and the warmth, professionalism and care she brings to her position. If you haven’t been to the Florida Blue Center near you, we invite you to stop by and meet the talented staff at each of ourten locations. Kate and all our Center employees help make sense of health care at the Florida Blue Centers

By Kate Warnock

http://blog.floridablue.com/florida-blue-center-focus-kate-spilsbury/ 

Tallahassee Memorial

Omar and I had the opportunity to drive over to Tallahassee for my mom's aunt Peggy's Memorial. She died I believe back in November 2011, but her children are spread all over the world and this was the first time that everyone could get together. I feel like I don't really know my mom's family very well and that there really isn't many of them (at least compared to my dad's side) and thought it would be a good chance to reunite.

We left early in the morning for the casual Memorial service where they would place her urn and some other items in her burial spot in our family plot. I remember only visiting the family plot one other time when I was a child - but don't recall much of anything. There were 27 people (including us) at the Memorial, some of them were on Peggy's other side and so I didn't know them...

For my mom's immediate:

Omar and I, Uncle Marshall, Uncle Turner and Aunt Diana

My mom's cousins:

Rob and his new wife Jennifer (from London)

Jim and his wife Nicole and 2 children, Cody and Matthew (from California)

Jim Phillips

MaryLee, Rosemary, Troy and William

Tom 

David

Kathy

Nancy & Bubba

Gina, Larry, Jessica &Christine

The Memorial was nice hearing different stories about Peggy. I met her once when I was a child, however, due to my memory I don't recall. A bottle of chardonnay and a glass was placed in her plot as she liked to drink a little each day. A lot of readings, particularly Shakespeare and her favorite poem were recited: 

Trees

I Tthink that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree. 

Joyce Kilmer

... I guess it was some family joke.

I had the chance to take some pictures of the family headstones. 

My grandpa

Afterward we followed Uncle Turner to find the monument to my mom's grandpa (W.T. Wallis) who was one of the original surveyers of florida. It was moved from the center of the state and placed at the FL survery headquarters. 

Following we went to the cabins that were rented at Lake Talquin about 45 minutes away where Sonny's BBQ was waiting for us and everyone hang out talking. Later a family slide show was done with Peggy and other pictures and then we had a surprise mini-reception for Cousin Rob as no one was able to make it to his wedding because it was a quick, small affair. A toast, and cake feeding happened. It was fun. Some people went on a rented pantoon boat and late in the evening everyone headed over to the restaurant a few feet away called "The Whip" for some delicious grub. It was nice getting to know everyone a little better. 

The original fish camp store

the houses we stayed at 

Sun setting at Lake Talquin

We were about to head to bed when we remembered that I had purchased some sky lanterns to be a memorial to Peggy as we would lift them off into the sky. Everyone loved the idea, but was scared to put it into action. They were afraid with all the trees that it might light something on fire. It was difficult to figure out how to use them properly. The directions were literally translated from Chinese to English. It was like it was stuck in google translate and copy-pasted. It was hilarious to read, but not helpful to know how to make them work.

My Aunt Diana and I went down to the lake dock to see if we could figure it out. It took forever it seemed for the ignition to catch fire and then for the hot air to build up enough for them to float away. It was beautiful. We finally convinced everyone to come down and try it. I would love to do it again sometime. It was a perfect ending for the Memorial.

Me and Aunt Diana

Rob Wallis's new wife Jennifer

my mom's Uncle Jim Phillips and Jim Wallis's son Cody

Me with mom's Cousin Jim Wallis, and my Uncle Turner

Dog Sitting

Omar home teaches for a family that was going out of town for over a week. Omar offered to watch their dog, Cinnamon, at our house. I must say he was happier I think then the dog was that week.