Culture Capture: Matrix

Our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion pledge: ‘Unique but United through our Work’ celebrates how lucky we are to be part of a global community at Charles Taylor. We all represent unique talent, experiences and cultures, yet we are united in our purpose: to deliver better results for the world of insurance.

With that, we are pleased to introduce the ninth edition of Charles Taylor's Culture Capture featuring our Matrix team in Ohio, US! Our Culture Captures aims to capture the essence of our communities worldwide, fostering even stronger global connections in alignment with one of our core values: Collaboration- we are one.

We hope you enjoy this opportunity to further expand your knowledge of our different business areas and be open to the cultural nuances that make us special. If you would like for your office to be featured next, please find our contact information on the last slide.

This month introducing CT Matrix

You can find our two CT Matrix offices situated in Ohio, with the main office in Cincinnati and the other in Dublin.

Matrix, a third party and risk management specialist, joined Charles Taylor in November 2022. This exciting acquisition has helped further strengthen Charles Taylor's ability to deliver comprehensive, best in class claims solutions across the US.

Business Services

Matrix has established itself as a leading provider of full-service risk management, specializing in workers ’compensation claims management, group-rating programs, self-insurance administration, workforce services and nationwide unemployment cost-control, vocational case management, safety services, and FMLA administration.

As one of the largest TPAs in the state of Ohio consisting of a team of 125, Matrix has an exceptional reputation for providing end-to-end claims solutions with outstanding customer service.

One prominent case the team has dealt with involves a client who experienced a fatal employee injury two years ago. At that time, the client did not have sufficient safety protocols in place, and it affected the number of jobs they were able to bid on for work. This was the tragic wake-up call that pushed the client in the right direction of building a strong safety culture. The Matrix team were able to help the client implement a comprehensive safety and health program with complete employee engagement. This has prevented on-the-job injuries, met compliance with OSHA regulations, reduced workers' compensation costs, and led to a more productive environment. Employees now feel safe on the job and know that they are empowered to stop working if they recognize unsafe situations.

"I define our company as one that truly puts people first. 'Improving Lives' isn't something we just say, it's our secret sauce. It is shown in how we treat employees, clients, injured workers and members of the local community."

–Jessica Esterkamp, Vice President of Corporate Development

Office Life

When it comes to office traditions and bonding activities, Matrix have a lot of them!

As well as weekly staff meetings which spotlight employee highlights and achievements, the team take part in a different bonding activity every month to cultivate connection. This includes fun group lunches,competitions, take your child to work days, and an annual Halloween costume contest-to name a few!

Matrix employees especially love their annual Christmas Party. This is aspecial time for the team,bringing all employees together under one roof to celebrate their successes and the Matrix anniversary.They kick off the event with casino gaming for prizes donated by close vendors, then a delicious lunch,dancing, games, andto top it all off, a 'new hire song' where all new hires from that calendar year serenade the rest of the team with a Christmas song!

A special shout to the most Tenured Matrix employee-founder, Brent Messmer, who started the company 22 years ago. Matrixalso have 14 employees who have been with the company over 15 years and 30 employees who have been at the company for over 10 years.

“I'm most proud of the people-first culture at Matrix and what it's meant to the lives of our employees. There are so manyfun memories that have been created over the past 22 years because we created an environment where people could come together, work hard, have fun, support each other, grow personally and professionally, and be themselves all for a common purpose. I think about the employee's families that have grown over the past 22 years and how many kids I've seen come to Bring Your Child to Work Day that are now in high school, college, or living on their own. It makes me feel old! I'm proud that we've stuck to our guns and put culture first, even during the tough times."

–Brent Messmer, President of The Matrix Companies

"We have been a finalist for ‘Top Workplace’ and 'Best Places to Work' for 13 years and last year we took home the trophy! Being recognized for doing so is a good measure of our success."

-Crystal Sikes, Director of Employee Engagement

Speed Round

Location: Ohio, USA

Popular Food: Cincinnati has a strong German background so there are many German influences in local food. One item we often eat for breakfast is called Goetta and it consists of ground sausage and oats in a patty. We also have a Cincinnati chain of restaurants called Skyline Chili. Most Cincinnatians visit at least once a week if they fancy a hotdog or chilli!

National holidays: The most recent holiday we celebrated was 4th July!

Fun Places to Visit: Kings Island is a very popular entertainment destination. It offers rides, live entertainment, food and events, all in a magical amusement park setting. Cincinnati is also home to the #1 voted zoo! The Cincinnati Zoo took the top spot in the Best Zoo category in USA Today. We also have a strong arts presence from great theatre (The Aronoff Center, Playhouse in the Park, The Ensemble Theatre), music and art, museums, and parks.

Fun Fact: We are very loyal and passionate about supporting our local professional sports teams…The Cincinnati Bengals, The Cincinnati Reds, and FC Cincinnati. Just recently all three teams have performed very well and the city is buzzing over it!