12 Hoosier Banker August 2015 Continued from page 11. Continued on page 14. A congenial atmosphere pervades at Capstone Benefits Group. In my mind, treating our people well is just the way it ought to be. As a faith-based organization, our foundational block is to treat people well ‒ not just the people here, but everybody we touch.” Carol: “As a consultant, I speak with both the HR professionals and with insureds. I take care of questions that arise from members regarding coverage or the wellness plan. “I also try to be out on the road at least a day or two each week to visit banks, where I conduct employee meetings and explain benefits. I’m a people person, so it’s a really good fit. “I think Aaron put ‘senior’ in my title because of my longevity. I entered the benefits industry when I came out of Indiana University with a business degree in 1982. Almost 25 years ago, I was hired at J.F. Molloy and Associates, which is where I started working on the Trust account. “I really love what I do. I never have the same day twice, and I learn something new every day.” How did your careers develop? Aaron: “I got my start with J.F. Molloy and Associates, when I wandered in one stormy day in 1984 to make a sales pitch for vision insurance to Dave Blanford, the owner at the time. Apparently he liked what he saw because he called me a couple of days later and offered me a job. “I worked for Molloy for a little over 20 years, and then the company was sold in 2004. I had an opportunity to stay with the buyer, but I was ready to move on. “So I started Capstone with the idea of continuing to work with trade association plans. Molloy had done it for years. Its history was built around trade association plans, and I understood them. “Four or five years after starting Capstone, the company grew into the benefit administration business, primarily because the trust insurer was leaving the medical business, and the eligibility piece had to be replaced. “It wasn’t necessarily by my design that my career took this path. I was a biology and communications major at Purdue University and had planned to become a conservation officer or a labor relations negotiator. Maybe it was by divine design.” Carol: “Prior to working at Molloy, I had worked in claims for a couple of other carriers, one in Chicago. Then I joined Molloy, and then Principal for a few years. Principal was getting out of the health insurance industry around the time that Aaron and Dan started Capstone. It made for a natural progression to join him. “Along the way, Dave and Nan suggested I would enjoy calling on the banks. So we pulled me out of claims, I worked through billing and eligibility for a couple years, and then I was put on the road to visit clients. “Actually most of the employees here are former Molloy employees ‒ even some of the new ones.” What are some background influences that affected your career development? Aaron: “Faith is an influence. As I look back, my parents clearly gave me a solid foundation of understanding of hard work and taking personal responsibility. I was fortunate that my parents ingrained that in my sister and me. “Professionally, as I moved on, working at Molloy and working for Dave Blanford had a huge impact on my life. Watching Dave operate Molloy for 20 years taught me everything I know about business and how to operate a Christian business. I give Dave a huge amount of credit for where we are today. He still is my mentor.” Carol: “I worked for a lot of good people before I came to Molloy, but Dave Blanford, Nan Gill and Aaron have taught me so much through the years. They’re all people with great integrity, which means they don’t do the easy things. They do the right things. “Dave used to hold regular prayer meetings, and Aaron does the same. I’ve been very fortunate in this environment. “I also give a lot of credit to the insureds that I talk to or the HR people. They teach me so much. This industry was made for a reason, and I remember Dave Blanford making a point at an employee meeting. He said that people don’t call us because they’re having a good day. They’re sick, or somebody close to them is sick, and they need reassurance about the financial aspect of their medical bills. “My job isn’t always to give people the answer they would like, but to give the correct answer. What we do boils down to those end users. They’re going through something difficult, and it’s our job to make them more comfortable.” Please share a bit about home life and pastimes. Aaron: “My wife Sally and I will be married for 30 years in September. We have three grown children who are all married, and they all picked wonderful spouses. We have four grandchildren and another due in November. Because all the grand-
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