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Distinguished Life
A Sustainable Culture
Culture week. An opportunity for an organization to get together to share, learn, and grow to build a deeper connection to the core mission and values. We had ours last week, and it was great. Two full days of employee-led sessions on everything from stress management, communication, conflict resolution, to personal finance. We celebrated and…
What We’re Reading
A collection of some of the interesting articles, interviews, and stories we’ve been reading lately. How to Involve Residents in Sustainable Efforts April 20, 2016 “With price-conscious renters, multifamily operators are often successful engaging residents with sustainability when the program in question directly impacts the resident’s pocketbook.” —Multi-Housing News Four Trends Driving the NYC Office…
The Kids Visit Distinguished
Do you remember that part in the beginning of the movie “City Slickers” when Billy Crystal is at career day at his son’s school, and has to admit to the class that his job is, in it’s most practical form, “selling air?” (I can hear the thump of his son’s head hitting the desk.) As…
Why We Spend Our Time Making Movies Around the Office: The Value of Soft Skills
You can be the smartest, most accurate underwriting wizard, or the Bruce Lee of risk management, but if “playing well with others” is your Achilles’ heel, you might never have a chance to be heard. We work hard on our underwriting, risk management, and program management skills, as they are the backbone of our business….
What We’re Reading
A collection of some of the interesting articles, interviews, and stories we’ve been reading lately. Insurance helps protect against data breach fallout March 7, 2016 “When looking for different cyber-insurance policies, Gold said, it’s important to keep in mind all the potential scenarios as some have provisions that exclude what hoteliers might need and think…
Does Your Organization Benefit From Strong Female Leadership?
Of all the areas in which Distinguished Programs excels, our deep bench of female leadership is one that makes us particularly proud. In an industry that lags behind others in gender-inclusiveness, our fantastic track record sets us apart from many of our competitors.Now that we are at the end of Women’s History Month, it seemed…
Distinguished Cellars: Discussing Millennials in Denver
Last week, U.S. News & World Report issued its 2016 report on the best places to live. Out of the 100 metro areas that were analyzed, Denver, Colorado was placed at the very top of the list. Denver’s high quality of life and strong job market have made it an attractive destination for all ages,…
The Not-So-Hidden Value of Excellent Customer Service
Pretty striking numbers, aren’t they? The reality of customer service is this: There’s a danger of falling into a trap where customer service representatives view each interaction as only a task that needs to be completed. At Distinguished, we believe in treating each customer interaction as a chance to strengthen our relationship.
A Distinguishing Employee Benefit
At first glance, Distinguished doesn’t seem to share many similarities with companies like The Cheesecake Factory, REI, or General Mills. In fact, we are alike in one important way: We pay our employees to take vacation. Employees who have worked with Distinguished for seven years are eligible for a sabbatical—one month of paid leave to…
Distinguished Faces: Meet Carla Vel
Having been with Distinguished from the very early years, Carla Vel has seen Distinguished through its many stages and transitions. In her current role as President and COO, Carla is responsible for strategy development and execution, building senior leadership talent, and overseeing Distinguished Group’s revenue and operating units. She’s a New York native that is well-traveled (fresh off her well-deserved sabbatical…