Movers and Shakers

• HR pros Hutchison, Peppard recognized for jobs well done

  EBN always is pleased to herald the achievements of benefits industry professionals. This month, we are proud to announce an honor for Ken Hutchison, the recently retired vice president for human resources at the University of Missouri, and the promotion of Denise Peppard, the newly elected senior vice president of human resources at Wyeth.

• Benny awards recognize 'best of the best'

  Excellence in benefits management and advisory services was on display when Al Schubert, vice president, strategic alliances and management for Benny Award sponsor VSP, praised "the best of the best" during the annual presentation.

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• HR/benefits pros advance, win honors for job well done

  It is always a happy and proud day at when we can showcase the achievements and accolades of HR/benefits industry professionals.

• Safety-Kleen , Oklahoma Employees Benefits Council Honored for Benefits Best Practices

  The SouthWest Benefits Association, a regional, non-profit established to foster relationships and support the educational growth of professionals in employee benefits, awarded Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc.and the Oklahoma Employees Benefits Council with its Second Annual Best of Class Benefits Solution Awards for innovative employee benefits programs at its recent annual conference. Continental Airlines and HEB Grocery Company received honorable mention for their benefits solutions.

• HR/benefits execs moving into a corner office with a view

  HR/benefits veterans Jakubek, Gillece and EBN's own Quinn receive C-suite promotions

• And the Benny Award goes to ...

• Express Scripts offers to buy Caremark for $26 billion

  The pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts yesterday proposed to acquire its competitor Caremark Rx for $26 billion in an attempt to outbid the pharmacy retailer CVS, which announced a merger agreement with Caremark on Nov. 1.

• Judges' Choice Award: Kathy Durbin harvests savings from online bidding

  To reduce health care costs, most HR-benefit managers have turned to plan design changes, employing tools such as high-deductible plans and higher copays. But tech-savvy Kathy Durbin saw a different and innovative solution to the problem.

• Benefits Leadership in Health Plans: Where others see barriers, Andes sees opportunities

  If there's such a thing as benefits mojo, Karrie Andes has it. As HR director at Deffenbaugh Industries, a Shawnee Mission, Kan.-based waste management company, she has successfully recruited and retained employees to work at a company headquartered at a landfill. As her benefits peers struggle with double-digit health cost increases, Andes has crafted the company's self-insured health plan that's held employee premiums flat for four years running and launched a wellness program to keep truck drivers committed to good health. And in the middle of it all, she created her own benefits conference to aid other employers in managing self-funded health plans.

• Benefits Leadership in Retirement Planning; Sally Hass champions the "new retirement' nationwide

  Golf is a forbidden retirement goal for Weyerhaeuser employees, at least in Sally Hass's classrooms. She holds up a big "no golf" poster - complete with red circle and slash - whenever anyone cites the pastime as something they hope to do in their golden years. She's joking, of course. Sort of.