Putting People First for 30 Years

EMPLOYEE FEATURE: MARK BERTELS

Mark Bertels was just 27 years old when he joined CorVel in 1989. In fact, the company wasn’t even called CorVel yet—it was Fortis Corporation.

Mark’s first role with the company was as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. He traveled around the eastern part of Kansas with his brand new CorVel issued mobile bag phone, which was nearly the size of a toaster. He was excited to be a part of this new company with big dreams and big goals—a company that believed with the right people, it could accomplish more than is imaginable.

Within two years, Mark’s supervisor offered him a promotion as a branch manager in a new office in Wichita. He was nervous that he lacked the experience required, but CorVel believed in him and saw his potential. With the encouragement of his manager and a not so gentle nudge from his wife, Mark decided that taking chances is an important part of the evolution of a successful career. Although he was still hesitant, he and his wife packed up the house and moved to Wichita.

At the time, Mark felt like he was taking a leap of faith for the company. In retrospect, this promotion showed Mark that CorVel is a company that values its employees and invests in their potential. That Branch Manager experience in Wichita eventually led to the roles of District Manager, Area Manager, and the Area Vice President position he is in today.

While Mark may have started his career at CorVel earlier than most, his story is not unique.  Across the organization, there are hundreds of CorVel associates who have progressed up the career ladder to positions in a very similar way. CorVel leaders embody the mentality that every member of their team has the potential to move to the next level. They see the potential in their employees, they set high expectations, and they give them the opportunity to shine. Many of those team members meet and exceed expectations and are ready to take advantage of the opportunities when they become available.

According to Mark, the key to this company-wide success is twofold:

• First, clarity from management that every employee in the company is valued and that there are meaningful opportunities available for advancement.
• Second, CorVel is a company that supports the development of any employee who has the desire to achieve, the curiosity to learn, and the motivation to take on challenges that might be outside of a personal comfort zone.

From the start, CorVel has put people first. For Mark and many others, taking that leap of faith with guidance and support from management ultimately led to other opportunities with increasing levels of responsibility. Now 30 years later, CorVel is still putting people first. By investing in people, CorVel has built a dedicated, driven team that is the foundation of the company’s growth and success year after year!