For more than 25 years, in good times and bad, Plus One Health Management has been a leader and an innovator in the expanding field of
corporate health and wellness, consistently growing and providing a steady stream of new jobs to an economy that, especially recently, has
needed them badly. Good timing, smart use of technology, and a well-designed approach to human resources have all played important parts
in Plus One’s success. So, too, have the understanding and support it’s received on the financial side from Bank of America.
As Plus One CFO Lisa Fierstein puts it, “Ted Lyons, senior vice president and senior client manager, and all the people we work with at
Bank of America Merrill Lynch understand our commitment to growth, and they are always trying to think of ways to help us continue on
our trajectory. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is very proactive and responsive to our needs. We really couldn’t ask for a better partner from
that perspective.”
Plus One was recently honored with an Inc. Hire Power award for its success in creating jobs and helping to rebuild the economy in
the wake of the Great Recession. The company has added 355 new jobs during the past three years and now employs more than
1,700 professionals nationwide. Those new jobs have come from a combination of internal growth and expansion into new markets via
acquisition, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch has played an important role in its efforts.
Two recent acquisitions have opened up markets in northern
California and New England for Plus One, and both involved the
assumption of existing corporate contracts for workplace fitness
and wellness services from the acquired entities but little in the way
of hard assets. “Bank of America Merrill Lynch was thoughtful and
creative during these acquisitions,” says Chris Ciatto, Plus One’s
CEO. “They evaluated the intellectual capital and existing client
relationships in place, and made the needed capital available on a
cash-flow lending basis.”
Partners in growth
A creative approach to recruiting, hiring, and retaining the best
employees helps drive Plus One’s growth and its success as a job
creator. Plus One is in the business of changing people’s behavior, a
daunting challenge to be sure. It screens job applicants for the right
technical skills and experience, of course, but it also uses behavioral
interviewing techniques to assess them for the soft skills required to
be successful at changing others’ behavior, says Dave Milani, vice
president of human resources.
It focuses on hiring at junior levels, inculcating the company’s
commitment to quality and service into new team members, and
providing them with the resources for growth and meaningful career
advancement, thus opening up spots for new hires behind them.
Employee satisfaction is a high priority, and Bank of America
Merrill Lynch helps in this area with creative solutions like a new
payroll card it developed for Plus One last year.
“Growth is essential to our business plan. If we don’t grow, we’re
in trouble,” says Mike Motta, Plus One’s founder and executive
chairman. “Bank of America Merrill Lynch helps Plus One achieve
our goals, not just through the services and solutions it provides
us with, but, perhaps more importantly, by understanding our
vision and sharing the same kind of commitment to excellence
that is at the core of everything we do.”
To learn more about how Bank of America Merrill Lynch can
help drive your growth, visit http://corp.bankofamerica.com/
business/smb
