Be an Innovator, an employee-run initiative at CU*Answers, teamed up with the Executive Team to create an employee idea form and review process.  At the first deadline, three employees submitted ideas for review.

Alycia Meyers, coordinator of the Be an Innovator group, reported that the ideas submitted varied widely, including ideas to develop a new product, enhance customer service, and more community involvement.  “I am very happy with the turn-out of this new extension of Be an Innovator,” she said.  “With a very busy year ahead of us, it is exciting to see so many people step forward to participate in this new process.”

“One of the ideas,” Meyers added, “was discussed at a Be an Innovator Idea/Networking lunch.”  Meyers reported that employees had vetted thirteen new ideas during the last two meetings, and that as of this date almost half the employees at CU*Answers had participated in a Be an Innovator lunch.

Randy Karnes, CEO at CU*Answers said about the group, “The innovators group at CU*Answers is designed to challenge our corporate designs for innovations.  We value it as a volunteer-employee-challenge to the ways we drive change into our network.  A group to innovate on the processes of making things happen everywhere we can.  It takes practices to put ideas out there, to challenge entrenched, and to lead in bringing things to market both internally and externally – the innovators group project is to build that experience and for generations of CU*A participants to take ownership of the responsibility to champion our future.”

Be an Innovator lunches are scheduled every two months.  The next event is scheduled for September.