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78 Doing Business in Connecticut | 2014 SPONSORED REPORT W hy locate in Connecticut? After this past winter, the weather isn't at the top of the list. Snow not withstanding, UnitedHealth Group has made a long-term commitment to Hartford and the state, and is glad it did, citing a robust workforce, high-quality colleges and universities, strong communities with good schools, and a wide variety of cultural, educational and sporting activities, which enables it to attract, hire and retain the best employees in the health and well-being industry for all of its Connecticut locations. UnitedHealth Group's 820,000-square-foot downtown Hartford office is home to half of United- Health Group's more than 4,200 employees in the state, while other teams support state and national efforts from its Rocky Hill, Windsor and Trumbull locations. Overall, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making health care work better for everyone, represented by UnitedHealthcare and Optum, respectively, the health benefits and health services segments of UnitedHealth Group. In 2014, UnitedHealth Group was named No. 1 in its sector for the fourth consecutive year in Fortune's "World's Most Admired Compa- nies" listings and ranked No. 1 in health care innovation for the fifth straight year. In Connecticut, UnitedHealthcare pro- vides health care benefits to half a million Connecticut residents through a network of 12,600 physicians and 43 hospitals. Optum — with nearly 2,000 employees in Connecticut — is dedicated to engag- ing consumers, aligning care delivery to improve quality and reduce costs, and modernizing the infrastructure and tech- nology of the health care system. United- Health Group expects to impact the state's economy by nearly $720 million in 2014. A culture of giving back But the company's contribution to Connecticut doesn't stop there. "We have a culture of giving back to the communities in which we live and work," said Stephen Farrell, CEO of UnitedHealth- care New England. "The company supports health-related initiatives for children and seniors — and everyone in between." Connecticut Children's Medical Center recently received a $1-million grant from UnitedHealthcare to support its Office of Community Child Health, a first-of-its-kind model for providing community- based coordinated care for children. On the other end of the age spectrum, UnitedHealthcare is the pre- senting sponsor of the 2014 Connecticut Masters Games, recognized as the official Senior Games of Connecti- cut. The company also sup- ports its veterans through its own hiring initiatives and its long-term support of the Ride 2 Recovery (R2R), a cycling program that supports rehabilitation for injured veterans, which makes stops in Hartford and other Connecticut cities each September as part of the R2R Minuteman Challenge. UnitedHealthcare employees play an active role in the company's culture of giving, and volunteerism runs high. In 2013, employ- ees contributed more than 15,000 hours of service to a variety of community organiza- tions in Connecticut, including Foodshare, KNOX's Community Gardens and iQuilt. Additionally, Connecticut-based employees in UnitedHealth Group's law department have been recognized for their extensive volunteerism in providing pro bono legal services to area not-for-profit organizations. In the past five years, 45 area nonprofits have benefited from free legal services. "UnitedHealthcare has been a long- time partner of Foodshare, helping us ex- pand our mission to provide food to those in need in our Connecticut communities and to help individuals and families be- come food self-sufficient," said Alicia Flynn, vice president of Foodshare. "For more than 10 years, UnitedHealthcare employ- ees have raised funds through our annual 'Walk Against Hunger,' donated turkeys so families could have a Thanksgiving meal and volunteered countless hours — and we are grateful for their commitment to this important cause." Leadership for Connecticut businesses In addition to hands-on efforts and sitting on boards of local nonprofits like Foodshare, the company's civic engage- ment carries over to the business commu- nity, with top executives serving as board members of Connecticut organizations committed to business growth and eco- nomic strength. Farrell serves on the board of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. Optum's chief growth officer, Mike Matteo, is chairman of the Metro- Hartford Alliance while Jim Bedard, chief financial officer/chief operations officer for UnitedHealthcare's Northeast region, is chairman of the Connecticut Insurance and Financial Services Cluster. "These organizations provide valu- able leadership, insight and support to foster economic growth throughout the region," Bedard said. "We look forward to even greater collaboration as we ad- dress the health affordability concerns for businesses, and improve the health of individuals and communities throughout the state." UnitedHealthcare: A Modern Vision for a Healthier Connecticut UnitedHealth Group offices in Hartford.