Awards and recognition

For the fourth year in a row, Pinnacol has been honored with the Best Places to Work award by Built In, an online community for national startups and tech companies. The award program recognizes companies that offer the best compensation packages, total rewards and culture programs among their peers.

Pinnacol President and CEO John O’Donnell was named a finalist for the prestigious CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year Award. O’Donnell was honored nationally alongside nine other prominent CEOs that have demonstrated unwavering resilience, transformative leadership and strategic excellence across industries ranging from biotechnology and insurance to retail and clean energy.

Top Workplaces Industry awards celebrate organizations that have built people-first workplace cultures within their sector. This award honors Pinnacol as a top financial services employer in the nation, ranking 17th on the list. This is the 5th year in a row we've received this national recognition.

Based on employee feedback, Pinnacol was recognized with three Fall Culture Excellence awards for Employee Well-Being, Professional Development, and Employee Appreciation. The Culture Excellence Awards are presented to companies within the U.S. that achieve top scores on statements related to employee well-being, employee appreciation, professional development and other key areas.

Jennifer Neppel was recently named a top three finalist for the 2025 CIO Industry Innovation awards for her leadership and innovative investment strategy that plays a key role in maintaining insurance rate stability for Colorado businesses and workforce. She was recognized for redefining the role of a CIO and driving meaningful change that allows Pinnacol to deliver on its commitment to its members.

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This recognition highlights our commitment to employee satisfaction and productivity through an outstanding remote work environment, a testament to our people-first values and flexible work model. With an 89% employee engagement score and 93% retention rate, this award recognizes Pinnacol’s remote-first culture where employees thrive and feel a sense of belonging.

In its second annual Excellence in Workforce Awards, CDLE honored Pinnacol with a Creating Tomorrow’s Workforce Today Award for its exceptional leadership and innovation in workforce development through strategic partnerships, affirming its commitment to building a robust talent pipeline, fostering collaboration and accelerating innovation to ensure that economic opportunities are accessible to all Coloradans.

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AM Best, a global credit rating agency specializing in the insurance industry, has reaffirmed the company's A- (Excellent) Financial Strength Rating. This rating affirms Pinnacol's financial strength, stability, and consistent, superior operating performance. This rating is a testament to our sound financial management, disciplined underwriting practices, and unwavering commitment to serving Colorado businesses and workers.

Forbes Advisor has recognized Pinnacol for the third consecutive year as one of the nation's top workers' compensation providers. According to an analysis of 25 large insurers, Pinnacol achieved a perfect five-out-of-five-star rating for the third year in a row and is the only Colorado-based provider on the list. Forbes Advisor’s rigorous evaluation is based on financial strength, customer satisfaction, claims processing efficiency and ease of use. All ratings are solely determined by the editorial team, reaffirming Pinnacol’s industry-leading service and performance that ensures workers receive protection from a proven leader in the industry.

For eight consecutive years, Pinnacol has been named to Ward 50's Superior Insurance Providers. This achievement places Pinnacol in the top 2% of nearly 3,000 property-casualty insurance companies evaluated by Aon, underscoring Pinnacol's sound fiscal management and dedication to delivering both long-term value to its members and caring protection to workers.

For the ninth consecutive year, Pinnacol was named among the top large employers in the state, a testament to its deeply embedded culture of caring. This culture is foundational to every aspect of the organization, influencing not only how Pinnacol serves its policyholder/members and injured workers but also how it hires, supports, and incentivizes its more than 650 team members. The award is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by Energage, LLC.

Pinnacol was recently named a Gold-Level partner for our modern youth apprenticeship program's impact on Denver Public Schools (DPS) students. Pinnacol partners with DPS to support their Youth Apprenticeship and Launch programs by employing student apprentices and hosting career exploration events for students.

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Multistate Claims Analyst Megan Vatole was recognized as CRS Insurance Person of the Year for her impact on their claims experience and the success of the Pinnacol Multi-State Coverage program. CRS noted Vatole’s profound impact on their claims experience, calling her a “game changer.”

Pinnacol was honored with five Culture Excellence Awards by Top Workplaces, based on employee feedback through the Top Workplace Survey. This spring Pinnacol is recognized for Compensation & Benefits, Purpose & Values, Work-Life Flexibility, Innovation and Leadership. 

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Pinnacol is celebrating its fifth consecutive year of being named a Top Workplaces USA Award winner. Out of 358 mid-sized national companies, Pinnacol came in 51st in the nation, up from 65th in 2024. Being named one of the nation's Top Workplaces is based on employee feedback. The 2025 survey included employees from 2,251 companies. Congratulations to all of this years winners. 

The Controllers Council named Chief Accounting Officer Alicia Allen a 2024 Controller of the Year. Her strategic financial leadership has been instrumental in enhancing Pinnacol's financial stability, driving dividends for businesses to reinvest in the Colorado workplace and maintaining an A- AM Best rating since 2015, demonstrating the capacity to provide industry-leading service which also yielded the highest satisfaction ratings from both injured workers and employers. 

Pinnacol has received a score of 85 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s (HRCF) 2025 Corporate Equality Index, the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey and report measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Pinnacol joins the 1,449 U.S. businesses that were also ranked in the 2025 – the highest number of rated companies since the start of the CEI in 2002.

Denver Public Schools recognized Pinnacol Assurance as a 2024 Silver-Level Youth Apprenticeship Partner for its dedication to offering various work-based learning experiences to students in Denver and the surrounding community. 

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Pinnacol is proud to be recognized nationally by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation alongside our country's strongest business and civic leaders. The 25th Annual Citizens Awards named Pinnacol a finalist for Best Corporate Steward, Large Business for its leadership in supporting employers, Colorado's workforce and communities. This prestigious program honors the most innovative and impactful initiatives that leverage a company’s talent, resources, and expertise to improve communities.

Every year, the Colorado Apprenticeship Awards honors apprentices, mentors, employers, programs, and the partners and champions who unite them. Andy was honored as 2024 Outstanding Apprentice for his dedication, innovative thinking, and positive impact on Pinnacol and its apprenticeship program.

It’s an honor to be named the 2024 Best Insurance in the Denver Metro Area by the readers of The Colorado Sun. Pinnacol extends a heartfelt thank-you to our extraordinary members, employees and community for the support and for the voter-driven honor.

Each spring and fall, the Culture Excellence Awards are given to companies within the U.S. — broken down by size band — that achieve top scores on employee sentiment related to workplace culture. This fall Pinnacol is recognized for Employee Well-Being, DEI Practices, Employee Appreciation and Professional Development, marking consecutive wins for the second, third and even fourth year in a row.

In this brand-new addition to the Top Workplaces program, Pinnacol is recognized nationally for creating an outstanding remote work environment that’s dedicated to employee satisfaction and productivity. The 10 Top Workplaces for Remote Work award is based solely on employee feedback.

For the third year in a row, Pinnacol has been honored with the Best Places to Work award by Built In, an online community for national startups and tech companies. The award program recognizes companies that offer the best compensation packages, total rewards and culture programs among their peers.

Each spring and fall, the Culture Excellence Awards are given to companies within the U.S. — broken down by size band — that achieve top scores on employee sentiment related to workplace culture. This spring, Pinnacol as recognized for Compensation and Benefits; Innovation; Leadership; Purpose and Values; and Work-Life Flexibility.

The global, peer-voted award recognizes Jamie as a top DEI professional, honoring her impact on Pinnacol Assurance and her professional community through thought leadership, innovation and exceptional leadership.

Pinnacol was recognized as an outstanding employer, underscoring its leadership within Colorado’s workers’ comp community. Pinnacol’s partnership with PWC builds confidence and trust among members while fostering networking and education for professionals in the industry.

Pinnacol was recognized nationally for its altruism and operational excellence and positive impact on members, industry and community. The award considered Pinnacol’s financial performance and stewardship, workplace safety programs, member and injured worker satisfaction, corporate citizenship, and award-winning apprenticeship program.

Winning the Achievement in Customer Satisfaction award is a testament to Pinnacol’s industry-leading and record-setting customer NPS and IWS, especially among Spanish-preferred members. Pinnacol’s customer satisfaction scores, which are well above the industry benchmark, showcase its achievements.

For the eighth consecutive year, Pinnacol Assurance was ranked as a top 10 employer in Colorado. This year, we were named fourth in the large company category, up from fifth place in 2023.

Julie Wilmes, apprentice program manager, accepted the award on Pinnacol’s behalf at the 2024 CareerWise Colorado Youth Apprenticeship Week Celebration. Wilmes has been a key architect of Pinnacol’s apprenticeship program since 2017. As an educator and an ally, she has directly supported over 70 apprentices, ensuring they have access to meaningful career pathways.

Amelia received international recognition for her individual contributions to creating a best-in-class candidate experience and transforming Pinnacol’s recruitment and onboarding processes. Her strategic efforts to diversify recruitment initiatives and foster trust and inclusivity underscore that Pinnacol is a great place to work.

For the second consecutive year, Forbes Advisor names Pinnacol among the top five best workers’ compensation carriers. Pinnacol received five out of five stars in the evaluation of 25 large insurers.

As Pinnacol Assurance's diversity, equity and inclusion specialist, Paola has been instrumental in creating a culture of inclusion and challenging inequitable practices. She is recognized for her leadership and advocacy for Latine and LGBTQ+ employees, significantly impacting the organization and the community.

Pinnacol was recognized as being among the world’s best human resources teams for creating a great place to work through an industry-leading recruitment and retention strategy. This strategy enhances the recruitment experience and advances diversity initiatives, fostering an inclusive and dynamic work environment.

For seven consecutive years, Pinnacol has been named to Ward 50's Superior Insurance Providers. This achievement places Pinnacol in the top 2% of nearly 3,000 property-casualty insurance companies evaluated by Aon, underscoring Pinnacol's sound fiscal management and dedication to delivering both long-term value to its members and caring protection to workers.

Pinnacol has been named a 2024 Top Workplaces Financial Services award winner, ranking 27th on the list. This is the fourth year in a row we've received this national recognition.

The global awards recognize each team’s contributions to protecting Colorado workers; providing personalized, compassionate care for those injured on the job; and meeting the needs of a post-pandemic economy and workforce.

Denver Public Schools recognized Pinnacol Assurance as a 2023 Youth Apprenticeship Partner of the Year for its dedication to offering transformational opportunities to students in Denver and the surrounding communities. Pinnacol’s youth-focused apprenticeship program is registered by the U.S. Department of Labor and nationally recognized as one of the most established youth apprenticeships in Colorado.

The 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion honors Pinnacol as an outstanding organization employing outspoken individuals in the Denver metro area who go above and beyond to bolster equality across all areas of diversity, including age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity.

Congratulations to Gabby Ayala, one of Pinnacol’s former apprentices, who is now a software engineer and apprentice supervisor, for winning the 2023 Outstanding Mentor award. She was recognized by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and Colorado Apprenticeship Office.

Congratulations to Pinnacol’s Christine Dharma, CPC, ELI-MP, MBA, for being named on the inaugural list of women to watch in the tech industry. She was recognized as a standout in making strides to promote DEI and gender equity in the tech space and opening doors so the next generation of leaders can thrive.

Based solely on valued employee feedback, the Culture Excellence awards are given to companies within the U.S. — broken down by size band — that achieve top scores on statements relating to employee culture. Pinnacol won awards for DE&I Practices (new), Employee Well-Being (repeat), Employee Appreciation (new) and Professional Development (repeat).

Digital Insurance's leadership program recognizes the women leading the insurance industry's transformation.

Quincy Douglass was recognized for his key contributions to Pinnacol’s mission to care for Colorado in a rapidly changing work environment. Douglass was celebrated with the 2023 Denver Business Journal C-Suite Award for spearheading transformative initiatives that have earned record-setting injured worker satisfaction scores and for his contributions to Pinnacol’s award-winning DEI program.

It’s an honor to be named the Best Insurance in the Denver Metro Area by the readers of The Colorado Sun. Pinnacol extends a heartfelt thank-you to our extraordinary members, employees and community for the support and for the voter-driven honor.

NACD — the authority on boardroom practices and representing more than 23,000 corporate board members — recognizes forward-thinking boards that leverage the power of DEI to enhance their governance, create long-term value, and build innovative and inclusive workplaces and boardrooms.

Pinnacol was recognized as the Inaugural Business of the Week for being a model in the community for our efforts to champion neurodiversity and celebrate unique strengths in the workplace.

Each year, Forbes Advisor names the highest-rated workers’ compensation carriers, based on financial strength rated by AM Best and the level of upheld complaints made to state insurance departments and collected by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

For the seventh consecutive year, Pinnacol has been awarded a Top Workplaces honor by The Denver Post. In recent years, The Denver Post has named Pinnacol the top large employer in the state and a top employer for work-life balance. Pinnacol also received a special award this year indicating Pinnacol scored the highest among all employers for managers caring about employee concerns.