Theo Awards 2025: In Conversation with DFIT

At National Comp 2025 in Nashville, Risk & Insurance sat down with Teresa DeSanto, director of public sector strategic insurance partners at DFIT (DeLea Founders Insurance Trust), along with Scott Westman and Chuck Bolesh from PMA Management Corp, to discuss how Delaware’s first municipal workers’ comp pool became a model of collaboration and cost savings.

In this conversation, the team shares how they transformed Delaware municipalities’ approach to workers’ compensation by making safety engaging rather than just a compliance checkbox — and won a 2025 Theo Award.

From their now-legendary snowplow rodeo—where municipal workers compete on obstacle courses drawing over 40 contestants—to PMA’s medical provider network negotiations and proactive case management, DFIT has achieved up to 70% medical cost savings and settlements that come in at half the original demand. The secret? Building excitement through storytelling, where public works employees share their experiences and learn from each other.