not bad :smirk: 
 I thought about local variable, something like:
```php
protected function getContactID($created_by)
{
  static $contacts = array();
  if(isset($contacts[$created_by]))
  {
    return $contacts[$created_by];
  }
  .....

  $contacts[$created_by] =  $db->loadResult();
  return $contacts[$created_by];
}
```
but your version also can be :)