Angels of the Industry Argonaut, Alaskas National

Far from being uncaring, the insurance industry contributes millions of dollars every year to charitable causes. Following are just a few of the ‘angels’ of our industry-those who took the time and energy to give something back to their community. Due to space limitations, this is only a sample of charitable efforts in the past year. We know there are many more contributors, so please let us know if you have an organization that should be featured in next year’s ‘Angels of the Industry’.

Employers Reinsurance Corp.
Out of the tragedy of the Oklahoma City bombing five years ago was born a unique public- private partnership to educate people about the dangers and risks associated with flying glass. This year, Employers Reinsurance Corp. (ERC) joined forces with the Protecting People First Foundation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Johnson County Project Impact and representatives of the window film industry to launch a program called “Protecting Our Promise-Safeguarding America’s Children.” Aren Almon-Kok, mother of one of the children killed in the bombing, is a co-founder of the Protecting People First Foundation. The initiative was designed to make daycare centers across the U.S. safer during severe weather, earthquakes and terrorist activity. Last August, ERC employees volunteered to help retrofit the largest daycare center in greater Kansas City by securing heavy items and installing a special protective film on the center’s windows. “We’re planning to identify a certain number of daycare centers that we’re going to retrofit each year throughout the country, namely in towns in states where our other businesses are located,” said Elaina Boudreau, ERC public relations leader. “We look at the need of the daycare center, how many windows they have or how many children they provide care to. We’ve identified right now six or seven in just Kansas City, and we’re going to be working into other cities in 2001 and beyond.”

L.A. Chapter of CPCU
In the spirit of the charter of the national Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters (CPCU) Society, members of the Los Angeles Chapter of CPCU have devoted their time and energy to a number of worthy causes in their community throughout the year 2000. L.A. CPCU Good Works Chairman Bob Bennett described a few of those charitable efforts. The “Clothes the Deal” program, which took place together with Los Angeles RIMS, collected and delivered used business clothing to needy individuals entering the job market for the first time. In June, L.A. CPCU members teamed up with the California FAIR Plan as well as other volunteers for the 14th Annual Inglewood Pride Day. Volunteers helped residents paint five houses on one block in the city. Bennett noted that in the past, the majority of volunteers for the program seemed to come from outside of the community. Now, however, about 80 percent are local people, proving that the program does help promote the idea of neighbors helping neighbors. In December, Good Works will deliver donated baby and maternity clothes, toys, diapers and other necessities for infants and their mothers to the St. Anne’s Program. St. Anne’s provides assistance and education to young, pregnant women, some of whom have been victims of physical abuse or have had legal trouble, with the aim of helping them become good mothers.

Lou Jones and Associates
Due to the success of the 13th Annual Lou Jones & Associates City of Hope Benefit Golf Tournament, held on Sept. 11, the Los Angeles, Calif.-based firm was able to donate approximately $100,000 to the City of Hope, a research and treatment center for cancer and other diseases located in Southern California. The tournament was the brainchild of company founder and former CEO Lou Jones, who, during a period when both of his parents were stricken with cancer, was deeply impressed by the treatment and assistance provided to patients at the City of Hope. Since Jones’ retirement in December 1993, the event has been spearheaded by Chairman and CEO William Shupper. Each year, the firm has paid for 100 percent of the costs of the tournament so that every penny brought in will go directly to the center. The funds raised this year brought the total of donations generated over the past 13 years to $900,000. In addition to the golf tournament, the firm has participated in such efforts as employee giving through payroll deduction and bone marrow drives. “Our focus has been not directed in any one area,” Shupper said. “Wherever the City of Hope finds the need or feels they need the money, we’ve been happy to contribute.”

Paula Financial
PAULA Financial, a California-based specialty underwriter and distributor of commercial insurance products, established the PAULA Difference $10,000 Scholarship Award in 1996. Through its subsidiary, PAULA Insurance Co., PAULA Financial provides workers’ compensation products and services to the agribusiness industry. Accordingly, the annual scholarship is bestowed to dependents of agricultural workers. “It’s been the philosophy of our company to give back to the community,” said Don Lang, director of human resources for PAULA Financial. “We feel that the private industry can do a much better job with these types of things than maybe even the government.” To date, the PAULA Difference Scholarship Fund has awarded over $209,000 to more than 280 students in California, Arizona, Oregon and Idaho. “We have had the benefit of seeing our first recipient go on to grad school with a full-ride scholarship last year,” Lang said. “It was really exciting to know that in some way we were able to provide some of the resources to enable him to do that.”

Lockton Insurance Brokers Inc.
Los Angeles-based Lockton Insurance Brokers Inc. received the Corporate Philanthropy Award from The H.E.L.P. Group, one of California’s leading children’s organizations. The award, presented to Lockton in June, was established to recognize individuals and organizations that have made important and lasting contributions to further the causes of children. “Being actively involved in the community is part of our corporate culture at Lockton,” said Tim Noonan, president and CEO of Lockton. “In addition to holding a companywide fundraiser for United Way each year, all our producers are involved in at least three organizations that directly impact the lives of individuals in our local community. We believe this charter breeds better citizens and as an organization makes a difference for our associates and their families.” In addition to the H.E.L.P. Group, Lockton is involved in numerous organizations, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; National Psoriasis Association; Crohns & Colitis Foundation; United Cerebral Palsy; Cystic Fibrosis Association; UCLA Center on Aging; Young Life; YMCA; Boy Scouts of America; World Vision; Constitutional Rights Foundation; Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; Hillview Acres ChildrenÕs Home; The Guardians; and CHP Widow & Dependent Children.

Insurance Industry
Charitable Fund The Insurance Industry Charitable Fund (IICF), founded in 1994, and its member companies will be giving more than $1 million in grants throughout the state of California this year. In its third year, IICF Bridge Week 2000 had more than 3,000 participants at over 200 projects and generated more than 13,000 hours of service to IICF’s nonprofit communities. During Bridge Week, IICF donor companies throughout the state take part in volunteer projects such as cleanup, building and painting, helping the homeless, working with children or the elderly, etc. IICF received the California Innovation in Community Service Award from the Volunteer Center of San Francisco “in recognition of statewide leadership and excellence in community service.” The IICF Bridge Week Program and the Emergent Volunteers Program also received Excellence Awards from the American Society of Association Executives, which highlighted the two as “programs which have resulted in significant benefit to American society.” “Feedback from the nonprofits themselves is beyond expectations,” said IICF CEO Karen Chin. “The hands-on projects accomplished during IICF Bridge Week have generated a reputation for the insurance industry for hard-working, quality volunteers that think, care and have impact.”

Golden Eagle Insurance Corp.
San Diego, Calif.-based Golden Eagle Insurance Corporation’s (GEIC) Community Relations Committee, formed in June 1999, is made up of 14 employees from various departments throughout the organization. Its senior staff chairwoman is Suzanne Cortez, vice president-human resources, and its purpose is to plan and organize community service projects as well as to review and recommend charitable organizations for sponsorship. During the past year, GEIC employees in San Diego and Orange County have participated in events sponsored by such groups as United Way’s Hands On San Diego, IICF Bridge Week, the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon, City of San Diego Parks Disabled Service, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Grossmont College Office Training Professional Program, internship/mentor programs, and HIV and AIDS programs. Also this year, GEIC employees raised funds totaling $7,800 for the March of Dimes Walk America, and $4,600 for United Cerebral Palsy’s Get Casual for a Cause. In March, GEIC hosted a clothing drive for Second Chance/STRIVE, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to assist unemployed individuals back into the workforce. Currently, GEIC employees are hosting a toy drive for Rainbow Day Care Center to deliver toys (with the help of “Santa Claus”) to approximately 250 children from low-income and homeless families.

Insuring The Children
The nonprofit organization Insuring The Children (ITC) was established in 1994 to help raise awareness of and aid in the prevention of child abuse. One of ITC’s co-founders, Frank Robitaille, president of Armstrong/Robitaille Insurance Services in Tustin, Calif., was motivated to get behind the effort after learning that in one year alone, reports of child abuse and neglect totaled 30,000 in Orange County and 600,000 in the state of California. California ITC chapters now include the East Bay, Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego. There are also chapters in Ohio and Michigan. The focus of individual chapters is primarily to distribute funds regionally. Funds raised by the Orange County chapterÕs annual ITC Golf Tournament are distributed to local child abuse prevention programs, such as the Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center, which in turn sponsors programs including Teen Voices/Teen Choices, the Welcome Baby, Adopt a Social Worker and Suddenly Parents. In Los Angeles, ITC funded on a five-year basis a project called Richstone, which assists emancipated foster children transition. In addition, ITC established an Annual Forum, at which insurance leaders come together to discuss the future of the industry. Again, proceeds from the event are given to various agencies around Southern California. Since its inception, it is estimated that ITC as a whole has distributed well over half a million dollars.

Topics California Agribusiness Market