Calif. Commissioner Garamendi to Speak at the IICF Kick-Off Luncheon

The Insurance Industry Charitable Fund (IICF) is getting the ball rolling with its annual Kick-Off luncheons, where it will share its objectives in bringing the insurance industry and the community closer together.

Newly-elected Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi will be the keynote speaker at the Southern California luncheon in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 28. This will be one of Garamendi’s first public addresses since becoming Commissioner and he is expected to share some of the priorities and challenges he is facing this year. According to Karen Chin, IICF’s CEO, “We invited him to come and talk to us about his vision for the industry. He was Commissioner once before, but I think the industry has changed, and the IICF did not exist per se, during his first administration, so it’s a way for him to know more about us too and all of the good things that we are doing.”

This is the IICF’s 10-year anniversary in bringing the industry together for charitable giving. Last year alone it provided over $1 million in grants, for the fourth consecutive year, to charitable causes all over the state. “It’s very necessary for the industry to get involved in the community,” Chin said. “You just don’t sell a product to the general public, but you have to show them that you care about them and you’re involved in trying to help whatever the problems are in the community.”

The Kick-Off luncheon is the first of a series of IICF events to be held throughout California. The Northern California luncheon is set for March 6, leading up to the Gala reception in May at San Francisco’s City Hall and its IICF Bridge Week in October. Bridge Week makes it possible for thousands of industry employees to perform volunteer services at multiple organizations statewide.

A representative from the IICF nonprofit charity organization, Pacific Lodge Youth Services, will also be speaking at the Southern California luncheon. Pacific Lodge Youth Services provides residential care in a stable environment where abused and neglected youth are provided a structure that allows them to learn. The Northern California luncheon will feature speaker Pamela Erwin, president of the Wells Fargo Foundation, who will speak about the importance of perception in building community awareness. In addition, a representative from the National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy will speak about their experiences in providing therapy for severely disabled children on horseback.

“What we try to do is try to professionalize charitable giving,” Chin said. “Things vary quite a bit because a lot of the companies have very mature programs where they may have their own foundation or a committee that meets regularly and evaluates where they are going to give their money. Other companies either do very little charitable givings or they have a very small committee, but they haven’t looked into what that charity does.” The IICF evaluates charities and their needs in order to place donated monies with the appropriate organization.

Both luncheons will begin at noon, with a reception preceding at 11:30 a.m. The cost for attending the luncheon is $75 per person or $695 for a table of 10. To download an invitation go to www.IICF.com or make a reservation with Diana Stone at (213) 612-5628 for Southern California; Diana Hakenen at (415) 393-8456 for Northern California.

Topics California