The Rough Notes Company Community Service Award—Magazine seeks nominations for 8th annual award recognizing outstanding community service 10/06


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The Rough Notes Company Community Service Award

Magazine seeks nominations for 8th annual award recognizing outstanding community service

What do successful independent insurance agents have in common? There are several characteristics these men and women share, but the quality that stands above the others is their desire to give back to their communities and help others in need.

The Rough Notes Company’s 8th Annual Community Service Award seeks to recognize those silent heroes—agents or agencies that want to improve the lives of others but don’t want the glory. Honoring these professionals may also inspire other agents and agencies to get involved in their local areas.

Over the past seven years, The Rough Notes Company has been privileged to honor independent insurance agents who have given of themselves, their time, and their money to serve their communities. These winning philanthropic acts include:

• J. Douglas Reichardt of West Des Moines, Iowa, who served as chairperson of the 2005 United Way of Central Iowa fundraising campaign. Under his enthusiastic leadership, the campaign brought in just over $20 million—a 9% increase over 2004—during a time when Iowans also were stepping up to support victims of recent national and international disasters.

• Jim McGovern of Belmont, California, who was inspired by a personal tragedy in his own family to take action in the battle against blood-related cancers by establishing a “Walk for Ben” for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

• Harry Swimmer of Charlotte, North Carolina, who runs a therapeutic horseback riding clinic for handicapped and disabled children.

• Jack and Jason Rua of Fall River, Massachusetts, who raised more than $2 million for the local Fall River United Way annual campaign.

• Kenneth Felton of Vero Beach, Florida, who recognized the need for after-school programs for children and researched, developed and opened the first Boys and Girls Clubs in Indian River County, Florida.

• Dick Lees of Pana, Illinois, who raised enough funds to build an emergency room unit at his local hospital, which serves a tri-county area.

• Al Singer of Teaneck, New Jersey, who helps feed thousands of children nationwide through his own program called People Against Children Starving.

All of our past honorees represent the kind of socially concerned, responsible men and women in whom the insurance industry can take great pride. Without a doubt, though, they represent only a small percentage of the many insurance professionals who are equally worthy of recognition.

Do you know an independent insurance agent or agency that has performed extraordinary service within the local community? Whether you represent an agent or agency, a state or national insurance trade association, an insurance company, or a charity or other community service organization, you are eligible to nominate that person or firm for the 2007 Rough Notes Community Service Award. Simply complete the Nomination Form on the following page along with the supporting documentation. The nomination materials must reach us by December 31, 2006.

As an insurance industry partner, we want to be the vehicle for identifying and honoring independent insurance agents and agencies for their unique charitable contributions to local concerns. Therefore, the winning charity or community service project will receive $5,000 in the name of the winning agent or agency. The honorable mention recipients’ charities or community service projects will receive $1,500 in the winning agent or agency’s name. In addition, the winners will receive an eagle statue with an engraved plaque recognizing their contributions to the community.

The winner and honorable mention recipients will be honored at an awards dinner in Indianapolis in early 2007 in conjunction with Rough Notes magazine’s 17th annual Marketing Agency of the Year celebration. Also in early 2007, an issue of Rough Notes will feature all of the winning agents and agencies and their special community service projects.

Please help us identify those worthy independent insurance agents or agencies for our 2007 Community Service Award. *

Rough Notes Company
Community Service Award 2007

Award Conditions and Prerequisites

Purpose: To recognize and award an independent property/casualty broker, agent or agency that has demonstrated extraordinary community service within his/her/their local, regional or national community. And, to present the winning community service project with a check in the amount of $5,000 to help further its special cause(s).

Criteria: Nominees will be judged on their overall contribution (funds raised, people helped, volunteerism, etc.) to their community service project and/or initiative, and the positive impact (both short-term and long-term) that their efforts have made toward their community service project.

Nomination Period: Nominations will be accepted at the offices of Rough Notes magazine by U.S. mail, overnight delivery or hand delivery up to and including December 31, 2006. No nomination forms will be accepted after December 31, 2006. Please note that no facsimiles will be accepted.

Conditions:
1. Nominators must complete the nomination form in its entirety and provide all supporting documentation;
2. All nomination forms and supporting documentation must be received at the offices of Rough Notes magazine no later than December 31, 2006;
3. No facsimiles will be accepted;
4. All nomination forms and supporting documentation become the exclusive property of Rough Notes magazine. Further, the nomination form and supporting documentation may be used at the sole discretion of Rough Notes magazine to publicize the award and award recipient, and to promote the Community Service Awards program;
5. A letter from the community service project verifying and describing the project must accompany the nomination form;
6. Incomplete nomination forms or nomination forms without supporting documents will not be considered;
7. Nominators may nominate themselves or their agency.
Note: Please detail only one service project per nominee.

Selection: Designated individuals from The Rough Notes Company and selected others will review all nomination forms and supporting documentation and select a winner and honorable mention recipients. The winner and honorable mention recipients will be honored and presented with their awards at the Rough Notes Magazine Awards Ceremony in Indianapolis, Indiana, in conjunction with the 18th Annual Rough Notes Magazine “Marketing Agency of the Year” award dinner. A representative of the winning community service project will also be invited to attend this function to be honored and presented with a check.

Awards:
1. The winning community service project will be presented with a check in the amount of $5,000 in the name of the award recipient.
2. The winning broker, agent or agency and honorable mention recipients will be presented with a sculptured engraved eagle.
3. Honorable mention projects will receive a check for $1,500 in the name of the award recipient.
4. Rough Notes magazine will publish an article to publicize the community service project, the award winner and the honorable mention recipients.

Mailing: All nomination forms and supporting documents are to be sent to or received at:
The Rough Notes Company
Attn: Community Service Award
11690 Technology Drive
Carmel, Indiana 46032-5600

Click here for Nomination Form PDF.