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The Rough Notes Company
Community Service Award
for independent agents
Nominations are now open
By Robert N. Kretzmer
The Rough Notes Company is pleased to formally open the nominations for the annual Community Service Award for independent insurance agents, brokers and agencies. We are seeking those special and socially concerned insurance professionals who, by their philanthropic deeds, have made their local communities a better and stronger place in which to live. We are ready with our readers’ support to identify, recognize and honor our industry’s best who have volunteered their time, talent and energy to help the less fortunate.
We are now poised for the 11th time to choose and recognize one of the many agents from around the country who make a difference through the great volunteer service they provide in their communities. We ask agents, agencies, trade associations, insurance companies, charities or other community service organizations to nominate a worthy independent agent, broker or agency. Please remember that an agent may nominate his or her own agency or himself/herself for this prestigious award.
What are some of the characteristics that all of our past winners have in common? First and perhaps foremost, all of our previous winners are humble, seeking no public recognition for their deeds. The winners also have shown themselves to be altruistic, charitable, sensitive, caring, kind and concerned. Each in his or her own way has made a significant difference in the community—from feeding starving children to providing suitable housing to raising much-needed funds for charities.
On the following pages you will find our Community Service Award conditions and prerequisites along with our nomination form. Again, we ask you, our loyal readers, to help us identify deserving and qualified independent insurance agents, brokers or agency candidates for this honor. Your participation is greatly appreciated, not only by us, but by your peers as well.
Following is a listing of our previous distinguished award winners and their special community projects:
• 2009—Barbara Galgiani of Modesto, California—Raised significant funds for the nonprofit Hospice of San Joaquin and started their fund-raising auxiliary.
• 2008—D. Gaines Lanier of West Point, Georgia—Financially supports poverty housing reconstruction projects in Georgia and Alabama, helping the less fortunate afford new housing.
• 2007—Markham Rollins of Tuckahoe, New York—Builds homes in poverty-stricken Central America by raising funds and gathering people to construct the housing.
• 2007—Mark Williamson of Little Rock, Arkansas—Raised significant funds to support a radiation therapy institute and started a special group to help support the ill.
• 2006—J. Douglas Reichart of West Des Moines, Iowa—Chaired and directed a major fund-raising campaign for the United Way.
• 2005—Jim McGovern of Belmont, California—Organized a special fund-raising walk to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Foundation.
• 2004—Harry Swimmer of Charlotte, North Carolina—Founded and operates a therapeutic horseback riding clinic for ill children and adults.
• 2003—Jack and Jason Rua of Fall River, Massachusetts—Chaired and directed one of the most successful fund-raising campaigns for the United Way.
• 2002—Kenneth Felton of Vero Beach, Florida—Researched, developed and opened the first Boys & Girls Club in Indian River, Florida.
• 2001—Dick Lees of Pana, Illinois—Chaired, promoted and directed a funding campaign to build a new emergency department at a local hospital.
• 2000—Al Singer of Teaneck, New Jersey—Founded and operates People Against Starving Children which provides food to disadvantaged children.
These distinguished winners of The Rough Notes Company Community Service Award personify and exemplify our idea of the “silent” heroes within our wonderful industry. They all have given of their time, efforts and financial resources to ensure that the underprivileged and ill are not forgotten or left behind by their local communities. This is what builds strong communities.
In early 2010, the winner and up to four honorable mention recipients will be honored in Indianapolis, Indiana, in conjunction with Rough Notes magazine’s Marketing Agency of the Year celebration. The agent’s winning charity will be honored with a $5,000 donation in the name of the winning agent/agency/broker; the honorable mention charities will receive $1,500 in the name of the honorable mention recipient(s). Each winner will receive an engraved sculptured eagle as a memento of his or her outstanding philanthropic activities.
To nominate an agent, broker or agency for the 11th annual Community Service Award, please see the conditions and prerequisites and nomination form on the following pages. Nominations must be received at the offices of The Rough Notes Company by December 31, 2009, to be considered.
The author
Robert N. Kretzmer is with V.W. Brown Insurance Service, LLC, in Bethesda, Maryland, and serves as executive director of The Rough Notes Company Community Service Award.
The Rough Notes Company Community Service Award
Award Conditions and Prerequisites
PURPOSE: To recognize and present an award to an independent insurance broker, agent or agency that has demonstrated extraordinary community service within his/her/its 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, 2009. No nomination forms will be accepted after December 31, 2009. Please note that no facsimiles or e-mails 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, 2009;
3. No facsimiles or e-mails 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 Award 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 at Rough Notes magazine’s “Marketing Agency of the Year” awards dinner in Indianapolis. 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.
5. The awards dinner will be held in Indianapolis in early 2010.
Mailing: All nomination forms and supporting documents are to be sent to:
The Rough Notes Company
Attn: Community Service Award
11690 Technology Drive
Carmel, Indiana 46032-5600
Click here for the NOMINATION FORM (PDF) |
