“Pride” is a word that is against my heritage and culture as a Chinese, and some may say it does not exist in the dictionary of the insurance industry (a.k.a. best-kept secret). But today I want to shout out my Texas-size pride! I am so proud of being part of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), so proud of my fellow IICF Southeast Divisional Board members, so proud of the insurance community in Texas, and so proud of being in the insurance profession!

On Feb. 1, more than 600 industry leaders joined us in Dallas and celebrated the 6th Annual IICF Southeast Benefit Dinner, where we honored Tom Curtin of CRC Group, one of the most respected, most admired and most giving leaders in the insurance industry. For more than 30 years, Tom’s charitable efforts have impacted many local, state and national organizations, leaving a legacy of caring and giving to which we all aspire!

Inspired by Tom’s generous matching and our keynote speaker, the legendary Dallas Cowboys Coach Jimmy Johnson, our Text-to-Give drive raised an additional $90,000. When added to the $803,000 from the dinner fundraiser, IICF’s efforts reached nearly $900,000, made possible through the generosity of insurance industry companies, professionals and supporters.

Where the money goes

This collective industry effort will support 23 nonprofit organizations throughout the region, focused in the areas of at-risk children, veterans and education, with beneficiaries including Sons of the Flag, Soldier’s Angels, Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center, Make-A-Wish North Texas, Our Friends Place, Con Mi Madre and many more.

As the industry’s philanthropic voice, IICF has been unifying the insurance industry philanthropic effort since 1994 and has contributed nearly $29 million in community grants, along with more than 270,000 volunteer hours, to hundreds of charities and community nonprofit organizations across the United States and United Kingdom! When Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria hit the coast and the wildfires struck California, IICF raised more than $640,000 in disaster relief funds to help restore the communities impacted.

Kudos to…

Congratulations to Tom Curtin, 2018 IICF Philanthropic Honoree! Tom, your presence and leadership will be missed upon your retirement, however your influence and impact are everlasting.

Congratulations to Bill Ross, CEO of IICF and Sarah Conway, Executive Director of IICF Southeast Division for another year of great success across the country and in the Southeast region!

Congratulations to Bill Henry, our IICF Southeast Divisional Founding Chairman, whose vision and leadership has inspired so many of us to join the collective effort of serving and giving back to the community!

Congratulations to Wendy Houser, our IICF Southeast Divisional Board Chair, and Neil Kessler, IICF Dinner Chair this year, for a sellout benefit dinner and most importantly, for leading our division to the next level.

And finally, I’d be remiss not to recognize the unwavering dedication my colleagues from Lloyd’s have shown through their support of the seven IICF chapters across the U.S. of which we are a part. The Annual IICF Southeast Benefit dinner reminds me why the IICF has been core to Lloyd’s community involvement in the U.S. for many years. The ability to come together with our partners and competitors alike shows that we aren’t just waiting to respond after a tragedy, but rather we’re here banding together to offer our support to local communities every single day. That’s powerful, and it’s why we are so proud of the work of the IICF.

So proud, I want to shout out! I could not think of a better way to kick off the third Insurance Careers Month and celebrate our great careers in insurance: a career that is stable, rewarding, and limitless; a career that enables us to help individuals and businesses in times of need, and a career in an industry that works collectively to enrich the lives of many through grants, volunteer service and leadership!

I am proud, and you should be too!

Enya He is regional director, South Central U.S. for Lloyd’s America. She can be reached at enya.he@lloyds.com

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Celebrating Texas-sized pride over IICF&rsquo;s Southeast Benefit Dinner

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Celebrating Texas-sized pride over IICF’s Southeast Benefit Dinner