The Insurance Federation of New York’s (IFNY) 102nd Annual Award Luncheon honoring Steven A. Kandarian, Chairman, President and CEO, MetLife, Inc., and New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro drew 250 to the Union League Club. IFNY’s inaugural Public Service Award was given to Chief Nigro as a new way of the industry shoeing its colors in the public affairs sphere. IFNY renewed its support for Boys Hope Girls Hope and Mary Lanning of Yes!Solutions, Inc., as six graduates of the IFNY Intern program, which arranges rigorous internships for inner city high school students in top corporate offices where they learn the business of insuring and its many segments, spoke about their experience and what the program meant to them. More than 30 have already been “graduated” from the program. IFNY has expanded its focus from Free Enterprise to service and the result is a new feel to its prestigious luncheon. Nice work! … In that same vein, Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a nonprofit organization working with the insurance industry to help communities and enrich lives, announced that over 900 insurance professionals attended its 10th annual Northeast Benefit Dinner on December 14th at New York City’s historic Waldorf Astoria Hotel. While celebrating the insurance industry’s commitment to philanthropy and community, more than $1.4 million—a record amount for the Foundation’s New York gala event—was raised to support grants benefiting nonprofits located throughout the Northeastern U.S. The event featured appearances and speeches by several celebrities including Emmy award-winning journalist Norah O’Donnell, two-time Super Bowl winning National Football League head coach Tom Coughlin and six-time Major League Baseball All Star Daniel “Rusty” Staub. Each speaker accepted grants on behalf of their respective charitable organizations.

During the dinner, IICF honored CHUBB as a philanthropic leader with the 2016 IICF “Double I” Award for influence in the industry and impact in the community. John Keogh, Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, accepted the award on the company’s behalf. “For 10 years, the IICF Northeast Benefit Dinner has united insurance professionals from all facets of the industry with a common philanthropic goal—to give back to the communities in which we work and live,” said Peter Tucker, IICF Northeast Division Board Chair and Regional Chief Operating Officer and New York City Branch Manager, Chubb. “Through our collective efforts as an industry, this year’s dinner raised a record amount for IICF grants, which will benefit thousands of families across the Northeast through a wide array of nonprofit organizations. Over the past ten years, the IICF Northeast Division has raised more than $7 million, all for grants benefiting those in the New York tri-state area.” All proceeds from the night’s event will fund the Northeast Division’s Community Grants Program, which provides grants to regional charities that champion causes pertaining to education, at-risk children, the environment and disaster preparedness. “IICF has done more than just write a check. They’ve been to the kitchen, they’ve volunteered and helped make deliveries. IICF has really become a part of the God’s Love community, and that’s the best kind of partnership,” shared David Ludwigson, Chief Development Officer of God’s Love We Deliver, a nonprofit organization that cooks and delivers nutritious and individually tailored meals to those in the New York metropolitan area living with severe illness, and one of the Northeast Division grant recipients.

The 19 grant recipients this year are as follows:

Since its inception, IICF has contributed $25.3 million in community grants, along with more than 240,500 volunteer hours, to hundreds of charities and community nonprofit organizations, reinvesting in local communities where funds are raised.

These are efforts that distinguish an industry that is not always held in the highest esteem and speak volumes about the insurance industry and societal values.

Insurance Industry Puts Best Foot (Feet?) Forward at IFNY and IICF Events

Steve Acunto