The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a unique nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities and enriching lives, raised $1 million at its 12th annual IICF Southeast Gala at the Omni PGA Resort in Frisco, Texas last week. The event gathered insurance professionals from Texas and the broader insurance community throughout the Southeast region to celebrate insurance industry philanthropy and raise funds for regional nonprofit partners. This is the third consecutive year the Southeast Division has raised over $1 million for charity at its annual gala.
During the event, IICF honored Rusty Reid, Chairman, CEO and President at Higginbotham, with the 2024 IICF Southeast Philanthropic Leadership Award. Presented by Jeanette Ward, CEO of Texas Mutual Insurance and a Co-recipient of this prestigious award in 2023, the Southeast’s Philanthropic Leadership Award recognizes philanthropic excellence in the community and within the insurance industry. Rusty is a renowned insurance leader whose generous support of charitable giving and volunteerism within Higginbotham and the community at large is legendary.
Proceeds from the 2024 Southeast Gala benefit the Community Grants Program, which supports regional charities focused on children at risk, education, disaster relief and military veterans. IICF’s Southeast Division has granted more than $8.5 million to over 225 nonprofits since its 2012 founding.
“We are proud to have gathered nearly 750 insurance leaders and raised $1 million for charity at this year’s annual Southeast Gala,” said Dan Kennedy, Chair of the IICF Southeast Division Board of Directors and Regional President at Markel. “Remarkably, we’ve raised $3 million through this event over the past three years, demonstrating the ongoing commitment and generosity of the insurance industry.”
Dan Kennedy recently assumed the role of IICF Southeast Board Chair, succeeding Joe Connelly, Head of North America Field Operations, General Insurance at AIG. “It’s my privilege to take the reins from Joe, who led impressive growth of the Southeast Division in terms of board members and ultimately, greater funds granted into the community,” Kennedy said. “I look forward to working with the tremendous leaders we have serving on the IICF Southeast Division Board and throughout the region on IICF boards in Houston and Georgia.”
IICF’s Southeast Division will award 24 community grants funded by this year’s Gala Celebration to local nonprofits throughout Texas and communities in the Southeast.
“This year we celebrated local giving along with celebrating thirty years of IICF impact,” said Sarah Conway, Executive Director of the IICF Southeast Division. “We are grateful for the leaders whose vision of the industry working together philanthropically 30 years ago has grown into more than 160 board members in the IICF Southeast Division, and more than 800 across IICF in the US and UK. By joining together through IICF, and through the generosity of the industry, we are directly funding more grants that benefit our neighbors in need.”
This year’s Gala was generously supported by Hole-In-One Sponsors: Higginbotham, Texas Mutual and The Bill Henry Family; Double Eagle Sponsors: AIG, Amrisc, Amwins, CNA, CRC Group, Marsh McLennan Agency, RT Specialty, Service Insurance Companies and The Hartford along with many other generous industry sponsors.
For more information regarding IICF’s Southeast Division and to donate, please visit the IICF website or contact Sarah Conway at (214) 228-2910 or sconway@iicf.org.
About the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF)
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) is a unique nonprofit that unites the collective strengths of the insurance industry to help communities and enrich lives through grants, volunteer service and leadership. Established in 1994, IICF is celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of serving as the philanthropic voice and foundation of the insurance industry throughout 2024, having contributed more than $47 million in community grants along with over 337,000 volunteer hours by more than 125,000 industry professionals. IICF reinvests locally where funds are raised for maximum community impact, serving hundreds of charities and nonprofit organizations across the US and UK.