Feb. 21, 2018 – West Bend, WI – West Bend Mutual Insurance Company recently presented the Spirit of the Silver Lining Award to two of its agents in Wisconsin. Additionally, West Bend also donated grant funding to the two nonprofit organizations supported by the recipients of the Silver Lining Award.
The Spirit of the Silver Lining Award honors West Bend agents and the nonprofit organizations they support for their dedication to delivering a silver lining to those in need.
The Wisconsin recipients of the 2018 Spirit of the Silver Lining Award are Tim Cleary, formerly of M3 Insurance Solutions, Inc. and Chad Tisonik of HNI Risk Advisors. The nonprofit organizations Cleary and Tisonik support will each receive a $10,000 grant from West Bend Mutual Insurance’s Independent Agents Fund.
Cleary received the Spirit of the Silver Lining Award for his support of Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM), whose mission is to instill hope in the community through progressive programs and partnerships to prevent homelessness and end hunger. Cleary has been a member of MOM’s Board of Directors since 2013 and has been active on the Capital Campaign Cabinet. The grant funding from West Bend will be used to support the MOM’s efforts to end hunger and prevent homelessness.
Tisonik received the Spirit of the Silver Lining Award for his support of the Hope Center. The Hope Center’s mission is to minimize the poverty risk factors that contribute to homelessness by providing basic needs for clothing, food, and furniture. Tisonik and HNI employees donate, volunteer, and organize food and clothing drives. Hope Center will use the grant from West Bend to support several of their programs, including the Clothing Shop, Outreach Meals, and Project Move.
“At West Bend, we have a proud tradition of giving back to the communities in which we do business,” said Kevin Steiner, president and CEO of West Bend. “The Spirit of the Silver Lining Award is a unique program that allows us to express our gratitude to our agent partners on whom we rely to identify the causes that matter most in our communities.”
Since 2006, West Bend has awarded more than $1.2 million in grants for sustaining support, special projects, or capital projects to nonprofit organizations representing a broad field of interests, including, but not limited to, arts and culture; education; the environment; family, youth, and elderly; health and human services; medical research; and community development. Grants are made to organizations within West Bend’s core geographic operating territory that includes Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota.
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About West Bend Mutual Insurance
Founded in 1894, West Bend Mutual Insurance Company is headquartered in West Bend, Wisconsin, and provides property / casualty insurance products throughout the Midwest. The company offers a broad personal lines coverage package, a full range of commercial products and services, insurance for specialty lines and a surety division. West Bend employs more than 1,200 associates and is represented by approximately 1,300 independent insurance agencies throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, and Nebraska and has grown to more than $1.5 billion in assets and more than $1 billion in annual revenue. The company has been rated A (Excellent) or better by A.M. Best since 1971.