Distinguished Performer award the result of a deeply impactful culture of giving back to communities.
STEVENS POINT, Wis. (November 18, 2020) – Deloitte announced that Sentry is the 2020 winner of the Distinguished Performer Community award for its focus on giving back to the community. The mutual insurer ranks No. 14 on Deloitte’s Wisconsin 75™, a ranking of the 75 largest private companies in Wisconsin based on sales revenue.
Deep responsibility to improving our communities
An independent advisory committee consisting of community leaders chose the Distinguished Performer awards, which were featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Pete McPartland, Sentry chairman of the board, president, and CEO, credits the achievement to a deeply rooted company culture of giving back to the community.
“For generations, Sentry has demonstrated commitment and deep responsibility to improving the communities where we live and work. Doing so reflects the people and values that make our hometown of Stevens Point special,” he said. “Our associates’ generosity reflects their community mindfulness and the trust they have in the vitality and strength of Sentry, which they’ve helped build and maintain year after year. But they don’t just donate their dollars. They give of their time and talents, too.”
Through conversations with community leaders, Sentry identifies areas of need that it can help address. Its giving and community partnerships are focused on education, workforce development, United Way, building more equitable communities, and the Maui community that’s host to the PGA TOUR’s Sentry Tournament of Champions. The Sentry Insurance Foundation is on pace to give nearly $7 million this year to support nonprofits in its communities—$1 million specifically to support COVID-19 relief efforts.
Personalized approach to investing in our communities
Todd Schroeder, Sentry chief financial officer and president – Life & Annuities, accepted the Distinguished Performer Community award during a Deloitte virtual event on Monday, November 16.
“As a company, our approach is to provide personalized care, establishing business relationships built on communication and rapport. This has helped us become one of the nation’s largest and most financially secure mutual insurance companies,” he said. “We embrace our civic responsibility and use the same personalized approach when we invest in the communities where we live and work.”
Among its education and workforce development initiatives, the Sentry Insurance Foundation has given $15 million in technology grants to help public and private school districts in Stevens Point ensure students are “best in class” and prepared for the future. Sentry also provides $500,000 in college scholarship opportunities annually—largely to University of Wisconsin System students—and has established two information technology co-ops with students working alongside Sentry associates on real-world projects.
In 2019, the Sentry Foundation committed $2 million to endow the Sentry Deanship at the Medical College of Wisconsin–Central Wisconsin campus to expand training programs for medical students and help ensure everyone has access to quality healthcare providers.
Sentry also has given $4 million to the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point to develop a data analytics program to meet the needs of local employers from multiple industries and address a growing data analytics talent gap.
Sentry and the Wisconsin 75
Sentry previously ranked No. 13 on the Wisconsin 75 list. This is its first distinguished performer award.
“The Wisconsin 75 list recognizes the important role private companies play in the local economy,” said Scott Wrobbel, U.S. central region leader and Wisconsin managing partner of Deloitte LLP. “Comprised of some of the state’s most recognizable brands and exciting emerging companies, these organizations demonstrate incredible leadership and when called upon, adapt to help guide our state through various obstacles.”
About Deloitte’s 2020 Wisconsin 75
Deloitte’s annual Wisconsin 75 list salutes the largest privately held Wisconsin-based companies. These companies play a key role in the state’s economy. Wisconsin 75 award winners are selected based on annual sales revenue.
To be eligible for Deloitte’s Wisconsin 75 recognition, companies must have a majority ownership by an individual(s), family, employee stock ownership plan, or private equity firm. Public companies are eligible when greater than 50 percent of the value or vote of the shares are owned by individuals, family, an employee stock ownership plan, or private equity. Additionally, companies must have annual sales revenue of at least USD 50,000. The Wisconsin 75 excludes cooperatives and accounting, tax, legal, and consulting service companies.
About Deloitte
Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the U.S. member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the “Deloitte” name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.
About the Sentry Insurance Foundation
The Sentry Insurance Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sentry. Funding priorities include education support, workforce development, United Way, and local organizations that work to improve and enhance the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.
For more information, please contact:
Carolyn Schamberger
Cell: 715-315-9929
carolyn.schamberger@sentry.com
Rick LaFrombois
Cell: 715-581-9396
rick.lafrombois@sentry.com
