Sparks Insurance, Inc.

Archive for July, 2010

 One of the owners of Sparks Insurance is senior volunteer member on the National Board of Directors of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. and is very pleased to post this news release from Ducks Unlimited Inc. 

Interior Secretary Unveils Special Edition Duck Stamp Cachet

at Ducks Unlimited National Headquarters

 MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 27, 2010 – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar unveiled a special edition Federal Duck Stamp cachet during a press conference held at Ducks Unlimited national headquarters here today. Proceeds from the voluntary purchase of the cachet will be used to acquire wetlands for inclusion in national wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast.

“Today, the wildlife of the Gulf Coast faces new threats – from the current oil spill to disappearing wetlands – that we must rise to confront,” Secretary Salazar said. “This special edition duck stamp cachet will provide hunters and other conservationists the opportunity to once again go beyond the call of duty by conserving disappearing wetlands for generations to come.” 

 “This new collectible cachet will help raise badly needed funds for our tremendously important national wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast,” Dale Hall, DU CEO, said. “I urge all DU supporters to purchase one to help restore habitat in those refuges.”

 Among the nearly 100 persons attending the press conference today were Rowan Gould, acting director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Evan Hirsche, executive director of the National Wildlife Refuge Association; Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops and members of the DU board of directors. A representative of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN) was also in attendance.

 “As conservation leaders, we know there is a real sense of urgency in our efforts to restore the treasured wetlands of the Gulf Coast,” Hall said. “As each day passes, an average of 50 acres of coastal wetlands are lost in Louisiana alone ─ and with those acres, another piece of the Gulf Coast’s heritage is lost and another piece of its future slips away. Working together, we must strive to restore these magnificent wetlands so future generations will be able to enjoy their rich bounty of fish and wildlife.”

 The cachet features a silk rendering of an award-winning photograph of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast of Florida by David Moynahan, as well as the 2010-2011 Federal Duck Stamp, which depicts an American wigeon painted by artist Robert Bealle of Waldorf, Md.

Starting today, the cachet may be purchased nationwide for $25 ─ which includes the 2010-2011 Federal Duck Stamp ─ at post offices and Bass Prop Shops stores or by dialing 1-800-852-4897. Bass Pro is underwriting the first edition of the cachet and will market it in its retail stores across the United States and Canada.

 Morris thanked those who have dedicated their lives, talents and energies to ensure healthy fish and wildlife habitat for future generations. “We are blessed to live in America where we have the finest conservation model in the world,” he said.

 Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

 Tony Dolle                   901.758.3937             tdolle@ducks.org

  Lauren Oxner             901758.3851             loxner@ducks.org

ERIE Agency Principals

From:  Lorianne Feltz-Upperman, Senior Vice President, Marketing

Re:      Promotion of J.D. Power and Associates Award

Congratulations are in order as we celebrate ERIE’s receipt of the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates award for “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Shopping Experience, Three Years in a Row.”  This recognition is clearly a reflection of the unmatched value provided by an independent ERIE Agent

Date:   July 16, 2010

To:       ERIE Employees and Agents

From:  Terry Cavanaugh

President & CEO

Re:      ERIE Named In 2010 Ward’s 50 Top Performing Insurance Companies

I’m pleased to announce that ERIE has been named to the 2010 Ward’s 50 top performing insurance companies.  Ward Group is a leading provider of benchmarking and best practices services for the insurance industry. This is the third consecutive year that ERIE has been named to the Ward’s 50.

Each year, The Ward Group analyzes the financial performance of more than 3,000 U.S.-based property-casualty insurances and identifies the top performers.  According to the Ward Group, the 50 best companies excel at balancing financial safety, consistency and performance over a five-year period.

The recognition is significant third-party acknowledgement of ERIE’s consistent focus on managing costs and efficient day to day operations.  The Ward’s 50 designation identifies ERIE as a financially strong company with the ability to grow while maintaining strong capital positions and underwriting results.  To achieve this growth, we will continue to enhance the way we manage our relationship with our strong agency producers.

Thank you for your contributions to this achievement and keep up the good work.  By remaining committed to our Above All in SERVICE philosophy we achieve preeminence in execution and operating results.

Terrence W. Cavanaugh / President & CEO / 814.870.2270