IBEW Local 1701 Wins President's Award from United Way

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Hargis wins Gordon B. Tittle Award
By VICTORIA MARTY, Gleaner staff831-8341 * vmarty@thegleaner.com
January 23, 2004

A "man of wisdom who is truly a doer and has rendered a great service to his community" received this year's Gordon B. Tittle Award for longtime service and dedication to the United Way and the organizations it serves.

"There are 44,995 people in Henderson County, and I know that 44,994 people deserve this honor as much or more than I do," said property valuation administrator Steve Hargis, who has also been active in the Salvation Army and Habitat for Humanity and is on the board of directors at Methodist Hospital. "The United Way makes us all better."

Hargis was presented the award by Ron Chapman, a former recipient of the Tittle award who knew the award's namesake personally. Tittle was a former United Way campaign chair who died of cancer.

For all Hargis' humility, United Way chairman Doug Bell was not sheepish about the amount of money the United Way raised during the 2003 campaign year. That amount -- $850,000 -- was $11,586 more than the campaign goal of $838,414.

"I was able to work with a lot of great individuals and to meet a lot of wonderful" people this year, Bell said of his leadership role. "The dollars raised here stay here and directly impact people here. The work that we do truly does matter."

Particular employee groups and volunteers who contributed to the 2003 campaign year were also recognized for their efforts.

The President's Award was given to the employee group with the highest per capita giving based on the number of employees. For an employee group of 300 or more employees, the award was presented to Dana Corp. and USWA Local 9443 Unit 2. Western Kentucky Energy and the IBEW Local 1701 won the award for 100-299 employees, Fifth Third Bank for 25-99 employees and Independence Bank for less than 25 employees.

Community Spirit Awards were awarded to employee groups who have given at the level of $50 per capita or more for at least two consecutive years. This year's winners were Accuride, Adams Street Development Corp., Alcan Ingot and USWA Local 9443, Bell South and CWA Local 3314, Big Rivers Electric and IBEW Local 1701, Brenntag Mid-South, Cresline Plastic Pipe Company IAMAW Local 2186 District 153, Dana Corp. and USWA Local 9443 Unit 2, Fifth Third Bank, Henderson Community College, Henderson National Bank, Home Oil and Gas Co. Inc., Independence Bank, Involvement Inc., KB Alloys, Kenergy, Ohio Valley Insurance Services, Ohio Valley National Bank, Old National Bank, Palmer Oil Inc., St. Anthony's Hospice, The Gleaner, Volunteer and Information Center, Western Kentucky Energy and Zachry.

Campaign Chairman's Awards were given to employee groups for overall achievement and impact on the current campaign. This year's recipients were Alcan Aluminum, Methodist Hospital and Tyson Foods.

Bell said that Alcan has been a very key part of every campaign success. Methodist Hospital is also "truly special and often overlooked (because) they are themselves a non-profit that raises that much money."

"Tyson Foods really made a big contribution this year," Bell said, adding that Ralph Guizar of Tyson translated the United Way brochures and pledge cards for Hispanic workers at that industry. "They really went above the call of duty."

The United Way's Allocations Steering Committee volunteers were recognized for helping to decide where funds contributed to the agency are most needed. Those volunteers were Chairman Jim Davis; co-chairs Cathy Hunt and Kay Bryant (Children and Youth); Dave Brauer and Ray Horton (Increasing Self-Sufficiency); Robin Bailey and David Campbell (Strengthening Families); and Ken Jones and Pam Bridgeman (Supporting Older People).

The 2003 campaign volunteers were also recognized. They were campaign chairman Doug Bell; business and industry co-chairs Bob Cummins and Dave Phillips; leadership giving co-chairs Keith Utley and Mike Core; pacesetter chair Jennifer Headdy; commercial co-chairs Kennan Fritz and Angie Lilly; public service co-chairs Miles Hart and Nikki Butler; professional co-chairs John Thomason and Anita Watkins; and special gifts co-chairs Tony Krampe and Taylor DeCorrevant.

Leadership givers were James Jobe, Phyllis McElwain, William O'Nan and Lawrence Suess.

The 2004 United Way campaign chairman will be Bob Cummins. Volunteer leaders will be President Deborah Dewey, President-Elect Tom Davis, Vice-President Dawn Kelsey and Treasurer Gene Melton.

The winner of the raffle for the 1.5 carat diamond ring was Joseph B. Roberts of Henderson County.