United Way Honors Area Businesses at Annual Campaign Celebration

Today, United Way of Greenville County held its annual Campaign Awards Celebration to recognize companies and organizations throughout Greenville County that conducted outstanding United Way workplace campaigns in 2007. Campaign Chairman Bill Engle, Plant Manager of Baldor Dodge – Gear Plant, addressed more than 1,100 campaign volunteers and supporters who attended the event.

“Today, we celebrate this community’s accomplishments and we recognize the award-winning employee campaigns that you made possible,” said Engle. “The outstanding efforts of campaign coordinators, the support and encouragement of CEO’s, and the generosity of each donor helped to raise $14,507,672. We can truly be proud of this accomplishment.”

A few campaign highlights:

More than 40,000 people in our community contributed to United Way this year.
768 companies and organizations ran successful employee campaigns.
3,443 people participated as Palmetto Society level donors, pledging $1,000 or more. These leadership gifts comprised 42% of the total campaign.
$148,201 was generated from 17 companies that ran workplace campaigns for the first time.
320 companies contributed a corporate gift.

The organizations honored at the celebration were recognized in four categories.

The Campaign Award of Excellence was presented to 398 companies and organizations. Honorees have met two or more of the following award criteria: 10 percent increase in employee giving; $100 or more employee per capita; 50 percent or more employee participation; one or more Palmetto Society members; and 50 percent of the contributors give at the Fair Share Level (1% or more of annual salary).
The Chairman's Award was presented to 133 companies and organizations. Honorees have met four of the award criteria listed above.
The Campaign Award of Advancement was presented to 140 companies and organizations that achieved a 25 percent increase in employee giving and 28 companies and organizations that achieved a 25 percent increase in employee participation.
The Campaign Premier Award was presented to 17 companies and organizations that completed a workplace campaign for the first time.
“#1 Awards” were also presented to six companies, whose outstanding support of the United Way placed them first in total employee contributions.

2 to 24 Employees: Wachovia Insurance Services
25 to 99 Employees: Wyche, Burgess, Freeman & Parham, P.A.
100-199 Employees: Canal Insurance Company
200-499 Employees: Carolina First Bank
500-1,000 Employees: Baldor Dodge Reliance

Michelin North America was recognized with a special #1 award for its outstanding employee campaign, which was the largest workplace campaign in Greenville County. Michelin employees contributed $783,285.

Fluor Corporation also received a special #1 award. When employee contributions of $657,960 were combined with a corporate gift of $328,276, Fluor Corporation contributed $986,236, making it the largest overall United Way campaign in Greenville County.

“United Way’s responsibility and commitment is to make sure all contributions are effectively utilized, Engle said. “Hundreds of dedicated United Way volunteers have been working together to invest the dollars from this year’s campaign into 95 local agency programs that are working to achieve measurable results in the areas that our community has said are most important. Additionally, dollars are being invested in innovative partnerships to impact current and emerging community issues and leverage additional community resources (see examples attached).”

“The success of this year’s campaign is a reflection of our community’s belief that focusing on measurable outcomes to maximize impact is the right path to follow to build a better community,” Engle said. On behalf of United Way volunteers, the community partner agencies whose programs receive United Way funding, and the thousands of individuals and families who benefit from our community’s caring and generosity, thank you.”