Cheri Koch Gengler
Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce
(612) 370-9160 (612) 370-9100
Susan Scofield
Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce
(612) 370-9170 (612) 370-9100
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Minnesota Keystone Names 2012 Honored Companies
KTTC Television Inc., Coughlan Companies Inc. and Wells Fargo recognized for community giving
Minneapolis, Minn. – Oct. X, 2012 –The Minnesota Keystone Program is pleased to announce KTTC Television Inc., Coughlan Companies Inc. and Wells Fargo as 2012 Keystone Honored Company award winners, recognized for their generous contributions and outstanding corporate giving programs.
Every year, one winner is selected from each of three categories based on business size.
This year’s award recipients were chosen from nearly 200 Minnesota Keystone member companies and will be honored at the annual Minnesota Keystone Awards Luncheon on December 12 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce administers Minnesota Keystone, which is open to companies that give at least 2 percent of their pre-tax earnings back to the community in any combination of volunteer time, in-kind donations or cash donations. The three Honored Company award winners stand out for their levels and methods of giving within the business community and serve as a model for others to follow.
KTTC Television
With fewer than 75 employees, KTTC Television of Rochester is the recipient of this year’s Small Business Award. KTTC has had a company giving plan since its first year of business in 1953 and became a Keystone member in 1995. Its giving practices include everything from organizing toy drives and performing emergency fund-raising efforts to producing PSAs and volunteering with over 50 different nonprofit organizations.
KTTC is also home to the longest-running entirely locally produced telethon in the entire country. The annual 20-hour Eagles Cancer Telethon began 58 years ago and continues to air each January. The most recent telethon raised a record amount: $830,177.
KTCC personalities and off-camera employees alike are committed to being involved within the community. “This is why we’re here,” regional vice president and KTTC General Manager Jerry Watson said. “We are the community television station for several Minnesota cities. Giving back to the communities we serve is the mindset of our company.”
Coughlan Companies
Coughlan Companies, a Keystone member since 2004, is the 2012 winner in the medium-sized company category (76-499 employees). Coughlan Companies is based in North Mankato and is the holding company for Capstone, Mankato-Kasota Stone Inc. and Jordan Sands, LLC. Because Capstone is a leading publisher of children’s books, one of Coughlan Companies’s main focuses is supporting literacy programs. As a 15-year sponsor of the United Way Books for Kids program, Coughlan Companies donates approximately 60,000 books each year. Its giving efforts also spread internationally;
This year, the company launched the Capstone Literacy Center as a summer pilot program. The project, dedicated to boosting the reading skills of struggling students in grades one through 12, is led by Dr. Andrew Johnson, professor of Literacy Instruction in the Department of Special Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Bob Coughlan, co-owner and principal of Coughlan Companies, is excited about the guidance of Dr. Johnson and hopes to grow this initiative in the years to come.
Wells Fargo
With more than 500 full-time employees, Wells Fargo is Minnesota Keystone’s Honored Company in the large business category. Wells Fargo was a founding member of the Minnesota Keystone Program in 1976 and focuses on maintaining long-term commitments to the organizations it supports. For example, the company has partnered with Minneapolis Public Schools Adult Education for over 40 years and continues to maintain a strong interest in providing adult and GED education at its bank in north Minneapolis.
An integral aspect of the Wells Fargo team member culture is volunteering. Wells Fargo supports volunteer efforts by encouraging all employees to use up to 16 hours of paid time off to volunteer each year. Moreover, the Volunteer Leave program allows team members to work on volunteer projects of their choice for up to four months with full pay and benefits. In the past five years, 21 Minnesota team members have been awarded this paid time off to engage in a project of significant impact. Other team member volunteer projects have ranged from coordinating efforts to help those suffering during the famine in Somalia to promoting team member presence in the Minnesota Heart Association’
Wells Fargo was recently named the fourth-largest corporate cash donor of 2011 by The Chronicle of Philanthropy. John Stumpf, Wells Fargo chairman, president and CEO, recognizes that the impact of its efforts comes down to its employees. “New houses are built, kids learn about managing money, struggling organizations get the support they need – all because thousands of team members combine forces,” he said.
Minnesota Keystone Program
The Minnesota Keystone Program promotes, supports and recognizes the contributions Minnesota companies make each year to their communities. Since its inception in 1976, the program has worked to recognize companies that enhance the quality of life in Minnesota by giving back at least 2 percent of pre-tax net earnings. Qualifying contributions include cash, in-kind donations, employee volunteerism and giving programs. The Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce administers the program.
BlueCross and BlueShield of Minnesota, The Minneapolis/
