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This year’s Veterans Day marks 100 years of our Nation officially honoring those who served to defend our country. We’re also recognizing Veterans and Military Families Month because service extends beyond those who wore a uniform. From all of us at Comcast NBCUniversal, we want to thank and honor all of you for living a life of service.

As a leader in media and technology, Comcast NBCUniversal is looking to the future in how we engage with and serve the military community. In 2019, we focused on three core areas – connectivity, advocacy, and special offers.

Connectivity

Last year, we announced a major expansion of our Internet Essentials program to include more than one million low-income veterans who live in our service area. Internet Essentials is the nation’s largest, most comprehensive, and most successful effort to close the digital divide for low-income households.

To build on our efforts to help connect veterans to vital online resources, in 2019 we opened two more Internet Essentials “Digital Rally Points,” or computer labs, in Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. This brings the total number of computer labs to more than a dozen with more scheduled to open next year. These Digital Rally Points have been strategically located at local, veteran-serving organizations. At each one, veterans can use computers and participate in free Internet training programs to learn skills like how to search and apply for jobs, take online classes that will make them more employable, and take full advantage of their well-deserved veteran benefits.

Advocacy

We continue to advocate for the military community in a variety of ways:

• We remain committed to our goal to hire 21,000 veterans, military spouses, and National Guard and Reserve members between 2015 and 2021.
• We continuously evaluate what we’re doing to support our employees. This video spotlights Tom Baker, from our Houston team. He’s a reminder of the talent, dedication, and passion our military community employees give to our company.

• The Philadelphia Flyers, which is owned by Comcast, wanted a way for our local veterans to engage in the game they love. This year, the Flyers, in partnership with the NHL, funded the creation of the Philadelphia Flyers Warriors hockey team, which is made up exclusively of veterans. The team even went on to win the 2019 USA Hockey Warrior Classic tournament!
• We expanded our partnerships to empower employers to engage with the military community. In partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management Foundation, the Veterans at Work Certificate was released.
• We assisted in expanding the PsychArmor Institute’s Courses for Employers Who Invest In Military Talent. These free, online courses deliver knowledge and tools to assist organizations in creating an inclusive and supportive environment for military and veteran employees.
• Lastly, we deepened our relationship with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and participated in the Hidden Heroes mission of raising awareness and support for military caregivers, including employment initiatives.

Special Offers

2019 was the first full year that veterans and actively serving military customers could receive our special Military Appreciation offer. When these customers sign up for any Xfinity service including: Xfinity Internet, Xfinity TV, Xfinity Home, Xfinity Voice, or Xfinity Mobile, and verify their military status, they’ll receive a $25 Xfinity coupon and if on a term agreement may be eligible to receive a $100 Visa® prepaid card. The offer is also available for existing customers. In addition, our Universal Theme Parks continue to offer special packages to military community members. Their service matters, and this is one way for us to say thank you.

Our motivation is the belief that Service Matters – Service to Country, Service to Customers, Service to Communities. As Veterans Day approaches, we invite you to join Comcast NBCUniversal in paying tribute to those who committed themselves to a life of service.

https://corporate.comcast.com/stories/comcast-nbcuniversals-enduring-service-to-the-veteran-military-community?utm_source=Inf_CorpComms&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=VeteransDay2019_GeneralWaveII

Earlier this month, José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen reached over one million meals served in the Bahamas, where WCK team members and volunteers mobilized to provide food and water in the wake of Hurricane Dorian. Now, there’s another Chef Relief Team active in California as multiple wildfires burn—the Kincade, Tick, and Getty fires.

The first fire, the Kincade Fire, broke out in Sonoma County on October 23, and The Washington Post reports that as of Sunday night, over 66,200 acres had burned and the fire was only five percent contained.

Nearly 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate, the largest number on record for Sonoma County. But World Central Kitchen was prepared.

Andrés tweeted on October 24 that World Central Kitchen was already stationed in Sonoma County to provide relief for those affected by the fire, and they’ve been on the ground since serving meals to residents and first responders.

Team members had hot chili ready for firefighters who were battling the blaze in 24-hour shifts on October 25; chef Jason Collis of WCK logged on October 25 and 26 to give updates about the fire from Geyserville and Santa Rosa.

Chef and cookbook author Tyler Florence also joined the efforts—on October 27, he provided a video update from the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, where “just under 1,000 people” were at the shelter. He was cooking a pot of Thai green curry filled with vegetables and chicken, which was served over rice for lunch. (A vegetarian option was available as well.) Later that day, he tweeted from his own account that World Central Kitchen had served just under 6,000 meals at the fairgrounds.

n response to the Tick Fire in Santa Clarita, which started on October 24, World Central Kitchen tweeted on October 26 that they were providing fresh meals for residents at Red Cross shelters—The Los Angeles Times reported Monday morning that the fire was 78 percent contained, and over 4,600 acres had burned.

The Getty Fire is the latest to break out, starting as a brush fire in Los Angeles near the Getty Center around 1:30 am Monday morning. World Central Kitchen hasn’t provided any on-the-scenes coverage or updates from the fire yet, but the account retweeted a map of evacuation orders from Los Angeles County.

f you’d like to help with the relief efforts, there are a few different options. Florence tweeted that interested volunteers could DM him—kitchen experience is preferable, but “if you have a strong back and can handle a knife, we’ll take you,” he wrote.

You can also sign up to volunteer in Northern California, although World Central Kitchen noted that “the situation is rapidly changing” via Twitter, and donations can be given through World Central Kitchen’s site.

https://www.foodandwine.com/news/world-central-kitchen-tyler-florence-wildfires-california

Benefits advising is typically a highly competitive industry. But now Arrow Benefits Group is breaking the mold, where Principal Andrew McNeil and Spanish Language Division (Alianza) lead Rosario Avila have teamed up to form The Power of Two, an unprecedented collaboration that has garnered them the prestigious award “2019 Benefits Advisers of the Year” by Employee Benefits Adviser (EBA), the first time this award has been granted jointly. This unique partnership of benefits advisers serves their clients by focusing on being proactive rather than reactive, and this unique perspective is generating results. Arrow customers are already seeing the benefits of this kind of joint-venture “Andrew and Rosario worked with me on a partnership to bring CPR classes to the Spanish-speaking community. They bring varying important perspectives to the table and then work collaboratively to find the best solution. Their differences complement each other and they bring thoughtful, comprehensive solutions to every situation. Working together, they truly demonstrate that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Lori Zaret SPHR, SVP Human Resources, Exchange Bank. To book time with this dynamic duo or for more information call: 707-992-3789 or email andrewm@arrowbenefitsgroup.com.

After discussions about the broad and diverse range of needs of their clients, McNeil and Avila recognized that often just one high-level representative who may specialize in a particular area can’t always fulfill the client’s needs alone. They saw an opportunity among their wide breadth of skills and experience as a duo. Joining together with a partner in the industry who approaches a situation differently enables both to serve clients on a much broader scale. “The Power of Two is a way to make each other better, both client and agent,” notes Avila. “They can finish each other’s thoughts; they’re so in sync with one another. But they’re also really different and really complementary,” says Lori Zaret of Exchange Bank. “When we’re jiving on each other’s vibe, the chemistry is really hard to duplicate,” McNeil said. To read more about why McNeil and Avila were selected for the 2019 Benefits Adviser of the Year award, go to: https://www.employeebenefitadviser.com/news/employee-benefit-adviser-names-2019-advisers-of-the-year

Continuing a tradition of industry innovation at Arrow, The Power of Two program has many objectives that buck the traditional approach to benefits advising. Benefits brokers typically meet with their clients once a year and do not necessarily have contact with their client’s employees. This has always been done differently at Arrow, and now The Power of Two project is a strategic plan to review each client throughout the year, as well as working directly with employees and their families to educate them on the benefits provided and to resolve benefits-related issues. This is not the industry norm. These dedicated relationships ensure that the benefits program is what the employer and employees want and need.

Employee benefits are often the second-highest line item in a company’s budget after payroll, and yet if employees do not understand their benefits package, they will not use them to their fullest potential. Underutilization of benefits results in an extreme waste of resources, and ultimately a less healthy workforce. McNeil and Avila’s dedication to benefits education also inspired them to create BenefitsTV, a series of videos posted to social media, after recognizing the lack of digital informational content accessible to lay people wanting to better understand their employee benefits.

About Arrow Benefits Group
Arrow Benefits Group, the third largest benefits firm in the North Bay, is a proud member of TRUE Network Advisors. Arrow Benefits Group is the single-source solution for managing the complexities of benefits with expert advice, customized programs, and personalized solutions. Arrow’s innovative programs control costs and give employees a greater sense of financial and emotional security. For straight answers to employee benefits call 707-992-3780 or visit https://www.arrowbenefitsgroup.com

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/arrow-benefits-group-launches-award-winning-joint-partnership-program-for-clients-1028624703

The award-winning Francis Ford Coppola Winery is now offering full-tuition scholarships for employees interested in pursuing their education at Sonoma State University. The first beneficiaries, dubbed the “Coppola Winery Scholars,” began their studies during the 2019 fall semester and are already working towards their degrees.

“We wanted to partner with a local university to cover employees’ college education. Naturally, we reached out to our contacts at the Wine Business Institute in the School of Business and Economics at Sonoma State University,” said Corey Beck, The Family Coppola CEO and Chief of Winemaking. “We knew about the Wine Industry Scholars Program and Rodney Strong Pathways Program that the Wine Business Institute had spearheaded and tapped their expertise to help us implement the idea.”

“We are very excited about this new partnership with the Francis Ford Coppola Winery,” said Sonoma State President Judy K. Sakaki. ” We are also pleased that employers and professionals in the region look to Sonoma State University as the destination for their education.”.

Coppola Winery Scholars include Catalina Gonzalez and Gia Gagliardino. Catalina, the Rustic: Francis’s Favorites restaurant pastry chef, has been with the Francis Ford Coppola Winery for five years and will study psychology. Gia is a food and beverage supervisor and has been with the company for nearly four years. Both recipients are expected to complete their degrees the spring of 2023.

“The program is benefiting me so much. I don’t have to stress myself out on how I’m going to pay for school, and that gives me more time and energy to prioritize my classes. My parents and my sister are my main motivation to pursue this degree,” Catalina says.

“The Family Coppola is a wonderful company in that they recognize how important employees are to the growth and success of the organization,” said Gia Gagliardino, who is currently a senior in Business Administration with a focus on marketing and wine studies. “Through this scholarship opportunity, I know my company believes in me and my future. It’s motivating.”

The Santa Rosa Metro Chamber’s Black Tie Gala on the Square

The Black Tie Gala on the Square is the Chamber’s most illustrious event of the year. It’s a celebration of you—our members—and your collective action to drive economic growth and shared prosperity in our region.

For one magical October evening, we’ll transform Courthouse Square into the swanky city center for an open-air cocktail hour and party in the pavilion featuring a five-star dinner, a limited live auction, and a short program recognizing outstanding contributions to our community.

As a business and civic leader, your participation in this exclusive event supports all Santa Rosa Metro Chamber initiatives—from advocacy, education, housing and workforce development programs to industry and small business development—and helps us create a vibrant community for our members, residents and visitors to Sonoma County.

https://www.santarosametrochamber.com/events/2019/10/19/chamber-events/black-tie-gala-on-the-square/