Heffernan Foundation Announces Garee Lee Smith Scholarship Award Recipients

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., July 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Heffernan Foundation, the nonprofit foundation established by Heffernan Insurance Brokers, is pleased to announce the Garee Lee Smith Scholarship Award recipients for 2011.  This year's winners are Claudia Chavez, April Klassen, Dave Navarra, Masha Sokolov and Alexandra Stegemiller.

Created in 2006 to honor Smith, one of Heffernan's first employees who was instrumental in creating the company's family-friendly culture, the scholarship awards recipients with up to $5000 for educational expenses such as tuition and books.  A dinner for the Award recipients and their guests will be held on August 11 in Walnut Creek.  

Michelle Lonaker, Director of Corporate Philanthropy for Heffernan, said, "Garee Lee Smith was an amazing woman who embodied our company's spirit of giving.  We created this scholarship to honor her memory and to acknowledge the great impact she had on those she touched during her lifetime.  Congratulations to the 2011 scholarship recipients."

Heffernan Foundation's mission is to serve nonprofits that provide direct support and services to local communities in the areas of shelter, food, education and the preservation of the environment.  For more information, visit www.heffernanfoundation.com.

Heffernan Insurance Brokers offers a full line of property, liability, group medical insurance, personal insurance and financial services.  The company provides insurance products and services to individuals, as well as to a diverse group of companies within a variety of industries including construction, manufacturing, wine, property owners, nonprofits, and technology.

About Heffernan Insurance Brokers 

Heffernan Insurance Brokers, formed in 1988, is one of the largest independent insurance brokerage firms in the United States. Heffernan provides comprehensive insurance and financial services products to a wide range of businesses and individuals. Headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., Heffernan has offices in San Francisco, Petaluma, Palo Alto, Los Angeles and Orange, Calif.; Portland, OR; St. Louis, MO and New York, NY.

Heffernan Insurance Brokers was named the Top Mid-Sized Broker in the United States to Work for in 2009 by Business Insurance Magazine. The firm has been among the Top Greater Bay Area Philanthropists since 2003 by donating more than $2.5 million to local charities.  Each of the firm's 420 employees is granted up to four paid days off per year to volunteer their time at a local nonprofit. The Heffernan Group provides a Workplace Wellness program for all employees and many participate in active volunteering events such as the Avon Breast Cancer Walk and Best Buddies Hearst Castle Challenge bike ride.

For more information, please visit www.heffins.com or call 800.234.6787. License # 0564249.

SOURCE Heffernan Insurance Brokers