Kemmons Wilson, Cummins honored as top corporate 'neighbors'

Wayne Risher

Nov. 6, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Kemmons Wilson Cos. and Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) won high honors during the 23rd annual Corporate Neighbor Awards breakfast at Memphis Botanic Garden Thursday.

Corporate Neighbor of the Year awards went to Kemmons Wilson among small companies and Cummins Inc. in the large company category.

Other winners were Baker Donelson, Outstanding Project of the Year for its Barrister's Pancake Breakfast; Bill Stanfield of First Tennessee, Volunteer Leadership Award; and Larry Reid of AutoZone (NYSE:AZO) , Employee Spirit Award.

The breakfast drew 185 people for awards and a keynote speech by Sam Davidson, co-founder and president of Cool People Care Inc.

Kemmons Wilson supports employees to do 32 hours of community service a year and conducts lunch-and-learn programs to expose employees to area nonprofits.

Employees tutored students and helped agencies including AGAPE, Church Health Center, St. Jude Grizzlies House, Habitat for Humanity, Humane Society, American Cancer Society, JIFF (Juvenile Intervention and Faith-based Follow-up), Junior Achievement, Juvenile Diabetes and Ronald McDonald House. (NYSE:MCD)

Cummins channels voluntarism through employee-directed community involvement teams and encourages volunteering during business hours. Sixty-five percent of its employees are actively engaged in the community.

They help with tutoring at Treadwell and Hickory Ridge elementary schools and at Lester Community Center's after school; Habitat for Humanity; fund-raising for tuition for LeMoyne-Owen College students; Junior Achievement Bowl-A-Thon; MS Bike Ride; National Kidney Foundation; and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Employees participated in a Sickle Cell Walk-A-Thon and created a Top Chef competition benefitting Sickle Cell.

The Barrister's Pancake Breakfast sponsored by the law firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz raises money for the Komen foundation. The 10th annual event Oct. 9 raised $10,000.

Award judges said Stanfield, manager of video production at First Tennessee, inspires community involvement among his co-workers through the videos he makes, often on his own time.

AutoZone benefits administrator Larry Reid gives his time to mentor young people, charity bike rides, cleanup projects and blood drives. He teaches first aid, CPR and baby-sitting courses for the American Red Cross.

-- Wayne Risher: 529-2874

Corporate Neighbor nominees

Corporate Neighbor of the Year

Small companies: Kemmons Wilson Companies (winner); Entercom Radio Memphis; PAETEC; Paragon Bank; and Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) Global Financial Services.

Large companies: Cummins Inc. (winner); Baptist Memorial Health Care; BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee; Harrah's Entertainment; ServiceMaster; and Smith and Nephew (NYSE:SNN) Inc.

Outstanding Project of the Year

Baker Donelson for Barrister's Pancake Breakfast (winner); Baptist Memorial Health Care for Habitat build; Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) for Comcast Cares Day; Cummins for Memphis youth leadership program; Daniel Law Firm for Worry Free Summer Camp; First Tennessee for identity theft awareness; Hilton Worldwide for bench building project; Hilton Worldwide for Hobby Helpers for Porter Leath; Hilton Worldwide for healthy newborn baby kits; and Smith and Nephew for research and technology shop.

Volunteer Executive Leadership Award

Bill Stanfill, First Tennessee Bank (winner); Leo Bearman Jr., Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz; Beverly Jordan, Baptist Memorial Health Care; Jason Little, Baptist Memorial Health Care; and Waletha Wasson, University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Employee Spirit Award

Larry Reid, AutoZone (winner); Tyree Daniels, Morgan Keegan; J. Carolyn Graff, UT Health Science Center, UT Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities; Tiffany D. Gray, BlueCross BlueShield; Richard Mattern, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz; Frank Navarra, Smith and Nephew, Inc.; Dan Range, Conwood Co.; Madeline Phillips, Pfizer Global Financial Shared Services Americas; and Danielle Robidas, Hilton Worldwide.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0126-39512048