About Us > Press Releases

COMMUNITY SERVICE

GUARD Supports United Way with $92,919 Donation (2012)
GUARD Insurance Group held another successful United Way campaign. The employees’ goal was to raise at least $50,000 to aid specific programs at member agencies – a target exceeded by almost $12,000. Overall, 75% of GUARD’s staff of 274 participated and raised $61,946 (including 66 Leadership Givers who contributed at least $500). Combined with GUARD’s corporate match of $30,973, the total donation to the United Way was $92,919.  (Times Leader news story)

GUARD Aids Victims of Earthquake (2010)
As a local corporate donor, Guard Insurance Group gave $27,678 to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund in February to help Haitians recover from the disaster.  The donation was the largest from any Northeastern Pennsylvania company to the nonprofit's Haiti fund, according to Wyoming Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross Executive Director Ed Winters.  (insurancenewsnet.com news story)

Working to Volunteer for Society (2008)
GUARD's employees are allowed to volunteer work time with nonprofit agencies. “For us it’s part of our fabric,” said Carl Witkowski, the Chief Administrative Officer at GUARD Insurance Group. “Volunteerism is investing in your human capital, which is a company’s most valuable asset. At the same time, it strengthens the community.” (Times Leader news story)

Hurricane Katrina Relief (2005)
"Always a great corporate citizen," GUARD Insurance Group increased its Matching Gifts Program (where employees' donation dollars are matched 1:1 by the company) to 3:1 for Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts.  Within three days, $35,000 was raised. (WBRE interview)
 

CULTURE

GUARD Lot an Example of What Pride Can Accomplish (2007)
"'They paved paradise and put up a parking lot,' Joni Mitchell famously noted in 1969’s 'Big Yellow Taxi.' That’s usually the way it works . . . .  This makes what GUARD Insurance Group has done with its parking lot on Market Street in Wilkes-Barre all the more remarkable . . . .  Take a stroll . . . and you’ll see what pride of ownership, a sense of civic responsibility and love of perfectly maintained plants has achieved." (Times Leader editorial)

GUARD Receives Healthy Workplace Award (2006)
GUARD Insurance Group’s health care initiative, WellGUARD, was recently recognized by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. The award recognized the numerous health-conscious programs GUARD has put into place since launching WellGUARD in January of 2006. More than 91 percent of the organization’s employees participate and enjoy better health due to weight loss, smoking cessation, increased physical activity, enhanced education, and better nutrition. (press release)

GUARD is Ranked #2 Best Place to Work in PA (2001)
"We believe employees will do their best work in an environment that is conducive to their creativity," said Robert Thomas, Communications Director for GUARD.  "Challenging jobs are the most interesting.  We've learned to take a chance on people, asking them to assume projects that extend their reach.  GUARD is still small enough that individual efforts have a large impact on our success." (Central PA Business Journal supplement; Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry press release)
 

BUSINESS

GUARD Names New President and Chief Operating Officer (2010);
Other Important Staff Appointments
Sy Foguel, GUARD's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) since 2007, assumed the additional role of President, and former Chief Administrative Officer Carl Witkowski was promoted to Chief Operating Officer.  During Foguel's three-year tenure as CEO, he has helped the company achieve record profits and growth while creating a new vision for GUARD's future through expansion into other lines of business insurance to complement a long-time specialty in Workers’ Compensation coverage.  In Witkowski’s role, he ensures GUARD has the infrastructure and processes needed to support strategic plans while concurrently achieving optimum effectiveness.  (Forbes news story)  As a result of expansion, a number of other important staff appointments have been made.  Read our press releases to learn more. (Regional Sales Director Steve Keshishian Appointment, Insurance Journal news story; Senior Field Representative Melisa Davis Harris Appointed, press release; Senior Field Representative Ken Clarkson Appointed, press release; Senior Field Representative Dorian Vaughan Appointed, TN Insuror news story; Senior Field Representative Jim Lewis Appointment, Illinois Insight news story; Appointments to Vice President of Property and Casualty and Vice President of Regional Sales, Insurance Journal news story)

GUARD Expands into New States
GUARD Insurance Group has added additional states to the Workers' Compensation operating area.  Read our press releases to learn more. (NV press release; KY press release; AZ press release; MS press release; TX press release; WV press release)  The full complement of products under the name of BizGUARD Plus – including BOP, Commercial Auto, and Umbrella – continue to be systematically introduced in select states.  Read our press releases to learn more. (TN press release; VA press release; NC press release; GA press release; MA press release) 

GUARD Insurance Group Recognized Among Model Carriers (2007)
Selected by Celent, Inc., an international strategy consultancy, to be included as a case study in their Model Carrier Report in January of 2007, as a part of their mission to help leading financial institutions sustain a competitive advantage.   GUARD’s Agency Service Center (ASC) was recognized for providing insurance agents and brokers with a secure, web-based means of managing their business with the company on-line. (press release)

GUARD Among Industry Technology Award Finalists (2004)
GUARD Insurance Group was recognized as a finalist for the 2004 A.M. Best E-Fusion Awards, a national program highlighting innovative uses of technology to address insurance business challenges. Susan W. Shoval, CPCU, President of GUARD Insurance Group, said, “Our E-Fusion achievement also recognizes that a northeastern Pennsylvania-based company can produce world-class technology that competes against large, national organizations. The list of E-Fusion competitors was a who’s who of our industry.”  (press release)