Team Safelite to Compete in London Triathlon
Columbus, Ohio - Twenty Safelite AutoGlass® employees will travel to England this week to compete alongside 900 Belron® colleagues from other countries in the London Triathlon. The event, hosted by Belron®, Safelite's parent company, raises money for Ma'Afrika Tikkun, an organization benefiting children and orphans in South Africa.
The Safelite AutoGlass® competitors are:
- Jenny Kipker, treasury analyst, Hilliard, Ohio
- Betsy Blake, director of purchasing, North America, Lewis Center, Ohio
- Mike Hooper, area sales manager, Pleasant Hill, Mo.
- Paul Koehler, IT director, Dublin, Ohio
- Pete Pearson, senior vice president of strategic client sales/support, North Salt Lake, Utah
- Joseph Grubb, mobile pro specialist, White House, Tenn.
- John Blystone, vice president, client sales/support, Redmond, Wash.
- Kate Buckler, administrative assistant, Columbus, Ohio
- Donna Gibson, senior compensation and benefits manager, Granville, Ohio
- Jolee Nowers, area sales manager, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Kathy Domer, IT manager, Columbus, Ohio
- Dan Pray, general manager, Miami, Fla.
- Matt Johnson, media director, Columbus, Ohio
- Matt Weger, IT director, Westerville, Ohio
- Jonathan Knight, technician, Superior, Colo.
- Brent Fiegel, warehouse lead, Buffalo, Iowa
- Greg Baker, area sales manager, Noblesville, Ind.
- Brandon Rene, technician, Woods Cross, Utah
- Rich Harrison, senior vice president and chief operations officer, Columbus, Ohio
- Brian DiMasi, senior corporate counsel, Dublin, Ohio
The twenty participants were selected for the all-expense paid trip based on their performance in the inaugural Safelite® Triathlon and Poker run in Las Vegas. The April event featured more than 150 participants who raised $165,000 for Ma'Afika Tikkun.
In 2009, more than 600 Belron® employees from around the world took part in the London Triathlon and raised $110,000 for Ma'Afrika Tikkun. Belron® has been involved in the triathlon for eight years and this is the forth year that Safelite AutoGlass® has participated.
The Safelite® athletes will present a check to Ma'Afrika Tikkun upon completion of the event for $225,000 which includes sponsorship money collected by the athletes themselves. The remainder of the donation is made up of contributions by company leaders and a corporate gift.
"We're thrilled to once again be represented in the London Triathlon. Not only are the individuals of Team Safelite® outstanding athletes, they are excellent philanthropists. They've trained and worked very hard to prepare themselves to perform well in this event—all for the benefit of others," said Tom Feeney, president and chief executive officer of Safelite® Group. "The London Triathlon is a wonderful opportunity to meet other members of the Belron® family from around the globe and demonstrate Safelite's commitment to be responsible members of the global community."
Thousands of athletes are expected to compete in the Triathlon August 7-8 in London. For more information about the London Triathlon, visit livetotri.co.uk/london-triathlon/. For more about for Ma'Afrika Tikkun, visit www.afrikatikkun.org.
About Safelite AutoGlass®
Safelite AutoGlass®, founded in 1947, is the nation's leading provider of vehicle glass repair and replacement services, providing mobile service to more than 95 percent of the U.S. population in all 50 states. The Columbus, Ohio-based company employs 10,000 people across the United States and serves more than 3.8 million customers each year through its company-owned operations.