A message of hope and gratitude to State National’s steadfast employees and clients who share common values of doing good work and helping others.
Acknowledge the Challenges, but Remain Encouraged. A Seasonal Message of Gratitude From State National's President and CEO, Matt Freeman
We all know that the holiday season lends itself to feelings of joy and anticipation and thoughts of togetherness. For many this year, those thoughts and feelings will be competing with a sense of anxiety and sorrow and a fear of the unknown. It’s important that we acknowledge the challenges we have experienced throughout the year and will continue to face through the coming months, yet also remain encouraged and hopeful about the pending developments that are anticipated to meaningfully shift the trajectory of the pandemic for the better in 2021.
While I’m quite optimistic about the future, the current and ongoing strain is not lost on me as I struggle with how to best lead a company whose success dictates the livelihood of so many while balancing how to keep our State National family and clients safe and healthy. One theme in particular resonates with me as together we navigate these uncharted waters in search of our collective personal and professional success: gratitude.
Above all, our employees’ resilience and adaptability this year in particular have allowed us to create and maintain an admirable level of stability in the face of these unique circumstances. By enabling and empowering one another, State National continues to effectively serve our clients despite the many restrictions and impediments we have encountered this year. We are all part of an extraordinary team and I am grateful to each and every one of our State National teammates for their dedication to the company, our customers, and one another.
Our success is also due in large part to our clients and their many years of patronage and service. Through our partnerships, we continue to succeed and surpass our expectations even during these unprecedented times. Many thanks to all of our partners for their unceasing commitment and trust in State National.
While juggling the intricacies of the business, the unanticipated but necessary changes, and the health of our employees, it would be understandable that our commitments to our local communities would take a back seat. It could be expected that our drive to help others may shift to immediate family and friends given the current climate. Nonetheless, our employees showed up in a very big way, determined to volunteer their efforts regardless of personal challenges that may hit closer to home.
``The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.``
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In an effort to support our local communities, our SNCares program provides frequent opportunities for our employees to give back through financial contributions and personal engagement. In spite of the pandemic, we were able to participate and accomplish much: our “Winter Clothing Drive” benefiting the Union Gospel Mission; our “Bake Sale” donation of $2,500 benefitting the American Heart Association; and our “Operation Back 2 School” event donating $1,400 in backpacks and school supplies to our local schools.
Additionally, in an effort to more directly help those most impacted by the pandemic, we partnered with the Tarrant Area Food Bank to support those in our community who are food insecure. Our team once again stepped up, driving contributions of over $65,000 to the worthy cause. Throughout this crisis, State National has also endeavored to do our part in protecting our local communities through blood drives and our SN “Stay Healthy Day,” which ensured access to seasonal flu vaccinations for all employees.
With much humility and admiration, I want to thank each and every one of our employees for remaining steadfast and acting as an ambassador of State National in both their work lives and in their communities. We are also fortunate to do business with so many other companies who share these values and are out in the world doing good works of their own and helping others affected by the events of this year. During times like these, we yearn to be inspired through acts of kindness and service and you have all proven to do just that.
