14th Annual IICF Midwest Gala Raises $770,000 for Local Nonprofit Partners

Kelley J. Kinsella of Chubb honored for philanthropic and industry leadership

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, May 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Midwest Division of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a unique nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities and enriching lives, raised $770,000 at its fourteenth annual IICF Midwest Gala in Chicago last week. This year’s event, debuting a new theme of Where Hope Grows, hosted 450 insurance professionals and nonprofit leaders for an evening celebrating the industry’s charitable impact, while raising funds for nonprofit organizations across the Midwest region.

As part of the celebration, Kelley J. Kinsella, Regional Executive Officer for Chubb’s Midwest Region, was recognized with the 2025 IICF Midwest Trailblazer Award for philanthropic and industry leadership. “I’m honored to receive this award from the IICF and my insurance colleagues, and thankful for the opportunities to serve our communities together, which is personally meaningful to so many of us,” said Kinsella. “The uniqueness of IICF is uniting the industry and extending the enriching philanthropic initiatives of our own companies, and together we’re making a positive and lasting impact.”

Proceeds from the IICF Midwest Gala 2025: Where Hope Grow benefit the IICF Midwest Community Grants Program, which supports regional charities focused on education, safety and health. IICF’s Midwest Division has granted more than $5.5 million to over 275 nonprofits since its inception in 2012.

Gala Chair Bob Eckart, EVP, Commercial Insurance Lader, and John Lewis, SVP, Unit Leader, representing IICF Heartland Chapter Board Company Lockton, were also recognized for their leadership and fundraising success of the 2025 Midwest Gala. Guests also heard from Cara Chicago, the featured nonprofit of the evening and an IICF Community Grant recipient. Since 1991, the mission of Cara Chicago has been to eradicate poverty and create hope, jobs and opportunity.

“We are privileged each year to host leaders of the Midwest insurance community in celebration of industry philanthropy and grateful for their tremendous generosity,” said Marcie Stephan, Chair of the IICF Midwest Division Board of Directors and Senior Vice President at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance. “Along with raising significant funding, which directly benefits our local nonprofit partners, the IICF Midwest Gala also offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and advance the impact the industry is making together, through IICF leadership, grants and volunteerism.”

Proceeds of the IICF Midwest Gala 2025 will fund IICF Community Grants awarded throughout the region. Previous IICF Midwest Community Grant recipients can be viewed here.

“Our new gala theme, Where Hope Grows, embodies our vision for brighter futures and opportunities for underserved communities in several Midwestern states,” said Kelly Hartweg, Executive Director of the IICF Midwest Division. “We were excited to grow our reach earlier this year by launching the IICF Minnesota Chapter and thrilled to welcome these new leaders at our annual gala.”

Communities throughout the Midwest are served by the IICF Midwest Division and Associate Boards based in the Chicago area as well the Ohio and Heartland (Kansas and Missouri) Chapters, along with the newly established IICF Minnesota Chapter, serving the Twin Cities area. The IICF Midwest is one of six divisions of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation, with four based in the US and two international divisions, based in the UK and Canada. The foundation has granted more than $50 million globally since its founding more than thirty years ago in 1994.

The IICF Midwest Gala 2025: Where Hope Grows was made possible through generous insurance industry support including Presenting Sponsors: Chubb and Lockton; Platinum Sponsors: Amwins, Aon, Burns & Wilcox, CNA, CRC Group and RT Specialty; Gold Sponsors: Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, Crum & Forster and Seneca, Marsh and Zurich, along with many other event sponsors.

For more information regarding IICF’s Midwest Division and how to become a board company, please visit IICF Midwest Division at IICF.org or contact IICF Midwest Executive Director Kelly Hartweg at (773) 991-2149 or khartweg@iicf.org.

About the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF)
The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) is a unique nonprofit that unites the collective strengths of the insurance industry to help communities and enrich lives through grants, volunteer service and leadership. Established in 1994, IICF has served as the philanthropic voice and foundation of the insurance industry for more than thirty years, contributing $50 million in community grants along with over 370,000 volunteer hours by more than 130,000 industry professionals. IICF reinvests locally where funds are raised, serving hundreds of charities and nonprofit organizations, for maximum community impact.
IICF is a registered nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. Learn more at www.iicf.org or follow us on social media at: LinkedIn and Instagram

Alisa Breese
IICF Communications
+1 (949) 412-2143
abreese@iicf.com
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