Feb. 17, 2015
United Way Honors Top Campaign Supporters
A celebration of the largest campaign in its 90-year history, an address by U.S. United Way President Stacey Stewart and a special honor for local housing advocate Ruth Nelson highlighted the annual Live United Awards recently presented by the Tulsa Area United Way.
Nearly 1,000 guests representing the corporate, philanthropic and nonprofit communities attended the event held at the Cox Business Center, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Schnake Turnbo Frank.
“The annual awards ceremony is a long-standing tradition and an opportunity for the entire Tulsa Area United Way family to come together to recognize the successes of the past year and look forward to this year’s campaign,” said Mark Graham, President and CEO of the Tulsa Area United Way.
The Tulsa Area United Way raised a record-shattering $26,602,884 during its 2014 campaign – the highest total in its 90-year history – exceeding itsoriginal goal of $26,200,000 by $402,884.
“The entire community deserves credit for the amazing successes of last year’s historic campaign,” Graham said.
Dr. Gerry Clancy, vice president and dean of health sciences at the University of Tulsa, served as 2014 campaign chair, and Becky J. Frank, president and CEO of Schnake Turnbo Frank, served as chair of the local United Way’s board of directors in 2014.
“I have been so impressed at how all sectors work together to support this community – funders, nonprofit organizations and the private sector alike. There is truly something special about Tulsa,” U.S. United Way President Stacey Stewart told guests.
The Clydella Hentschel Award for Women in Leadership was presented to longtime local housing advocate Ruth Nelson.
The award was named for Clydella Hentschel, who broke ground as a female community leader in Tulsa and served as co-chair of the Tulsa Area United Way campaign in 1993 along with her husband David Hentschel.
During a lifetime of work, Nelson is recognized as the city’s leading housing advocate for low-income individuals and those with physical challenges.
Beginning in 1968, she recognized the urgent need for apartments for people with disabilities. She directed negotiations between multiple government bodies, the Tulsa Housing Authority, and the Standard and Poor’s bond rating system. Her efforts resulted in the dedication of Murdock Villa, a 144-unit high-rise committed to safe, comfortable and independent living for people with physical challenges.
She was appointed to the City of Tulsa Housing Authorityin 1989 and has served as its chair since 1991. During this time, she has continued to seek and facilitate community partnerships that improve conditions for residents of public housing.
Companies and organizations that raised more than $1 million during their 2014 campaigns were presented with the Cornerstone Million Dollar Plus Award, including Bank of Oklahoma, the J.A. and Leta M. Chapman Trusts, ONEOK, QuikTrip and Williams.
The Williams Summit Leadership Award, the Tulsa Area United Way’s most prestigiousaward for best overall campaign, was awarded to D&L Oil Tools, which doubled its number employees contributing at the leadership level of $500 or more annually, and increased the size of its overall campaign by 70 percent over the previous year.
Companies and organizations receiving major awards were Selser Schaefer Architects, Ignite! Award; A New Leaf, Illuminate! Award; T.D. Williamson, Trailblazer Award; Tulsa Federal Credit Union, Leadership Giving Award; New Gulf Resources, Small Business Award; and United States Postal Service – Tulsa Processing and Distribution Center, Combined FederalCampaign Eagle Awards.
Major sponsors of the 2014 campaign included Tulsa World Media Company, Ideaship Studios, American Airlines, Langdon Publishing/Tulsa People, Osage Casino, Hillcrest Medical Center, NORDAM, OU-Tulsa, TU’s True Blue Neighbors, Tulsa Federal Credit Union, Samson Energy, and the city’s labor unions.
Of the more than 500 companies and organizations that received awards at the ceremony, several earned Best of the Best Awards, including Adams Hall Asset Management, LLC, Alliance Resource Partners, LP, AmeriTrust Corporation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma, BKD, LLP, Bristow Social Services, Broken Arrow Seniors , Budco, Cargill Steel and Wire, CJC Architects, Inc., Crowe & Dunlevy, Attorneys and Counselors at Law, CSL Plasma – Cheyenne Location, D & L Oil Tools, First Oklahoma Bank, First United Bank of Sapulpa, GlobalHealth, Inc., Harlan Motor Company, Hospice of Green Country, Hughes-Anderson Heat Exchangers, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Langdon Publishing Co., LCP Consulting, LLC, Magellan Midstream Partners, LP, Mariner Holdings, MidFirst Bank, Neosource, Inc., New Gulf Resources, LLC, Newmark Grubb, Omni Air International, ONE Gas, Inc., ONEOK, Parent Child Center, Patriot Bank, Samson Energy Company, Schnake Turnbo Frank, Security Bank, Senior Star Living, Show, Inc., Social Security Administration – Okmulgee, Southwestern Payroll Service, Inc., The Bridges Foundation, The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, Tulsa Public Schools - Office of the Superintendent, Tulsa Area United Way, Tulsa CARES, Tulsa CASA, Inc., Tulsa New Holland, Tulsa Regional Chamber, United States Postal Service - Customer Service Administration, United States Postal Service - Eastside Station, Valley National Bank, Visiting Nurse Association of Tulsa, Williams, and Youth Services of Creek County.
In the last 90 years, the Tulsa Area United Way has invested nearly $700 million in the community.
The Tulsa Area United Way provides services to more than 550,000 people annually through its partner agencies in Creek, Okmulgee, Osage, Rogers, Wagoner and Tulsa counties. For more information, call 918-583-7171 or visit
###