West Bend to Receive Award for Exceptional Commitment to the Arts

The Business Committee for the Arts (BCA), a division of Americans for the Arts, recently named West Bend Mutual Insurance Company as one of this year’s BCA 10: Best Businesses Partnering with the Arts in America honorees.

Each year, BCA recognizes 10 U.S. companies that have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the arts through grants, local partnerships, volunteer programs, matching gifts, sponsorships and board membership.

“We are grateful to honor these businesses … for their exceptional involvement in ensuring that the arts thrive in their communities,” said Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “They provide the arts with significant financial and in-kind support, and they incorporate meaningful arts-related programs into their employee, customer, and community relations activities – truly setting a standard for other businesses to follow.”

“This award is truly an honor,” said Kevin Steiner, President and CEO of West Bend. “The arts have a positive impact on people of all ages, from all walks of life. Whether it’s music, theater, or any other form of art, the value to our society cannot be understated. I’m proud of West Bend’s long history of supporting the arts both within our company and in our community, and I greatly appreciate BCA and Americans for the Arts for recognizing our efforts.”

West Bend has long been committed to supporting the arts. In 1995, the company established the West Bend Mutual Insurance Charitable Fund, which focuses its grant-making priorities on programs that support the arts, strengthen children and families, protect the environment, and enrich community life.

The company has used the arts to create beneficial environments for both its associates and the communities it serves. West Bend began collecting artwork in the early 1970s and eventually integrated art into all of its offices to provide a pleasant and stimulating working environment. In 2011, the company unveiled the Silver Lining® Stage at Regner Park, an outdoor performance space in West Bend. The company also sponsored the construction of the Silver Lining Arts Center at the West Bend High Schools and the Silver Lining Amphitheater at the Washington County Fair Grounds.

Through corporate philanthropy programs, West Bend raised more than $66,000 in 2018 for the 50th Anniversary Campaign of the United Performing Arts Fund, and has donated more than $100,000 to local arts organizations. They have been recognized for their support of local artists and for ultimately playing a role in making West Bend a vibrant, artistic community.

In addition to West Bend, this year’s BCA 10 honorees are Churchill Downs, Fifth Third Bank, Fosun International Shanghai CN, Phillips 66, The Standard, Tierney, UMB Financial Corporation, VF Corporation, and Zions Bank. The awards will be presented by Americans for the Arts on October 2, 2018 in New York City.

About West Bend Mutual Insurance Company

Founded in 1894, West Bend Mutual Insurance Company is headquartered in West Bend, Wisconsin, and provides property / casualty insurance products throughout the Midwest. The company offers a broad personal lines coverage package, a full range of commercial products and services, insurance for specialty lines and a surety division. West Bend employs more than 1,200 associates and is represented by approximately 2,300 independent insurance agencies throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Tennessee. The company has been rated A (Excellent) or better by A.M. Best since 1971. West Bend also consistently ranks higher than its competitors in an agency loyalty survey.

About Americans for the Arts

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 55 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

About Business Committee for the Arts (BCA)

BCA was founded in 1967 by David Rockefeller. A division of Americans for the Arts, the BCA encourages, inspires, and stimulates businesses to support the arts in the workplace, in education, and in the community. BCA merged with Americans for the Arts in 2008.