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ESL Federal Credit Union and News10NBC Seeking Ordinary People Who Do Extraordinary Things

Nominate an Unsung Hero Today

Rochester, NY — ESL Federal Credit Union and News10NBC are currently seeking nominees for the 2017 ESL Jefferson Awards, and they are turning to the Rochester community to help identify those unsung heroes who do great things every day, and who help to make a difference in the lives of others.

The two organizations will recognize and honor five of the region’s most committed volunteers with the prestigious ESL Jefferson Awards for Public Service. These awards celebrate unsung heroes and their commitment to community and public service.

Nominations will be accepted through February 13. Nominations may be made online at esl.org or whec.com. Each nominee will be notified that he or she has been nominated.

Five finalists will be selected from among the nominees. Of those five, one will be chosen as the Greater Rochester regional honoree. This volunteer will be eligible for the national award and will attend the National Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. in June 2017.

“There are so many unrecognized heroes in our community who unselfishly dedicate their time to helping others every day,” said Faheem Masood, President and CEO, ESL Federal Credit Union. “The Jefferson Awards provides the perfect opportunity to recognize these individuals, as well as an ideal venue for them to share their stories with our community and the country. We hope their stories will serve as an inspiration for others to serve as well.”

“Since 2003, News10NBC and ESL have partnered to bring this special recognition program to Rochester,” said Derek Dalton, Vice President/General Manager, News10NBC. “We are extremely proud to partner with ESL once again, and bring this national honor to our community. It is important to nationally showcase our region’s spirit of volunteerism, as part of the program in Washington, D.C.”

In 1972, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Sam Beard, founder and Chairman of the National Development Council (NDC), initiated the American Institute for Public Service as a way to establish a “Nobel Prize” for public and community service – The Jefferson Awards.

More than 15,000 individuals nationwide are nominated each year for providing innovative service programs and acts of kindness.


About ESL Federal Credit Union

Founded by George Eastman in 1920, ESL Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution with $6.1 billion in assets. The locally-owned financial institution employs more than 735 people in Rochester, New York, and includes approximately 330,000 members worldwide.

The company has now appeared on the Great Place to Work® Best Small & Medium Workplaces list for six years (2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2011, and 2010). Access to the credit union includes 20 branch locations and more than 40 ATM locations, locally-based telephone and Internet chat centers, and online and mobile banking channels. The company is headquartered at 225 Chestnut Street in Rochester and can be found on the Internet at www.esl.org.

For more information, contact:

Rich Pulvino, APR
Vice President/Director, Corporate Communications
rpulvino@esl.org
585.336.1009