A message from OUR PRESIDENT
Paul Ehlert President & Chief Executive Officer
hanks to everyone who participated in their Local Chapter meetings this spring and voted in the director elections. A total of 14,322 votes were cast, an increase of 48% over last year. The new online voting method was very well received and will be used going forward along with the mail-in ballots. As a result of the strong voter participation, Germania contributed $15,000 to St. Baldrick’s to further its research for cures to childhood cancer. Congratulations to our re-elected board members, who will continue to provide excellent guidance and governance to Germania’s operations. Although Texas experienced an active spring storm season this year, we were fortunate that most of our policyholders were not severely impacted by the various weather events across the state that included a few tornadoes, as well as plenty of rain, wind and hail. If you had a loss due to one of these events, rest assured that Germania is here to assist you in whatever way we can. We exist to serve you in your time of need. Traditionally, Memorial Day kicks off the summer season, a favorite time of year for many of us. Memorial Day is also a time of remembrance of the fallen heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect our country’s freedoms. This year, Germania employees honored these heroes by participating in an American flag installation held in the front of our Home Office building in Brenham. (If you haven’t seen the video footage of the ceremony, be sure to check out our Germania Facebook page.)
In addition, we were proud to commit to a donation of $10,000 to the Gary Sinise Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing programs and services to our active duty military, veterans, first responders and their families. As summer gets underway, so does the Atlantic hurricane season. In this issue of Germania Today, we highlight the 2019 forecast predicted by the experts and provide some tips to help you prepare in case a tropical storm in the Gulf affects Texas. Also included is helpful information to prevent becoming a victim of claims fraud. As many of you are aware, the 86th Texas legislative session in Austin ended on May 27. I encourage everyone to stay informed about legislation that affects you as a policyholder. I’m happy to report that Germania was successful in working with trade associations and other companies to help pass several bills that will have a positive impact across the state. See the “Legislative Recap” in this issue for more details. As a member of our families, our communities and our farm mutual, we each have a voice in what happens. The goal is to use it for the greater good for all. Thank you for being a valued member of our Germania family and for placing your trust in us. Wishing all of you a safe and enjoyable summer!
Summer 2019 | 3
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