TAMPA, Fla. – GTE Financial is a winner of the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2015 Corporate Philanthropy Awards in the 100 – 500 employee category. The awards spotlight the corporate giving and volunteer programs that stood out in the greater Tampa Bay area during 2014.
“Community service and involvement are key mission elements for us as a cooperative,” says Joe Brancucci, president and CEO of GTE Financial. “We are gratified to receive this recognition for our in-kind, volunteer hour and donations to a number of deserving community organizations.”
GTE donated and matched contributions that totaled more than $493,365.34 in 2014, including in-kind donations such as furniture, iPads with cases, computers, monitors, desks and flat-screen TVs. Of particular note was GTE’s involvement with Junior Achievement’s BizTown, with $57,000 donated as in-kind gifts, $41,000 raised for JA’s Bowl-A-Thon event and other various sponsorships.
In addition to Brancucci’s service as an executive board and committee member, GTE is particularly committed to the financial education/financial literacy element of JA BizTown, creating a state-of-the-art storefront that mirrors that of a GTE community financial center, including GTE OnScreen, equipped with computers to allow students to learn how to make actual transactions.