FCCI Heroes

The Arlene Alonso Hero Award

The FCCI Hero Award was created in 2012 to recognize the outstanding efforts of FCCI teammates who go above and beyond in their communities.

Twice a year, we reach out to our FCCI family to ask for nominations of teammates who embody the best of what our company has to offer. Recipients are recognized at FCCI’s biannual Town Hall meetings with an award and a monetary donation to the organization they support.

In 2019, the award was renamed The Arlene Alonso Hero Award, in recognition of an exemplary teammate who served more than 33 years at FCCI and selflessly made our organization a better place. In her role as assistant to the president, Arlene Alonso championed the FCCI Volunteer Policy of giving teammates paid time off to volunteer; organized FCCI’s corporate donations and sponsorships for many years; and was instrumental in creating the FCCI Charitable Foundation. Her advocacy for volunteerism and community involvement made a lasting impact on FCCI and our teammates.

Sarasota native Kelly Lyons has been on both sides of charitable works throughout her schooling. She has volunteered with the Safe Children Coalition, the Thirsty Philanthropists, Mothers Helping Mothers and animal shelters.

Kelly notes that FCCI’s obvious commitment to charitable works is what attracted her to work for the company. In 2017, Kelly joined the Young Professionals Group (YPG) of FCCI, becoming the first chair of the Humanitarian Committee. In that role, she organized volunteer opportunities for YPG members, such as park cleanups, working with children at the Boys & Girls Club, sprucing up the playground at the Florida Center for Early Childhood and assisting with a Habitat for Humanity build. In 2019, they racked up 191.5 volunteer hours!

Kelly challenges anyone who feels they don’t have time to volunteer to reconsider. “People find their passion through helping others,” she said. “It brings everyone joy.”

Kelly Lyons

Kelly Lyons, Spring 2019 Hero Award Recipient

Leading the way in giving back

Living by the mantra

“The Power of Nice”

Renée Webber, Fall 2019 FCCI Hero Award Recipient

Renée Webber

You might not think that someone who has spent a good portion of her career in the business of collections would live by the mantra “The Power of Nice” … but Renée Webber most certainly does. She was raised in a culture of “nice” and considers being “nice” just part of her DNA.

At FCCI, Renée is wholeheartedly involved in several charitable endeavors, such as All Faiths Food Bank, donation and food drives, turkey donations, and the Sarasota Safe Place & Rape Crisis Center. Recently, Renée started volunteering at The Pines of Sarasota, offering her time and compassion to residents in the Garden Memory Unit.

“Our community and FCCI teammates benefit from the overt encouragement to find ways to make our world a better place,” she said. “If I had waited until I thought I had the time, rather than making the time, I might have missed all of the joy I am experiencing now.”

Insurance career helps to repair broken past

Vince Nuñez, Spring 2019 FCCI Hero Award Recipient

Vince Nuñez

Vince Nuñez grew up in Los Angeles, California, and lived through challenging times that tested his endurance, made some bad decisions and was even homeless for a period of time.

Through sheer determination, he made some dramatic changes, went back to school for medical billing and coding, worked with a home health company, then for an insurance company. He was soon after hired as an underwriting technician in the Southwest Regional Office.

Vince feels grateful to have escaped the circumstances of his earlier life and has been a great inspiration to his coworkers. “I feel extremely blessed that I was able to make it out of my situation – a lot of people don’t,” Vince said. “Helping others can become contagious – it can inspire somebody the next time they see someone in need to help.”

The Southwest Office actively organizes food drives and collects monetary donations for homeless shelters in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

FCCI Keeps its Promises in the Midwest Region