The 17th annual Graceworks golf outing was recently held at the Golf Club at Yankee Trace. The event, one of the most important fundraisers of the year, brought in $37,000 to further the mission of Graceworks Lutheran Services. McGohan Brabender has been the event’s title sponsor for the past 10 years. We talked with the firm’s CEO, Scott McGohan, to learn why the business has made such a powerful commitment to the Graceworks.
Graceworks: Ten years is a long time to support a cause. What has driven your business to continue supporting Graceworks year-after-year?
Scott: There are a couple things that make this event super appealing to us. In general, non-profit groups don’t have a lot of time to get their story out. Graceworks is super intentional about this. After the golf outing they really start telling people what they are all about and why they do what they do. Graceworks has a lot of good storytellers. They talk about what an impact they are making in senior living, financial planning, home care and the other areas where they provide support.
G: Does your business have any personal connections to Graceworks?
S: Several employees have family members living at Bethany Village. That personal connection makes the partnership even stronger.
G: What makes a for-profit business like McGohan Brabender decide to spend part of your revenue supporting a non-profit?
S: You know, we have a saying here at McGohan Brabender – The Rule of Three. Our first rule is to treat our employees in direct correlation to how we want our customers treated. The second rule is to remain profitable so you can make great business decisions. And, then the third one is to give back to the community. We take all three charges very seriously.
G: But, why do you see it as being so important?
S: I would like to say there is a big profound answer. But, the honest answer – which we learned from our founder, my dad, – was, “you have to give back to the community that gives to you.”
G: Beyond your support of the golf outing, how else do you put that “third rule” into action?
S: We encourage our employees to get involved in the community. We allow people to take off work and volunteer at different charities or nonprofits. If people want to give back we want to invest in them and give them permission and encouragement to go do it.
G: The team from Light of Christ Lutheran Church won the Congregation Trophy this year. Has McGohan Brabender won at all over the last ten years?
S: We haven’t ever won. We have come close, but we have never won. It isn’t good to win the golf outing you sponsor.
G: Well, at least you can use that as your reason.
S: Exactly.
Ohio-based McGohan Brabender, an independent health benefits and risk-management broker, offers a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Insurance Calculator and a Health Savings Account Calculator to assist HR managers and consumers in identifying health insurance needs.
