By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Some 2,000 years ago a Roman philosopher was credited with saying “home is where the heart is.” If there is a connection between one’s heart and checkbook, there can be no question that the heart of the Ohio Mutual Insurance Group is beating passionately right here in the 21st century.
“In fact, we have a very important document for this company called ‘The Guiding Principles.’ It’s pretty much what we are all about,” said Mark Russell, president and CEO of OMIG. “Contribute positively to our communities is one of our strategic commitments that we have for the organization. It’s not just donations, it’s also engagement and involvement from our associates. It’s very much a part of our culture from the number of associates we have in leadership positions for non-profits, as well as people that are not just donating (dollars), but donating their time and their effort. It is widespread throughout the organization.”
Those positive commitments are as varied in scope and depth as they are in number. The latest is a $5,000 donation to the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police for 
the “Cruisin’ With the Cops Car Show” this June 10. The FOP decided to continue the popular downtown show known as “Graffiti Cruise” when the Crawford County Customs and Classics Car Club chose to cease its involvement after 25 years.
The OMIG donation will help the FOP with show expenses this year, as well as give it a head start towards the 2018 show.
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Todd Boyer, AVP of Corporate Communications, plays a significant role in directing OMIG’s efforts to positively impact the community.
“We try to find opportunities where we can give that encouragement through participation,” Boyer said.
The property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Bucyrus has invested and shown its support for various projects and causes in its hometown over the last two decades.
- $650,000 to United Way since 1999 including a record-setting campaign in 2016 of $64,794;
- $200,000 to CU Lead from 2010-2014;
- $100,000 to the Crawford Success Center in 2015;
- $50,000 to Schines Art Park in 2015;
- $50,000 annually to Leader In Me;
- $40,000 annually to Crawford: 20/20 Vision;
- $30,000 to Crawford County Fair Board from 2012-2014;
- $12,500 annually to five schools for college scholarships;
- $10,000 annually to Ronald McDonald House;
- $11,000 to the Community Concert Series in 2015-2016;
- $10,000 to A Kid Again in 2014;
- $8,500 to the Bucyrus YMCA Capital Campaign in 2015;
- $5,500 to the Bucyrus Fire Department for a thermal imaging camera in 2016;
- $5,000 on an annual average to Shoes for School;
- $5,000 to Bucyrus FOP for car show;
- $3,000 on an annual average to Family Fun Zone at Bratwurst Festival;
- $2,500 an annual average for Relay for Life;
- $2,250 annually to Bucyrus Kiwanis for fireworks;
- $1,350 for ALS ice bucket challenge in 2014;
- $800 annually for Rotary Auctionfest;
- $600 annually for Junior Achievement.
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In addition, OMIG routinely has as many as 15 other advertising sponsorships for various organizations and events throughout Crawford County ranging from the Bill Rahm Invitational to the Bucyrus Little Theatre to the Crawford County Veterans Hall of Fame and everything in-between. It is not a stretch to conclude that nearly everyone in and around Bucyrus and Crawford County has benefitted in at least some small way from the generosity of OMIG and its employees.
“Obviously, any company fields tons of requests for aid or donations. We look at programs we feel have the biggest returns to the community,” said Russell, stressing how impressed he has been with the Leader In Me program. “I’m a huge fan. We’ve been an elite supporter of that for a number of years. I was just so impressed to visit elementary schools and high schools. We even had students come in present to our board of directors about the Leader In Me program.”
Russell credited the company’s benevolence and commitment to invest in the community to his predecessor, Jim Kennedy. He also discussed the responsibility of corporations to become involved in their employees’ lives beyond the workplace through the communities they live in.
“In today’s workforce engagement in the community is an important factor and what many potential hires are looking for. Is it making an impact, is it where I want to spend the rest of my career,” Russell said. “I do feel if the company is investing the right programs it comes back to benefit the community and the company.”
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One of the areas of community involvement that Russell is especially interested in is the Ronald McDonald House. Last year, OMIG held the first local Hullabaloo for the House, a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus. The local connection is that facility is frequently used by Crawford County residents when faced with a medical situation that requires long-term treatment in Columbus.
“I’ve been on the board there for probably 14 years. One of the things we track is where families are coming from to stay in the House. We have a lot of families coming from Crawford County,” Russell said, noting that local families receive approximately $40,000 in benefits every year from the Columbus Ronald McDonald House. “Our first year, our team organized it and we raised $35,000 to $40,000. We probably had the premier event in terms of how that was executed here.”
This year’s event is already scheduled for Oct. 12.
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Russell said the company that employs about 160 to 170 in Bucyrus, 230 overall, is poised and looks forward to continued growth. Community investment and involvement is a core part of the company’s growth strategy.
“We have a big challenge in Ohio. We need talent. In our industry, we need to fill 29,000 jobs by 2024,” Russell said. “We have a talent shortage. For Ohio Mutual I consider being in Bucyrus an advantage, not a disadvantage.
“It’s all about keeping the best and brightest. How do you do that with strategy? You make sure that programs like Leader In Me get that mindset and the goal-setting and the behaviors piece of it down.”
The company also has a match program that allows it to support those programs and organizations that are important to its employees.
OMIG will match employee contributions or gifts to 501c3 entities up to one day’s wages for that employee. Boyer said a significant number of Ohio Mutual’s associates take advantage of and participate in the program.