Thursday, December 3rd
Event Background: Since 1998, The Medical Mutual Pillar Award for Community Service, presented by Smart Business, honors businesses of all types and sizes that make outstanding contributions to their communities. Its purpose is to encourage a charitable environment, recognize creative efforts that make a difference and demonstrate the ties between the for-profit and nonprofit worlds.
During a year when COVID-19 has changes lives and what it means to gather, an event that is typically done in-person as a large awards gala had to pivot to a virtual environment. After a lot of research and demos, we selected the virtual event platform, Remo, for this event. We worked closely with their development team to customize a floor-plan that would prominently display our sponsor organizations and would be easy to navigate. One of the biggest aspects of our events that we wanted to make sure we could translate virtually was face-to-face networking. This platform allowed us to set up various tables and lounges for attendees to intimately connect via video chat. We interspersed networking breaks throughout the awards presentation and pre-recorded content to reduce technical difficulties day-of. Built into the floor-plan were an SBN Concierge table and Remo Help Desk where attendees could go if they had any questions or technical questions. All attendees were emailed know-before-you-go information, the event link, and a link to a video help guide prior to the event day. A Smart Business team member was on stand-bye as the primary contact if anyone had any trouble accessing the event link.
2020 Class of Honorees
Pillar Award for Community Service
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
GARDINER
Jarrett
Kaulig Companies Limited / Kaulig Giving
MAI Capital Management
Mapledale Farm
Orlando Baking Co.
reLink Medical
Sober Grid, Ascent powered by Sober Grid
Union Home Mortgage Corp.
Medical Mutual SHARE Award
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority
Nonprofit Board Executives of the Year
Jan Gusich
North Coast Community Homes
Chris Mapes
American Red Cross Northeast Ohio Board
Cameron Miele
Board of Trustee for Western Reserve Land Conservancy, NEOPAT and A Kid Again
(Northern Ohio Advisory Board) President of the Cameron & Katie Miele Foundation
Nonprofit Executive Directors of the Year
Julie Chase-Morefield
Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio
Judy Ghazoul Hilow
Malachi House
Mike Matoney
Crossroads Health and New Directions
Sondra Miller
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
Philanthropist of the Year
Umberto Fedeli
The Fedeli Group
Kent Clapp CEO Leadership Award
Chris Mapes
Lincoln Electric
KATHERINE STUCKY 