Insurance company gives $100K to Kilgore College

KILGORE — Texas Mutual Insurance Company has presented Kilgore College with a $100,000 check to support the college's Risk Management Institute.

The funds are part of a years-long tradition for Texas Mutual, which donates money to Texas colleges in support of free workplace safety training courses.

College President Brenda Kays said Texas Mutual's donations over the years total $1.5 million.

"Today marks a very important milestone in the history of Kilgore College as we recognize the receipt of a very generous donation from Texas Mutual Insurance Company," Kays said during the Wednesday ceremony. "These grant dollars will be used to fund our Risk Management Institute. This is the 15th consecutive year that we have received grant funds from Texas Mutual Insurance."

Texas Mutual was created by the Legislature in 1991 as the Texas Workers' Compensation Insurance Fund. Today, the company works with more than 70,000 policyholders to insure 1.5 million workers.

"The generosity that they provide for funding safety education is something that benefits not just Kilgore College and our service area but all of the employers and all of the employees who actually receive this training. The funding is significant, and it does allow us to provide free safety training in topics that are relevant to local business and industry," Kays said.

Since the KC Risk Management Institute was established in 2008, employees from more than 1,200 companies have traveled from 79 Texas counties to take advantage of the free courses. More than half of those people live in KC's service area, including Gregg, Harrison, Rusk and Upshur counties. Courses offered include OSHA certification classes, language and leadership courses for safety supervisors, active shooter training and more.

Jeremy Hansen, manager of Regional Safety Services for Texas Mutual Insurance, presented the $100,000 check to Kays.

"Texas Mutual's mission includes supporting programs and training that help to prevent workplace accidents in our communities," Hansen said. "We've said for a long time that workplace safety education is a sound investment, and we truly mean that."

For information about the KC Risk Management Institute, visit www.kilgore.edu/riskmanagement or call (903) 988-7452.