A Not So Important Blog About Nothing

The devastation of the recent earthquakes in Haiti has touched the lives of people across the world. While droves of friends and family were receiving horrific news, one of Primerica’s own, Regional Vice President Peggee & Jarrin King, was elated to receive word that her parents, missionaries in her home country of Haiti, were alive. They were alive, but lacking the basic human necessities to keep themselves – and the people who depend on them – well.

The 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck the nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010, flattened homes and crumpled government buildings. Because of the tremendous loss of life and the overwhelming need for food, water, shelter and medicines, the International Faith Fellowship Ministries, Inc. (IFF) was in dire straights. The Liberuses, Peggee’s parents and the founders of IFF, sent word that they needed help, and the Primerica community responded right away.

Senior National Sales Director Andy Young coordinated an effort that collected more than 850 boxes of food, medicine, clothing, toiletries, generators and more. These donations, along with monetary gifts, filled two moving trucks that Young, Jarrin King and two other Regional Vice Presidents – Chris McHugh and Joe Redd – drove to Venice, FL, and loaded aboard Agapé Flights.

In Haiti, Peggee’s family met the plane and distributed the more than 30,000 pounds of donated goods.

The amazing contribution was reportedly the largest the airline had seen to date – good news for a community of six churches, three schools and a Bible college that was waiting anxiously for relief. Peggee said, “We are overwhelmed by the response. It’s wonderful that people want to help, despite what’s going on with the economy here.”

Through these contributions given by the Primerica representatives and Home Office family, hundreds of people will be able to meet some of their most basic needs and begin determining how to go on from here. To boot, Primerica made a corporate donation of $10,000 to the American Red Cross to help in the Haiti recovery efforts. Individual employees have also made personal financial donations through many of the aid sites that have been established in the wake of the earthquakes.

Peggee warned, “As people are giving so generously, I want them to be mindful of which organizations they give money to. They want to make sure that the need gets to the people, like the Primerica donation did.” Jarrin added, “I also hope people remember that after the cameras have left, the people will still need us. Primerica helped to supply the immediate needs of the people – needs like food, water and medicine; but they didn’t forget to send things like saws and other tools. These are the things that will help the people of Haiti as they start the next step: rebuilding.”

Primerica said “yes” and came through for people who desperately need help right now. They delivered on a promise to do what’s right for families … starting with their own.

If you’re interested in giving specifically to the International Faith Fellowship Ministries, Inc., they are a 501(c)3 organization. You can make financial gifts at any Wachovia Bank.

Companies have their different ways of communicating with their workers. They blast emails or post notices on colorful bulletin boards. Some still drop lengthy memos into their staff members’ overflowing inboxes, hoping they don’t get lost among the clutter. (Hello? Welcome to the 21st Century!) But, how many companies stream their announcements and recognition live via the Internet to thousands of people at once?

I’m guessing there aren’t too many that do. But Primerica does. Through our own television studio, EPN-TV, Primerica produces more than 100 hours of original programming each year. It is a huge part of how we spread news to our sales force of more than 100,000 representatives.

The History

EPN-TV started broadcasting in April 1986 as ALW-TV. The station was founded as a way for company founder, Art Williams, to quickly get his message to the sales force. ALW-TV was a pioneer in the corporate satellite industry. After the merger with Primerica, ALW-TV became PFS-TV and was soon renamed EPN-TV (Entrepreneurial Network Television).

In addition to recorded daily programming, the station broadcasts live each Monday from the studios at the Primerica Home Office in Duluth, Georgia. The live studio audience can number up to 200 people. In April 2007, EPN-TV took a huge technological leap and began streaming its broadcasts live over the Internet. Record numbers of people have logged on to watch remotely. Executive Vice President Norma Richardson says, “Certainly things in the technical and production world have changed over the past 20 years, but what has not changed is the pride this team takes in its work and the willingness to go the extra mile.”

The Crew

The EPN-TV full-time staff includes producers, editors, videographers, floor directors, an audio engineer and an administrative staff. Since Atlanta is a major TV market, the department has been able to recruit professionals from networks such as CNN, TBS and ABC. They also have a producer on staff who worked at the USA Network in New York. Here’s a snapshot of some of their staff’s qualifications:

Tim Foster is EPN-TV’s in-house animation guru who uses MAYA and 3D animation software program to create amazing effects for Primerica videos. Tim’s creative skills and talents can be seen on various animation projects. His credits include a feature film produced by Orion Pictures, Disney and Lucas films. While working for United Artists, Tim produced the first-ever 3D animated film policy trailer which was viewed by millions across North America. Tim’s work crosses over from the big screen to the small screen for corporations like Delta, Dun & Bradstreet and Norfolk Southern Railroad. Tim has worked with major advertising agencies worldwide. He’s a master at capturing the image and recreating it using amazing three-dimensional effects.

David Cregan, one of our executive producers at EPN-TV, works closely with our Field Instruction department producing Primerica’s training videos. Prior to joining the EPN team David worked in New York and was involved in political advertising on campaigns for gubernatorial races, congressional and senatorial candidates as well as a winning presidential race.

Mike Solomon is EPN-TV’s senior editor, and he works on an editing workstation running Premier Pro. He pushes the creative envelope by designing incredible motion graphics using a program called After Effects.

James Gavin is senior video editor/technical director at EPN-TV. Using Adobe CS4 on a non-linear workstation as well as an analog editing suite, James edits and voices many of the training programs and promos that air on EPN-TV. In his former occupation, James was video editor at a local mega-church. James also worked at CNN Headline News in numerous capacities including technical director and audio engineer. In fact, he was technical directing when the space shuttle Atlantis launch failed on live TV.

Jacques Adams is one of the busiest guys at EPN as our chief videographer working both in the studio and on location shoots. Jacques came to EPN after having worked at all major network affiliates in Augusta, Georgia, with the last one being WAGT. Jacques’ background as news videographer has helped him develop a keen eye for shot composition. At EPN-TV, he uses Final Cut Pro software for video editing.

Megan Schwindler, an executive producer at EPN-TV, has as a degree in broadcasting with emphasis on corporate video. Megan worked at the Shop at Home Network prior to coming to Primerica’s in-house business television network.

Pam Tokarz, a senior vice president, is in charge of the daily operations at EPN. A 24-year veteran of Primerica she helped launch EPN in 1986. Pam, originally from Arkansas, graduated from Arkansas State University with a major in communications. She worked at local TV  and radio stations during college and then moved to Atlanta. She even produced a PBS show. Pam has witnessed many changes at EPN from the early days of VHS videos to broadcasting via satellite to streaming video on the Internet.

The Accolades

EPN-TV has received awards from Media Communicators Association International (MCA-I) for various projects, and several staff members have won awards in their respective fields: Mike Solomon received a bronze award for editing and Norma Richardson was awarded one for producing. Richardson said, “Since 1986, EPN has been connecting the Home Office and the field force, and I’m proud to say that I’ve been here since the beginning. From a personal perspective, working with such creative and talented professionals here at EPN is perhaps the most rewarding of all my professional experiences.”

SVP Pam Tokarz is also proud of the work her department produces. She said, “TV is all about teamwork, and we have an incredible team of talented professionals at EPN. They have a true passion for their work and always strive for excellence. It’s very rewarding to see their creative talents and hard work come together on videos for meetings, broadcasts and sales tools for the representatives. Our staff ranks right up there with the big networks.”

There’s a stellar bunch of folks over at the TV studio, and their work helps keep their reps in touch with the spirit of Primerica: helping families become properly protected, debt free and financially independent … one kitchen table meeting at a time.

He’s a competitive racer ranking fastest in the U.S. – second in the world. He plays rugby, golf and tennis. He even water skis, snow skis and dives for fun. And, by the way, he’s quadriplegic.

Duane Morrow, Primerica’s Executive Vice President of Field Marketing, was living and working in England when he broke his neck during a rugby game in 2004. He was paralyzed from the chest down, but, for this tenacious athlete, life didn’t end. It simply changed … and he adapted.

Life 2.0

After surgery and months of inpatient rehabilitation at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Morrow was ready for more. He had been told that there was a 99% chance he’d never walk again, but he rebuked those odds. He asked his nurses to wake him up at 5 a.m. so he could be at the gym at 6 a.m. when it opened. He worked out for hours, trying to retrain his body to walk.

Morrow saw how the therapy was helping him over time. He met with Shepherd Center officials to try to establish an extreme therapy program for other athletes who wanted to go beyond traditional treatments. While the center was not equipped for the program at the time, only four months later, Morrow got a call from Gary Ulicny, president of the Shepherd Center. He wanted to try it out. Beyond Therapy was born. Now, two years later, the program has doubled in size. Plus, there’s a 100-person waiting list … and Morrow is the spokesperson. His Primerica family is not surprised. Morrow’s excitement and determination have become a banner – an example of what it means to be a Primerica rep.

That drive, a “saint” for a wife, hard work and top-notch technology – like robotic treadmills – helped him to begin standing with assistance, Morrow says. But he gives the real credit where he says credit is due: “Doctors don’t know everything. God’s pretty cool.” Today he has renewed use of his arms and hands, and even walks with the use of a cane.

While he’s no longer an inpatient at the Shepherd Center, Morrow still receives physical therapy there. When he’s not traveling the country on Primerica business, he routinely walks seven flights of stairs. He throws medicine balls and he runs in the pool. He’s hardcore. “You can adapt, or you can go into a cave and give up,” Morrow says. “The technology exists. You can figure it out.”

Now Morrow is helping other people “find their new normal.” He visits Shepherd’s patients often – even those he’s never met before. He explains that people who once took 15-20 minutes to get ready in the morning are now taking 1-2 hours. Their lives have changed dramatically on all levels and, according to him, there are certain things that are better learned from someone who’s figured out how to live this new life. So, why has he taken on this personal mission? “Everyone wants to live a life of significance,” he says. “That’s real wealth.”

It Ain’t Over

He’s convinced (and convincing!) that people with physical disabilities can lead extreme lives. For the past four years, he’s participated in an Adventure Skills Workshop sponsored by the Shepherd Center – two years as a patient, two as a volunteer counselor. People with all degrees of ability attend these workshops to participate in rugby, rock wall climbing, tubing, fishing, water skiing, zip lining and more! Morrow says the real advantage is that they get to be with 200 other people who are looking for their new normal, too. Many of them find it there, too. One man at a recent camp says he thought he would never hunt again. But, with the help of harnesses and assistance, he was able to find a new way to do something he always loved.

Making It Work

For Morrow, this whole experience has been a lesson in perseverance. It’s a lesson that he believes able-bodied people can learn, too. He tells how people can begin learning from the disabled: First, he says, don’t let little inadequacies embarrass you. Work through them. Second, introduce children to people with disabilities. That way, it’s not uncomfortable to them when they are in close quarters with someone in a wheelchair. Plus, they’ll learn that setbacks don’t have to mean the end of the world. Finally, ask before helping a disabled person, and don’t be offended if he or she says, “no.” They don’t need as much help as we think, he says. Besides, some disabled people, like Morrow himself, can be more “able” than the rest of us!