This year’s final sales luncheon of United Way of Central Alabama’s (UWCA) Annual Campaign paid tribute to the tireless work of our Loaned Executives (LEs) during the previous three months. As is tradition, it also included the announcement of the Crawford T. Johnson Loaned Executive of the Year award. That honor went to Megan Miles of Encompass Health.
The award, named for the founder of the Birmingham Community Chest, which evolved to become UWCA, is the highest honor given to participants in the Loaned Executive program.
“Before starting as an LE, I told myself that if I’m stepping away from my normal work for 13 weeks, I’m going to make it worth it; so I’m really proud of the work that I put into it and this recognition,” Miles said. “At the same time, I could look at so many of the other LEs and say that they were worthy of this honor.”
The Loaned Executive program is both the chief fundraising engine for each year’s campaign and a powerful professional development opportunity for the individual participants. Through the program, various local organizations lend one or more employees to UWCA. Those employees then receive rigorous training in fundraising and presentation before serving on the frontline of the campaign.
Miles said that, in her usual role at Encompass, she does much of her work internally. But as an LE, she quickly developed strong pitching skills and sharpened her interpersonal communication.
“Usually at Encompass, I’m talking to vendors, which means my team and I have the upper hand…it’s a completely different angle when you’re asking for donations,” Miles said. “The LE experience gets you really comfortable with not being in a position of power and with building relationships organically.”
Rapid skill development is a theme among many LE participants every year. Madison Hall, a Loaned Executive from Southern Company, just started her career in June after graduating from the University of Florida in May. Through her experience, Hall said that she has learned more about herself, how best to work in a team and – critically – how to present herself with confidence, as demonstrated through her remarks during the celebratory luncheon.
“If you had asked me to do this a few months ago, I would have been a mess up here,” Hall said. “I’d be visibly shaking, my voice would be quivering, and I wouldn’t be able to hear anything because my heartbeat would be in my ears. I’m thankful to say that is not the case anymore. I’m standing up here proud.”
John Martin, Senior Vice President of Resource Development at UWCA, said this year’s participants in the LE program should all be proud of their hard work and the millions of dollars they raised for programs that help people in need throughout Central Alabama. Additionally, Martin urged them to stay engaged with UWCA.
“My biggest hope is that you take what you’ve learned here — the ability to do hard things that are outside your comfort zone – and continue to help us make a positive impact on our community,” Martin said.
In addition to the LE of the Year, many others were recognized at the event for their outstanding contributions to the campaign. Those included the Team Choice award winners, who were selected by their fellow LE team members:
- Angela Armstead, Sponsored Executive, Red Team
- Ramsey Morris, Sponsored Executive, Gold Team
- Brooke Wright, Loaned Executive from Protective, Blue Team
To learn more about UWCA’s Loaned Executive program and how to get involved, click here.