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Vikki Pryor, S.USA President & CEO, Gives Back in Grandmother's Name CHICAGO, IL -- March 17, 2008 -- Alumna Vikki Pryor will give back in the spirit of higher education this Thursday March 20th, at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Business Administration. Aaron Miles will be awarded The Marie Nesbitt Promise Prize by Pryor, for his outstanding academic achievement throughout his first three years at the CBA. The ceremony will take place on UIC's campus in the Student Center East building at 5 o'clock. The $5,000 Promise Prize is given to students of African American descent who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and professional promise.
Pryor and award recipient Aaron Miles are connected by more than their alma mater; both have a compelling and powerful desire to share their experiences and knowledge with others. "It's never too early to start giving back," says Miles, who's actively involved as the Treasurer of the Collegiate Finance Organization, and as a resident assistant on campus. Miles recalls feeling "immersed in a sense of business" from a young age. "When I was nine I started a lawn mowing business with friends. Even as a kid, I was able to learn key concepts of entrepreneurship and customer service that still surface today." At Gwendolyn Brooks Preparatory Academy, Miles carried these practical skills over to his classes, and when it came time to decide on a college, "The College of Business Administration at UIC was a clear decision".
Miles' orientation into the business world at such a young age gave him a unique outlook on inspiring today's youth. "While I may not have the means to give back financially now, I have my experience to draw from." Miles has been heavily involved in opening up the UIC community to high school students, emphasizing the important role education has played in his life. Miles wants to get his MBA and even entertains the idea of getting a PhD. "I really want to take the skills I've learned and pass them onto others. I think teaching is a great way to do this." Being honored with the Promise Prize has only further propelled his desire to give back.
"I am tremendously proud of Aaron's drive and commitment. It comes through in his desire to become as educated as he can to succeed for himself, but even more so in his desire to help others," Pryor says. Pryor earned an MBA from the College of Business Administration in 1989, and was inducted into the College's Alumni Leadership Academy in 2002. She created the Marie Nesbitt Promise Prize in her grandmother's name as a means to inspire students to fulfill their potential. The award has also been presented to students at the University at Buffalo Law School, Bronx Community College, and to high school students in Newark, New Jersey.
As CEO of SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company (parent of S.USA) since 1999, Pryor takes her mission to heart personally and professionally. SBLI USA has a diverse workforce of nearly 200 employees who help provide affordable and accessible life insurance to people in middle income brackets. The financial empowerment company, headquartered in New York, also has locations in Newark, NJ, Buffalo, NY, Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and S.USA subsidiary offices in Chicago, IL and Glendale, CA.
About the Promise Prize
Marie Nesbitt was born on August 16, 1917 in Clearwater, Florida and was raised in Kingstree, S.C. A great granddaughter of slaves, Ms. Nesbitt's formal education stopped at the third grade. An inspiration to her family and friends, she believed and taught everyone she touched to reach for the stars by doing their best, to trust in God, to stand up for what they believed in, and most of all, to never give up. Ms. Nesbitt spent most of her adult life living on the west side of Chicago. The Prize was created in 2002 and has been awarded to ten outstanding students.
About SBLI USA/S.USA
SBLI USA markets a wide range of life insurance products to value-conscious consumers and diverse markets. The Company is dedicated to building lifelong relationships with customers and empowering them with the education and tools they need to take control of their financial destinies.
SBLI USA and its subsidiaries are licensed in 49 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. With more than $16.7 billion of insurance in force, $1.5 billion in assets, $124 million in surplus capital, 200 associates and over 300,000 policyholders, the company is committed to offering affordable, flexible and easy-to-access products through a variety of integrated channels, including direct mail, telemarketing, a bilingual Web site, licensed agents, and new Customer Centers, as it expands nationally.
SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc. is the parent company to SBLI USA Holdings, Inc., which owns subsidiary companies S.USA Life Insurance Company, Inc., and SBLI USA Diversified Services Company, Inc. Visit www.sbliusa.com.
About the University of Chicago at Illinois College of Business Administration
The UIC College of Business Administration is a research-based institution located in the heart of Chicago that cultivates a spirit of entrepreneurship through real-world experience. The college is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and offers both undergraduate and graduate academic programs. For more information about the UIC College of Business Administration, please visit www.uic.edu/cba.
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