Many businesses across Kitsap County encourage their employees to volunteer. Sometimes those businesses even allow their employees to volunteer on “company time.”

Each fall, local companies “loan” members of their top staff to United Way of Kitsap County to serve as part-time Loaned Executives – volunteers who help raise funds during United Way’s annual campaign. Loaned Executives — and their employers — receive the benefit of top-notch training and experience in public speaking, sales and account management.

“United Way of Kitsap County’s Loaned Executive program is a real ‘win’ for the community and for us,” states Earlene Fantz, COO and Senior Vice President of Kitsap Community Federal Credit Union (KCFCU).

KCFCU has provided five Loaned Executives to United Way over the past 4 years.

“Being a Loaned Executive was a stretch for me,” comments Denise Neshem, a Loaned Executive in 2000, and branch manager of the newly-opened East Bremerton Branch of KCFCU. “But not only did I feel great for helping my community, each time I had a successful (United Way) rally, I grew personally and professionally.”

Johnson Controls, one of Kitsap County’s leading Department of Defense contractors, also provides Loaned Executives to United Way of Kitsap County.

Don Burns, General Manager of Johnson Controls Bangor Support Project firmly believes in the Loaned Executive program. “By providing a Loaned Executive to United Way of Kitsap County, we not only have the privilege of giving to our community, we gain valuable training for key employees as well. They return from their Loaned Executive experience energized and full of new ideas to make our company even more successful.”

“We are currently recruiting Loaned Executives for our 2001 Annual Campaign,” states Barbara Stephenson, Executive Director, United Way of Kitsap County. “Loaned Executives volunteer 3-5 hours per week from mid-August through November. They are responsible for helping raise over $1.5 million for our community each year – they are the backbone of our campaign.”

To find out more about the Loaned Executive program, contact the United Way of Kitsap County at (360) 377-8505.