TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Foresters Financial™, an international financial services provider is pleased to announce Joel Mercado, President and CEO of JVM Financial & Insurance, as our 2017 Community Involvement Award winner.

The Foresters Community Involvement Award recognizes a sales partner who has demonstrated both quality business with Foresters and also exemplifies a passion and commitment to community service work.

“Joel is not only one of Foresters top sales partners, but he’s an ambassador of our fraternal purpose,” says Matt Berman, Head of U.S. Distribution, North American Life Insurance and Annuity. “We are grateful for his tireless commitment to helping community-minded families.”

Joel has been selling Foresters products since 1990, but his first exposure to giving back happened during the deadly Northridge earthquake in 1994. Joel and his co-workers spent days looking for Foresters members affected by the natural disaster to offer assistance. “It made me realize that Foresters was an organization that cares and is committed to family, says Joel. “Foresters does that every single day.”

Joel has participated in many Foresters events, including a number of playground builds across the U.S with charity partner KaBOOM!, volunteering in soup kitchens, and helping refurbish a women’s shelter. He’s also active with other causes, from raising money for autism to helping with the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital Radiothons.

“It’s just giving back. Giving back to different families, different individuals who maybe didn’t have anything. It’s the right thing to do,” says Joel. “My son has been to several [playground] builds. It feels good, it feels right, and it’s something that I want to instill in [him].”

About Foresters Financial

Foresters Financial is an international financial services provider with more than three million clients and members in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. We provide life insurance, savings, retirement and investment solutions that help families achieve their financial goals and make a lasting difference in their lives and communities. In Canada, products are offered by The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiary Foresters Life Insurance Company. Investment products are offered by Foresters Asset Management Inc.

Foresters Financial has assets of more than $13.4 billion, total funds under management of $44 billion and a surplus of $2.1 billion (all figures in Canadian dollars as of December 31, 2016). For more information, visit foresters.com.

Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries.

415755 CAN/US (10/17)

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