Catholic Order of Foresters’ Edward Bosch Named Fraternal FIC of the Year
Florence resident receives new award for recognizing the fraternal activities of full-time FICs.

09/21/07

OAK BROOK, IL – The National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA) announced that Edward J. Bosch, Sr., FIC, ChFC, CLU, LUTCF, RHU, Catholic Order of Foresters, from Florence, Kentucky, is the first recipient of the Fraternal FIC of the Year Award—a  joint award program of the Fraternal Field Managers Association (FFMA), the National Association of Fraternal Insurance Counselors (NAFIC) and the NFCA.  Bosch was recognized at the “Celebration of Fraternalism” luncheon at the 121st NFCA Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“It is fitting that Ed Bosch should be selected as the first winner of this new award,” said NFCA Interim President and CEO Bob Huxel.  “His community involvement demonstrates in no uncertain terms that this is what makes the fraternal benefit system different, what sets us apart.  He is not just a financial representative.  He personifies the very essence of the fraternal spirit.”

In 2005, the NFCA’s Board of Directors suggested that an award be established to acknowledge the fraternal contributions fraternal insurance counsellors, or FICs, make to their local communities, recognizing that to many individuals, a fraternal benefit society’s local fraternal insurance counselor is the “face of fraternalism.” The FFMA and the NAFIC endorsed the idea and offered their full support.

“This award is strong indication of the partnership of the NFCA, NAFIC and the FFMA,” said FFMA President Jay Schenk, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Fraternal for Catholic Order of Foresters (COF).  “COF is extremely proud to have the first recipient of this award be from our society.  The award recognizes what we should all be striving for, the united efforts of fraternal lifestyles and beliefs coupled with the outstanding financial benefits and security we offer to families.”

Edward Bosch, head of The Bosch Financial Agency of Florence, Kentucky, joined COF in 2002.  In 2006, he added 775 new members to his local court.  He not only provides quality service to members, but also participates in and organizes activities.  Fraternal events include golf and bowling tournaments, pizza parties and picnics.  Last fall, the Bosch Agency held a rock concert for Christ and funded COF youth members’ attendance at 2006 Florence Freedom baseball games, including transportation.

“I was very impressed with his humility and his organization,” said NAFIC President Ellsworth Stout, Vice President of Corporate Relations for Gleaner Life Insurance Society.  “He regretted that he had not been exposed to the fraternal side of the insurance industry earlier in his career.”

The Bosch Agency sponsors Youth 2000, Sisters of Divine Providence and the Cord Foundation.  In supporting the Cord Foundation, Bosch has sponsored fundraising events, which raised funds for a 6-year-old with spinal cord tumors.

In February 2006, Bosch presented a unique idea for a collaborative fundraiser for Care Net Pregnancy Services of Northern Kentucky, a crisis pregnancy center which offers testing, counseling, parenting programs, service referrals and material support for new parents.  The center needed additional funding to purchase an ultrasound machine.  Bosch asked COF Youth Rangers to spearhead a special collection following Masses at their home churches.  He also suggested that adult court members match the first $200 youth members collected.  Court officers organized the event at the local level and promoted it through flyers and church school announcements.  A large sign in the Bosch Financial Agency also generated generous, unsolicited contributions and Bosch agency representatives attended court meetings to encourage participation.

The collection taken on Youth Ranger for Life Day in April 2006 surpassed $8,000.  Money raised beyond the cost of the ultrasound machine covered technician training and counseling expenses.  In the midst of organizing this fundraiser, Bosch and his wife, Carolyn, lost their 4-month-old grandson, Nicholas Edward Frolich.  In memory of Nicholas and in honor of the Boschs’ dedication to Care Net, the ultrasound room at the pregnancy center was renamed Nicholas’s Room.

Edward Bosch has selected Care Net Pregnancy Services of Northern Kentucky to receive the $1,000 honorarium to be donated in his name.

Kathleen Kiely, Executive Director of Care Net, summarizes, “Because of Ed Bosch, his passion for our ministry and the support of the Catholic Order of Foresters, lives will be changed.  Ed gives all of us a sense of direction and leadership.  His constant faith and love for the Church shows through in everything he touches.  Even in his business, he is dedicated to making sure that his clients know where their investments are being used.  I, myself, have become a client of Ed’s and trust his Christian judgments.  The world needs more people like Ed Bosch to show us how life is lived with integrity and conviction.”

About Catholic Order of Foresters
Headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, Catholic Order of Foresters is a trusted, century-old Catholic fraternal benefit society, dedicated to providing members with financial security and opportunities for spiritual, social and charitable growth.  For more information, visit www.catholicforester.org.

About the NFCA
The 121-year-old NFCA unites 75 not-for-profit fraternal benefit societies operating in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.  The association represents 10 million fraternalists in 37,000 local chapters, making it one of America’s largest member-volunteer networks.  Fraternal benefit societies provide their members with leadership, social, educational, spiritual, patriotic, scholarship, financial and volunteer-service opportunities.  Combined, the NFCA’s member-societies maintain more than $329 billion of life insurance-in-force and, in 2006 alone, contributed almost $410 million to charitable and fraternal programs, and volunteered nearly 95 million hours for community-service projects.  These statistics demonstrate the commitment that fraternals make to those in need and exemplify the true meaning of the NFCA signature phrase:  Joining Hands to Touch Lives.