Fraternal Advantage - Fall 2009

Jill Lain Weaver Honored with Prestigious Communications Award
Modern Woodmen of America Executive Receives 2009 Marcia D. Heywood Award.

Jill Lain Weaver, Manager of the Corporate Communications department at Modern Woodmen of America, in Rock Island, Illinois, received the 2009 Marcia D. Heywood Memorial Fraternal Communications Award from the Communications Section of the National Fraternal Congress of America (NFCA).  The award was presented at the 123rd NFCA Annual Meeting, September 17-19, in San Antonio, Texas.

Established by the NFCA’s Communications Section, the award honors an outstanding communicator for contributions to the communications profession and the advancement of the fraternal benefits system.  The award was named in honor of the late Marcia D. Heywood, Woodmen Financial Services, Inc., a communications professional who actively volunteered to serve her society, her state fraternal congress and the NFCA.

To receive the Marcia D. Heywood Award, nominees must be employed by a member-society of the NFCA and must show excellence in educating membership and/or the general public about fraternal benefit societies and their benefits/products/services through specific communications vehicles. Award winners are selected by a panel of officers from the NFCA’s Communications Section.

“The words ‘good enough’ don’t seem to be in Jill’s vocabulary,” said Keri Rursch, Assistant to the Fraternal Director – Youth Division, Modern Woodmen of America.  “Behind her desk at 6:00 a.m. each morning, Jill begins a long work day overseeing communication efforts for the nation’s fourth largest fraternal benefit society – Modern Woodmen of America.”

Weaver’s creativity and innovation have impacted Modern Woodmen’s involvement with the River Bandits Baseball and the recently renamed Modern Woodmen Park, a Habitat for Humanity build, and Join Hands Day outreach.  Most recently, Weaver has led a charge (and a committee) within Modern Woodmen to “integrate” fraternalism and marketing.  These efforts to integrate have brought marketing and sales people together with fraternal, communications and legal staff to determine how the fraternal difference can be leveraged for the benefit of members.

Known as the branding guru and logo cop, Weaver led the society’s effort to design and launch a new logo and brand guidelines.  Keeping fraternal at the forefront, the new logo proudly tells the world “Modern Woodmen – Fraternal Financial.”  And Weaver proudly lives the brand.

As Manager of the Corporate Communications department, Weaver is responsible for the public relations, advertising, communications and brand activities.  Weaver joined Modern Woodmen as a public relations coordinator in May 1990.  She was promoted to supervisor, communications services in June 2001. Weaver has served in her current position since January 2004.

As a member of Modern Woodmen’s Strategies Team, Weaver has served on numerous home office committees including the FACTS Marketing, Logo Modification and the Internet Advisory Committees.

A member of the Public Relations Society of America, Weaver has served as president, vice president and as membership chairperson.  She chaired the former NFCA Fraternal and Communications Standing Committee, and served as president of the NFCA Communications Section.

Weaver is a member of the board of directors for Skip-A-Long Child Development Services as well as past member of the board of directors of the Northwest Region of the American Lung Association of Illinois and the Youth Service Bureau of Rock Island County and held several offices with the Quad-City Advertising Federation.

Weaver also is active in her community of Geneseo, Illinois.  She is a past member of the board of directors for Growth, Inc., a non-profit daycare center in Geneseo, and has served as a member of the Geneseo Music Festival and Victorian Walk Committees.

About Modern Woodmen of America
Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen of America touches lives and secures futures.  The fraternal benefit society offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.  For more information, visit www.modern-woodmen.org.