When Matt Pateidl and Tom Metzner were named Community Impact Award winners, they were shocked.

“I was not anticipating on being called to the stage as I was sitting in the top back balcony of the hall and it was quite a surprise,” noted Matt. “There are so many Associates that do such great things in all of our communities and to be singled out with Tom is very humbling.”

The Community Impact Award, funded by the Lockton family, honors an Associate (or two) in each region around the globe who has gone above and beyond to make their community a better place through volunteering, philanthropy, or a combination of both. Matt and Tom were awarded a $25,000 donation to a charity of their choice on behalf of the Lockton family.

“Tom and I met to discuss how we wanted to gift the generous $25,000 and the best way to accomplish that,” said Matt. “We agreed that it must satisfy two components: it must be local, and it must assist a first responder.”

Tom has been a volunteer firefighter for over 26 years – something he continues to do in addition to his work at Lockton – and supporting other first responders is a priority.

“I suggested we reach out to Tunnels to Towers as I heard about the organization through the media but had no previous contact with them,” said Matt. “I made a call, found my way to a senior director, and told him about what we were trying to accomplish. A few days later, he called me back and told me about a KCMO police officer and his K-9 officer who were both struck and killed in a tragic accident.”

The money donated to Tunnels to Towers was given to the fallen officer’s spouse to pay off their home.

“First responders put their lives on the line for the community they serve,” said Tom. “This is something they live with every day when they go to work. As soon as I did some research and realized we could keep the funds local, I agreed this was the perfect avenue to support a family that encountered a line of death duty.”

Community is a large part of Lockton’s culture, but especially in Kansas City.

“I don’t think a charitable walk, run, dinner, event in Kansas City is not touched by some Associate from Lockton,” said Matt.

“I’ve served on a couple of association boards, and it’s frequently a challenge to get people to step up and volunteer. That’s not the case at Lockton. There have been times when we’ve had to cap the number of registrations due to the project not being able to accommodate all the volunteers,” added Tom.

Matt and Tom continue to bring Lockton’s caring culture to life. From organizing large-scale events to helping local organizations with hands-on help, the two have dedicated countless hours and infinite energy to bettering the community.

“We’re not one to shy away from a project; nothing is too small or big for us to consider,” added Tom. There have been a couple of projects where Matt and I looked at each other and questioned what we were thinking when we said yes, but in the end, everything worked out. We deliver on our promises. Whether it’s client obligations or looking somebody in the eyes and saying ‘Lockton’s got it,’ we do what we say. Lockton has a really good reputation in the insurance world, but also in the communities we live. It’s a personal honor to carry on this legacy and work with so many incredibly talented professionals.”