GEICO Announces Winners of 2004 Public Service Awards and Celebrates 25 Years of the Award Program

WASHINGTON, April 1 -- Tony Nicely, president and chief executive officer of Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO), has announced the five recipients of its 2004 Public Service Awards program. This year marks the 25th year that the company has honored public service employees who go above and beyond their professional duties to make a difference in their communities.

GEICO's Public Service Awards honor civilian career federal employees and retirees for outstanding achievements in the fields of substance abuse prevention and treatment, fire prevention and safety, physical rehabilitation, and traffic safety and accident prevention. The five winners will each receive a $2,500 cash award, a commemorative plaque, and an all expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for a special recognition ceremony. To commemorate the 25th year of the awards program, GEICO has also invited the 116 past recipients to attend a special reception.

  Recipients of the 2004 awards are:

  * Judy Turnbaugh, a retired senior enforcement programs specialist on the
    staff of the Commissioner of Customs for her work in physical
    rehabilitation.

  * Jerry P. McDermott, safety and occupational manager for the Holloman Air
    Force Base, for his work in traffic safety and accident prevention.

  * Alfred Benalli, alcohol prevention specialist with the Department of
    Health and Human Services, Navajo Area Indian Health Service, for his
    work in substance abuse prevention and treatment.

  * Kenneth E. Frasl, a hydrologic technician for the U.S. Geological
    Service Washington Water Science Center, for his work in fire safety.

  * Ross Braun, a natural resource specialist for the Department of
    Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, for his work in
    physical rehabilitation.

The recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony and reception in Washington, DC, Monday, April 4, 2005. The ceremony will be held at the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration building, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

"This year marks the 25th year of GEICO's Public Service Awards," said GEICO President and CEO Tony Nicely. "Since 1980, we have been honored to salute the men and women who work on behalf of our country each day and who dedicate their time and talent to bettering their communities. It is a pleasure to celebrate this year's honorees as well as a 25-year history that is rich with such outstanding contributions."

Daryl Glover, GEICO's federal liaison for the Public Service Awards program, discussed the selection process. "Recipients were chosen through a worldwide selection process involving the federal government, nationally recognized experts in each of the four fields and other distinguished citizens."

"Award nominations came from federal departments, independent agencies and offices in the executive branch. Civil service employees making contributions in any of the designated fields were eligible. Nominations of retired federal employees making contributions in any of the four fields were submitted through the National Association of Retired Federal Employees."

For more information, readers may contact Glover at 301-986-2798 or dglover@geico.com.

A nomination committee screened all nominations. Its members included Maureen Kavalar, Vice President of Program and Provider Services, Easter Seals; Mike Faenza, President/CEO, National Mental Health Association; Delbert Feaster, Assistant Chief Mineral Volunteer Fire Department; Jim Williams, Chief of Police Staunton, Virginia Police Department.

A selection committee chose the winners from among the first committee's nominees. Selection committee members included Pam Haberstroh, Executive Director Community Health Charities of the Nation's Capital; John V. Moulden, President National Commission Against Drunk Driving; Richard Howell, Executive Director Baltimore Federal Executive Board.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fifth largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. It provides auto insurance coverage for more than 6 million policyholders and insures more than 10 million vehicles. GEICO uses television, radio, print media and direct mail to attract customers to call its 1-800-841-3000 number and to its http://www.geico.com/ Web site, and keeps its rates low by dealing directly with the customer. GEICO offers sales and claim services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com/.