GEICO Names Public Service Award Winners for Their Outstanding Community Leadership

WASHINGTON, March 22 -- GEICO Senior Vice President William Roberts will lead the recognition ceremony for the five winners of the company's Public Service Awards for 2005 on Monday, April 10, 6:30 p.m., at the Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, D.C.

This is the 26th year that the company has honored federal employees for their outstanding contributions to their communities in the fields of substance abuse prevention and treatment, fire prevention and safety, physical rehabilitation, and traffic safety and accident prevention.

  GEICO's 2005 Public Service Award honorees are:

  * Carol Cortino, a retired senior administrative assistant for the
    National Park Service, Department of Interior, for her work in physical
    rehabilitation.

  * Lusi Rodriguez-Moore, occupational safety and health specialist for the
    Department of the Navy, Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Va., for her
    work in traffic safety and accident prevention.

  * John Velker, director of the Substance Abuse Counseling Center
    Department of the Navy, Marine Corps Community Services in Okinawa,
    Japan, for his work in substance abuse prevention and treatment.

  * Jason L. Sexton, supervisor, Aircraft Ordinance Systems, Department of
    the Air Force, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., for his work in fire
    safety.

  * John Van de Vaarst, recently retired director, Facilities Management and
    Operations Division, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Department
    of Agriculture, for his work in physical rehabilitation.

The five winners will each receive a $2,500 cash award, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. and a commemorative plaque at the recognition ceremony.

"We are proud of these federal employees," said Nicely, "and the work they do to make all of our lives safer and more rewarding. We have gathered every year since 1980 to honor the men and women who work on behalf of our country each day and who dedicate their time and talent to bettering their communities. We are delighted to get to know these five Public Service Award winners and to personally congratulate them."

Daryl Glover, GEICO's senior federal liaison for the Public Service Awards program, discussed the selection process. "Recipients are chosen through a worldwide selection process involving the federal government, nationally recognized experts in each of the four fields and other distinguished citizens. Federal departments, independent agencies and offices in the executive branch submit nominations, and all civil service employees making contributions in any of the designated fields are eligible. Nominations of retired federal employees are submitted through the National Active and Retired Federal Employees."

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

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fourth largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. It provides auto insurance coverage for more than 7 million policyholders and insures more than 11 million vehicles. GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies. GEICO provides consumers with sales, service and claims capabilities on its geico.com Web site. Consumers may also contact the company at its toll free 1-800-841-3000 number. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com/.