Paul Isenberg Named 2012 Eagles Community Quarterback, Receives $50,000 for Great Guys Group, Inc.
Philadelphia Eagles and Teva Pharmaceuticals award $100,000 to this year’s ten impressive finalists
Philadelphia, PA (June 18, 2012) – Last Wednesday night, at Lincoln Financial Field, the Philadelphia Eagles and Teva Pharmaceuticals recognized 2012’s top ten Community Quarterback finalists. For the third year in a row, these organizations came together to celebrate some of the most dedicated and selfless volunteers in Philadelphia and its surrounding communities.
This year’s first place winner was Paul Isenberg of Great Guys Group, Inc., a non-profit organization Paul started at the suggestion of his late wife, Nicole. As Nicole battled with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, both she and Paul were always appreciative of the “great guys” that supported them within their circle of friends and family. At one point, Nicole suggested that she and Paul have these “great guys” over for dinner, which resulted in the first dinner of its kind. Over 100 “great guys” attended, and they were able to raise $13,000 for the American Cancer Society. This started an annual Great Guys Dinner that still remains a tradition today.
Sadly, in 2003, Nicole lost her battle with cancer at the age of 39. Paul struggled to address his financial obligations and care for their two young children, while mourning the loss of Nicole. When one of the men that had been coming to the Great Guys Dinner passed away from cancer shortly thereafter, leaving his wife struggling to cover his funeral expenses, Paul decided that there was an unmet need that he could help to address. This sparked the initiation of Great Guys Group, Inc.
Since 2008, Great Guys Group, Inc. has been able to directly pay bills for over 850 families battling cancer in our local community with over $960,000 in grant money. In addition to financial support, this incredible organization offers comfort and emotional support to individuals battling the devastating hardships of cancer. Paul currently serves as an unpaid volunteer and CEO of the Great Guys Group, Inc. In addition to providing support for this organization, Paul also maintains a full-time job at an investment firm.
Paul has since remarried a woman named Miriam Horrocks, who knows firsthand what it is like to deal with loss. Miriam is the widow of Michael Horrocks, the co-pilot of the hijacked plane that crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Today, Paul and Miriam live locally with their four children (two each from their previous marriages) and their four dogs.
At the ceremony, Paul was invited to the stage to receive his prize, which included a personalized Eagles jersey and an oversized $50,000 check from Eagles Safety, Colt Anderson, and the “Voice of the Philadelphia Eagles”, Merrill Reese. “I feel extremely humbled and blessed to have won tonight. The organization was started because of the outpouring our family received during Nicole’s illness. What we discovered was that many people aren’t fortunate enough to have support and we wanted Great Guys to be that support. We can’t make cancer go away, but we can lessen the financial burdens associated with it. These dollars will provide hope to local families battling cancer,” said Paul.
"Our annual Community Quarterback program is about honoring the inspirational individuals who contribute so much to our community and ask for so little in return," said Don Smolenski, Philadelphia Eagles president. "These humble volunteers are rarely recognized, and we are proud to put a spotlight on the amazing efforts of Paul and all of the Community Quarterback finalists."
At the ceremony, nine additional finalists were also recognized for their volunteerism and dedication to making a difference in our local community. Two runners up received $11,000 and seven additional finalists received $4,000 for the non-profit organizations they serve. Those finalists include:
- Runners-Up: ($11,000)
- Steve Grandizio of Philadelphia, PA – Little Smiles.
- Chris Turman of Philadelphia, PA – Pennsylvania School for the Deaf
- Finalists: ($4,000)
- Brandon Coney of Pine Hill, NJ – Boys & Girls Club of Camden County
- Abby Cowburn of Philadelphia, PA – Back On My Feet
- Lisa M. Filipczak & Vera Kramaroff of Jenkintown, PA – Access Sports
- David Gaffin of Beach Haven, NJ – Habitat for Humanity, Philadelphia
- Jennifer Leary of Philadelphia, PA – Red Paw Emergency Relief Team
- Novella Lyons of Philadelphia, PA – American Cancer Society
- Lisa Maiello of Philadelphia, PA – Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
“The men and women receiving these awards are truly remarkable individuals,” said Laurie Thibodeau, director of corporate responsibility for Teva Pharmaceuticals, “and we are proud to recognize and honor their outstanding work in our community.”
Teva Pharmaceuticals is the corporate sponsor for all of the Philadelphia Eagles community events and, has been able to provide monetary support for the Community Quarterback Awards, which now total $100,000, all donated to the winners’ associated non-profit organizations.
For more information on each of the finalists, read their biographies.
CONTACT:
Julie Hirshey, Eagles Denise Bradley, Teva Pharmaceuticals
(215) 320-5186 (215) 591-8974
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About Teva
Teva North America is a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceuticals Ltd. In North America, Teva has locations in 13 states, District of Columbia, Canada and Puerto Rico and more than 9,000 employees. In fact, one in every seven prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. is a Teva product.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA), headquartered in Israel, is a leading global pharmaceutical company, committed to providing consumers with access to high-quality healthcare by developing, producing and marketing affordable generic, innovative and specialty products, as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The Company is the largest maker of generic pharmaceutical products, has a global product portfolio of more than 1,300 molecules and a direct presence in about 60 countries. The branded businesses focus on CNS, oncology, pain, respiratory and women's health therapeutic areas as well as biologics.