
The Trusted Adviser | November 2009 | Volume 2 - Number 7 |
IN THE NEWS | ATG and Retiring Board Member Donate to Red Cross
James J. Elson (retired ATG Board Member, former Chairman) of Canton, Illinois, has done many things for his community in his lifetime. Recently he helped preserve a little piece of American history.
The local home for the Fulton-Schuyler County Chapter of the American Red Cross, constructed as a family home shortly after WWII, needed substantial repair after a spring storm destroyed its roof and portions of the interior. Elson allocated what would have been a $1,500 retirement gift from Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. (ATG) toward the repair costs.
Canton attorney James J. Elson (second from left) allocated a retirement gift from Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. (ATG) toward the repair costs of the American Red Cross building on Second Street in Canton. Shown here are Mary Beth McCarthy from ATG; James Elson; Nancy Bentley (Director, American Red Cross, Fulton-Schuyler County); and Jerry Gorman, also from ATG. Elson served on the ATG Board of Directors from 1970 through is recent retirement; ATG made the $1,500 donation in Elson's name. |
The ATG donation in Elson's name was recently presented to local Red Cross director Nancy Bentley, Friday, September 11, with representatives from ATG present. Jim was a founding member of ATG (became a shareholder in 1964 when the company began), and served on its board from 1970 - 2008. "I'm honored to make a contribution. The Red Cross does important work for our community, and its building isone of a kindin Canton; in fact, only a handful of these remain in Illinois," Elson remarked at a recent gathering.
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. Families in the Canton area received assistance from the Red Cross after their homes were damaged from the same powerful storm that peeled the steel shingles from the local facility's 59-year-old roof.
Elson's firm, with Jim's son James Elson as managing partner, is still an active ATG member today. The elder Elson's service to ATG included a term as chairman in the 1970s, plus many committee positions. A prominent attorney not just in Canton but statewide through his many roles within the local bar and the Illinois State Bar Association, Jim has been a tireless advocate of ATG and its founding principles, which include consumer advocacy and the importance of legal representation when buying or selling a home. His contributions to ATG over the years have been many, but he is perhaps best known for his early work in designing its first logo and several print advertisement campaigns. "Jim's efforts made a major contribution toward building name recognition and acceptance among lawyers in all corners of Illinois. We are grateful to Jim for his many years of service and support," ATG President, Peter J. Birnbaum. In addition to the donation, ATG representatives presented Elson with a crystal bowl, personalized with his name and dates of service.
No strangers to community service and charitable works, Jim and his wife Nancy have served in many capacities in the community and continue this service today. They are the parents of five adult children (son James and his wife Alice reside in Canton) and have twelve grandchildren.
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ATG Senior Vice President Jerry Gorman (right) presents attorney James Elson of Canton with an etched crystal "Celebration Bowl" to mark Elson's retirement from the ATG Board of Directors, a where he served for 38 years while practicing law in Canton. |
Attorney Jim Elson designed ATG's first logo and drew its first display ads in the mid 1960s. At its 30-year celebration in 1994, the company honored this specific contribution and presented Jim with a framed keepsake featuring his renderings. |
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THE TRUSTED ADVISER is published by Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., P.O. Box 9136, Champaign, IL 61826-9136. Inquiries may be made directly to Mary Beth McCarthy, Corporate Communications Manager. ATG®, ATG® plus logo, are marks of Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc. and are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The contents of the The Trusted Adviser © Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc.
[Last update: 11-11-09]
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