May 8, 2019
Community
New field in East Austin to provide Club youth with Boys & Girls Club of the Austin Area with a safe place to learn, play and compete
Austin, TX - The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and Group1001 today joined the Boys & Girls Club of the Austin Area (BGCAA) to unveil a multisport playing field on BGCAA’s Home Club on the Sheth Family Campus that will provide youth who need us most in East Austin with a safe place to learn, play and compete.
Speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony included Cal Ripken, Jr., Baseball Hall of Famer and Ripken Foundation vice-chairman; Misti Potter, CEO of BGCAA; Michael Carroll, Chairman of Don Ross Nabb Productions and Steve Salem, president and CEO of the Ripken Foundation.
“Today is an exciting day for the kids and local Austin community, which is why we’re so proud to be a part of this special project,” said Ripken. “Thanks to the incredible support of Dan Towriss and Group1001, the Boys & Girls Club and the Sheth family, a new generation will benefit from the positive impact of sports both on the field and in the game of life.”
Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Fields at BGCAA’s Home Club was made possible thanks in part to a generous $5 million donation to the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation from Towriss and Group1001, used to build a total of ten Youth Development Parks over five years in 10 cities across the country. Each field will receive funding from Group1001 and will support the Ripken Foundation’s MLB RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner City) partnership, designed to provide baseball and softball league-play for underserved youth, as well as other youth serving organizations.
“Our commitment to making a meaningful impact and empowering local communities remains central to our mission,” said Dan Towriss. “We are grateful to help bring this field to life and enhance the positive experience that the kids of Austin will be proud to call home for many years to come.”
The multisport playing field is lined for youth baseball/softball and soccer. The facility includes a synthetic turf baseball infield and natural grass outfield and soccer field. It is complete with a digital scoreboard, backstop, dugouts and fencing. BGCAA will manage and maintain the field and work closely with the Ripken Foundation to create programs to engage at-risk young people. The programs will address a variety of youth development needs, which include character development, health and physical education, and culture and history.
Don Ross Nabb Productions, a national special-event-centered company with over 40 years of event production and planning behind them, also stepped up to the plate to provide support for the youth baseball programs that will be hosted at BGCAA’s Home Club and played on the fields built by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation.
“Athletics play an important role in the lives of Boys & Girls Club youth. The lessons they learn on the field are important in helping these kids build great futures beyond it, among them team work, integrity and the importance of having a healthy lifestyle,” said Potter. “We are truly honored and grateful to the Ripken Foundation, Group1001 and Don Ross Nabb Productions for their generosity in making this multisport field possible—for creating this wonderful amenity and for supporting valuable programming for our Club kids and the surrounding community.”
Established in Austin in 1967, BGCAA is the city’s leading out-of-school time youth development agency, currently serving more than 8,200 registered members and engaging more than 12,700 children annually ages 6 to 18 at 35 locations in Travis and Bastrop Counties, including the Home Club on the Sheth Family Campus. BGCAA’s programs fill kids’ empty, unsupervised hours with academic support, leadership and healthy living skills, meals, physical activity, positive adult role models and social connections with peers—giving them a place to belong, succeed and develop essential skills to thrive in school, work and life. On average, Boys & Girls Club youth have higher school attendance, grades, graduation rates and college enrollment than their peers.
To date, the Ripken Foundation has completed 84 multipurpose synthetic turf Youth Development Parks in 22 states and Washington D.C., including four completed parks throughout the state of Texas.
About the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation
For the last 18 years, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation has worked tirelessly to implement youth development programs and create parks that directly address the problems facing at-risk youth in distressed communities across the country. Inspired by one of the most iconic baseball families, the Ripkens created the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to honor the legacy of its family patriarch, longtime coach, and mentor, Cal Ripken, Sr. The Ripken Foundation uses sports-themed activities to bring police officers, youth partners and underserved kids ages 9 – 14 together on a level playing field to learn invaluable life skills.
The Ripken Foundation’s Youth Development Park Initiative creates clean, safe places for kids to play on multipurpose, synthetic surface fields that promote healthy living in an outdoor recreational facility. Since 2009, the Ripken Foundation has 84 completed parks across the country in 22 states. In 2018, the Ripken Foundation impacted over 1.5 million kids nationwide through its Youth Development Park and mentor programs. For more information, visit WWW.RIPKENFOUNDATION.ORG. Follow @CalRipkenSrFdn on FACEBOOK, TWITTER and INSTAGRAM.
About Group1001
Group1001 is a customer-centric insurance holding company with combined assets under management of approximately $36 billion as of September 30, 2018. We are reimagining the insurance industry experience in ways that empower people financially and help them live better lives. Our mission as a group is to make insurance more useful, intuitive and accessible so everyone can get the most value from their money.
Group1001 believes education and sports have the power to transform communities. We partner with Fields & Futures and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation to revitalize sports fields in communities across the country, to provide safe and nurturing spaces for young people in the communities we serve. Group1001 also sponsors the POWER OF SPORTS, which celebrates powerful stories of people and organizations connecting through sports while driving positive social change for children and communities across the U.S.
For more information about Group1001, please visit us at GROUP1001.COM.
About Don Ross Nabb Production Companies
Don Ross Nabb Production Companies (DRN, Inc.) is a national special-event-centered company with over 40 years of event production and planning experience. Maintaining a prop-and-décor warehouse, DRN, Inc. offers event rentals, destination-management services, convention design, full-service catering, on- and off-site event venues and show business studios for TV and movie set design and production. The company also recently expanded into full-service restaurants and cigar lounges across the country. DRN, Inc. is dedicated to supporting youth, helping them develop their leadership skills through the fields of hospitality and service. All branches of DRN, Inc. maintain an emphasis on teamwork, believing that sports give youth opportunities to hone their individual and team skills, which in turn teach them how to be leaders and empower them to become the next generation of entrepreneurs. For more information, visit SHOWBUSINESSSTUDIOS.COM.
Contact
Group1001: LOUISE THACH
Aug 18, 2025
Corporate
Delaware Life Insurance Company, a Group 1001 company, announces Barron’s has included the Accelerator Prime® Variable Annuity (“APVA”) in their “100 Best Annuities” annual list, marking APVA’s sixth consecutive appearance in the list. APVA was recognized for its income guarantees in the categories of both Single Life and Joint Life. “We are honored to be included in Barron’s best annuities list for the sixth straight year. This achievement underscores the strength of our company and our commitm...
Aug 8, 2025
Corporate
By Dale Uthoff, Chief Product Officer, and Jason Newkirk, Vice President, Hedging and Quantitative SolutionsRegistered Index-Linked Annuities (RILAs) have seen rapid growth and have gained popularity with investors who want the potential for market growth—but with some level of protection if the market goes down. While this sounds like a great deal, the investor experience is a bit more complicated, and the “upside” may not always be as high as it first appears.What is a RILA?A RILA is a type of...
Aug 7, 2025
Corporate
Group 1001 Insurance, a leading financial services company, today announced the promotion of Linda Wang to President of its Life & Annuity business unit. In addition to this new role, Wang will continue to serve as Chief Financial Officer of Group 1001 Insurance, maintaining oversight of the company’s financial strategy and performance.Over the past several years, Wang has led with strategic vision, financial discipline, and operational excellence. As President of the Life & Annuity busi...
Jul 29, 2025
Corporate
Delaware Life Insurance Company, a Group 1001 company, has been named as a 2025 Ward’s 50 L&H Top Performer for the sixth consecutive year. “It’s a privilege to once again be recognized by the Ward Group as a top performer,” said Group 1001 President and CEO Dan Towriss. “This achievement reflects the commitment of our team, the strength of our company, and the lasting value we provide our policyholders.” Annually, the Ward Group analyzes the financial performance of nearly 700 life-health i...
Jul 22, 2025
Corporate
By Daniel Getler, Vice President of Index and Fund SolutionsFixed indexed annuities (FIAs) have become a popular tool for those seeking both protection and market-linked growth in retirement. Many FIAs today include volatility-controlled indexes, a feature that has drawn interest but also criticism. While past performance of these indexes has not always met expectations, the purpose of volatility control is often misunderstood. Understanding FIAsA FIA is a retirement savings product that offers ...
Jul 9, 2025
Corporate
Group 1001 Insurance, a leading financial services company, today announced the promotion of Michael Bloom to Chief Legal Officer. Bloom will continue to serve as Chief Legal Officer and Secretary for Delaware Life Insurance Company, the group’s flagship company. In his new role, Bloom will have direct oversight for all legal and compliance matters for Group 1001’s Life & Annuity business unit, as well as responsibility for all shared legal services and governmental affairs for the group. He...
Jul 9, 2025
Corporate
This summer, we partnered with FairWays to Leadership, a program designed to provide college students with leadership training opportunities through the game of golf. FairWays to Leadership was co-founded in 2020 by Dr. Eric Boyd, an Associate Professor of Marketing at the College of Business, University of Central Florida, and Anna Alvarez Boyd, an executive coach with more than 30 years of experience as a leader in the private and public sectors. The duo is dedicated to creating opportunities ...
Jun 17, 2025
Corporate
Delaware Life Insurance Company (“Delaware Life”), a Group 1001 company, announced today the launch of Target Income Choice™, a new fixed index annuity (FIA) available through the bank and broker-dealer channels. It provides a combination of guaranteed lifetime income, growth potential, and downside protection to further protect customers from rising inflation and market volatility. Target Income Choice™, an enhanced version of one of Delaware Life’s core FIAs, Target Income 10®, empowers custom...
May 22, 2025
Sponsorship
Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, is the recipient of Sports Business Journal’s (SBJ) 2025 Sports Business Awards’ Brand Activation of the Year for Gainbridge® x Caitlin Clark at The ANNIKA LPGA.SBJ’s Brand Activation of the Year award goes to brands that excel in developing a creative strategy and execution to bring their ideas to life through branding, creative, experiential marketing, hospitality, or other activations in sports to engage with fans/consumers. Gainbridge’s activation involved ...
May 14, 2025
Community
Sponsorship
For the second consecutive year, Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, is joining forces with Parity, the premier platform for professional women athlete partnerships, and the Women’s Sports Foundation® (WSF) for a grant program that supports girls and women through sports and education.As part of the Gainbridge® Assists Powered by Parity, $222,000 will be awarded to organizations and athletes nationwide. A minimum of $5,000 will be awarded to each selected organization, with one standout recipient...
May 7, 2025
Corporate
By Ian Laverty, Vice President of Product Strategy, Group 1001When the economy is as unpredictable as it is now, individuals often look for ways to protect their assets from market volatility, especially when in or approaching retirement. Annuities are products specifically suited to providing this protection, offering a unique mix of stability, predictability, and potential for growth. Now is a great time to explore how annuities can help you navigate a volatile market while securing your savin...
May 1, 2025
Corporate
Coalesce, an AI-powered data transformation and governance company, named Gu Xie, Head of Data Engineering at Group 1001, the Greatest of All Transformers (GOAT) of the Year. This honor is awarded to an individual who leads the way in innovation while upholding best practices in data engineering and data operations to ensure long-term success.Xie’s work exemplifies leadership in building future-ready data infrastructure, streamlining operations, and driving long-term strategic success across the...
Apr 22, 2025
Sponsorship
Groundbreaking Multi-Year Agreement Introduces the Gainbridge Super League, Marking a Major Milestone for Women’s SportsThe United Soccer League (USL) and Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, today announced a historic, long-term partnership, making Gainbridge® the first-ever entitlement partner of a professional soccer league in the United States. As part of a multi-year agreement, Gainbridge® will become the Official Partner and Exclusive Financial Services Partner of the newly named Gainbridge ...
Apr 8, 2025
Sponsorship
Scurry to use her platform to provide more opportunities for women and youth soccer players, empower women to achieve financial goalsGainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, today announced a multi-year partnership with Hall of Fame soccer goalkeeper Briana Scurry to serve as a brand ambassador for the company. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, World Cup Champion, and trailblazer in women’s sports, Scurry will partner with Gainbridge® to provide more opportunities for women and youth soccer players, h...
Apr 6, 2025
Corporate
Get to know some of the leaders at Group 1001. Meet Jacqueline MacKinnon, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Real Estate. As Assistant Vice President, Corporate Real Estate, Jacqueline oversees Group 1001’s portfolio of owned and leased properties, including site selection and planning, design and construction, facilities management, and physical security. She has more than 20 years of experience in commercial property management and all aspects of corporate real estate. Jacqueline holds a busi...
Mar 27, 2025
Corporate
Get to know some of the leaders at Group 1001. Liz Dorrance, Vice President, Strategic Marketing. Liz is a seasoned marketing leader with over 20 years of experience in building and supporting brands through strategic digital and content marketing. As Vice President of Strategic Marketing at Group 1001, she has successfully aligned marketing strategies to drive sales, engage audiences, and enhance brand awareness. Liz began her career in advertising agencies, working with major brands such as P&...
Mar 25, 2025
Corporate
Get to know some of the leaders at Group 1001. Meet Santiago Jeyaseelan, Vice President of Product Management.As the Vice President of Product Management at Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, Santiago oversees tech product development for D2C and B2B platforms and the overall platform strategy. He is an experienced product leader with a proven track record of building engaging products and platforms across both B2B and D2C distribution models at scale. He has driven rapid growth for retail banks...
Mar 24, 2025
Corporate
Get to know some of the leaders at Group 1001. Meet Christopher Brew, Chief Claims Officer.Christopher is a claims, operations, and consulting executive with over 35 years of experience in the property and casualty insurance industry. As the Chief Claims Officer for Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group and a member of the executive leadership team, Christopher is responsible for claims management across the four Clear Spring Property and Casualty companies. Chris graduated from St. Joseph...
Mar 21, 2025
Corporate
Get to know some of the leaders at Group 1001. Meet Stephanie Weiss, Assistant Vice President and Senior Counsel, Corporate Governance and Regulatory. Stephanie is an experienced legal professional, having spent the past 16 years specializing in governance, regulatory, and corporate secretarial matters for financial institutions. As a leader in Group 1001’s Legal department, Stephanie ensures compliance and best practices across the organization. Stephanie holds a J.D. from Indiana University Ro...
Mar 19, 2025
Corporate
Get to know some of the leaders at Group 1001. Meet Joshua Nissley, Vice President, Financial Planning and Business Intelligence.As Vice President, Financial Planning and Business Intelligence, Joshua leads Financial Planning and Analysis for Group 1001’s Life & Annuity business and reports to the CFO. His team's responsibilities include preparing the annual business plan and monthly management reporting of financials and KPIs. Joshua has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Cedar...
Mar 18, 2025
Corporate
Get to know some of the leaders at Group 1001. Meet Daniel Getler, Vice President, Index and Fund Solutions.As Vice President, Index and Fund Solutions, Daniel leads initiatives related to the indexes and funds that underlie our annuity offerings. He has over 15 years of experience in investments, specializing in quantitative investing across active and passive strategies. Before joining Group 1001, he worked on custom index design at Invesco, led quantitative research on ESG investing at Arabes...
Mar 3, 2025
Work Life
Group 1001 proudly celebrates Women’s History Month, recognizing women's invaluable contributions throughout American history. For the second year in a row, we kicked off Women’s History Month at the racetrack. We featured 800+ women employee names on the NTT IndyCar Series No. 26 Gainbridge® Honda driven by Colton Herta of Andretti Global and the NASCAR Cup Series No. 7 car driven by Justin Haley of Spire Motorsports. Also, the names of a select group of women in financial services with Del...
Feb 6, 2025
Work Life
Black History Month is an annual celebration of African Americans' achievements and a time to recognize their central role in U.S. history. At Group 1001, we foster a culture where diversity is actively sought and inclusion is embedded in our work. Hear from our employees about what Black History Month means to them:"Black History Month is a time to reflect and pay homage to all the great men and women who fought and died in the pursuit of freedom from slavery, colonization, racism, and...
Jan 14, 2025
Corporate
Delaware Life Insurance Company, a Group 1001 company, announces three new innovative fixed index annuities (FIAs) – Momentum Growth™, Momentum Growth Plus™, and DualTrack Income™. These FIAs offer investors all the features and benefits of a traditional FIA with the flexibility to control and customize their risk while helping capitalize on positive equity markets to help them reach their retirement goals faster. They are available exclusively through Independent Marketing Organizations (IMOs)....
Dec 11, 2024
Corporate
Delaware Life Insurance Company (“Delaware Life”), a Group 1001 Insurance company, today announced that S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) has upgraded its issuer credit and financial strength rating from BBB+ to A- with a stable outlook.Delaware Life’s upgraded S&P rating was assigned based on several factors cited by S&P, including the company’s strong capital, diversified distribution channels and wholesaler distribution model, as well as its strong operating performance. Please refer...
Nov 18, 2024
Sponsorship
The final Parity Week by Gainbridge® grant for 2024 was announced Tuesday, November 12 at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. Group 1001 President and CEO Dan Towriss presented Gainbridge® ambassador Caitlin Clark with the 22nd grant for $22,000 to the Caitlin Clark Foundation. “Aligning with Caitlin’s foundation is a way to make a positive impact and create a better tomorrow for women and girls in sports and education,” said Towriss. “Caitlin is not only a leader for young girls compet...
Nov 15, 2024
Corporate
This week, employees attended the Nasdaq Closing Bell to celebrate the recent launch of Delaware Life's select Fixed Indexed Annuity products featuring the innovative Nasdaq-100 Volatility Control 12%™ Index. We are proud to be a Nasdaq partner. Learn more about how our annuities can help you power your retirement savings here.
Nov 7, 2024
Corporate
Group 1001, a leading financial services company, announces Tony Marichal as Vice President of Annuity Operations of Group 1001 Life & Annuity.Reporting to Chief Operating Officer Martin Woll, Marichal oversees the annuity operations for two Group 1001 companies, Delaware Life Insurance Company and Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company. He is responsible for creating efficiencies across operations, building effective training and development plans, and ensuring the customer experience is a d...
Oct 31, 2024
Corporate
Group 1001 and Franklin Skills PartnershipOne year ago, Group 1001 and Franklin Skills (formerly Franklin Apprenticeship) partnered to launch Group 1001’s first apprenticeship program. This program provides employees with on-the-job tech training under the supervision of skilled IT managers and mentors and customized instruction that aligns directly with their jobs. Working with Franklin Skills, Group 1001 tailored the program to address the unique needs of both the company and the apprentices. ...
Oct 21, 2024
Corporate
Gainbridge®, through its Group 1001 affiliate, announced today a partnership with RetireOne, the leading independent platform in the annuity marketplace for registered investment advisors (RIAs). RetireOne, an outsourced insurance desk, provides RIAs and their customers valuable solutions that are simple to use, easy to understand, and delivered with outstanding service. RIAs now have platform access to two of Gainbridge®’s high-yield multi-year guaranteed annuity (MYGA) products – FastBreak™1 a...
Oct 7, 2024
Corporate
Group 1001 announces that Dan Healy has been appointed the Chief Risk Officer, Group 1001, and Mark McCallister has been promoted and will succeed Dan as Chief Internal Audit Officer. Healy has been with Group 1001 for more than nine years and has been acting as the interim Chief Risk Officer for the Life & Annuity business unit for the past several months. He consistently demonstrates exceptional leadership and a deep understanding of our risk management process. In his new role, he will ov...
Sep 5, 2024
Community
On June 11, 2024, we launched our second annual 1001 Hours of Impact with a wall build for Habitat for Humanity of Boone County. Since then, more than 350 employees in 12 states and 19 cities volunteered their time and talents. In less than 12 weeks, we surpassed our goal of 1,001 hours and secured 1,600+ volunteer hours.From packing and distributing 270 backpacks, to rebuilding a gym for 1,460 high school and middle school students, helping distribute 34,342 meals, building 130 bikes, caring fo...
Sep 4, 2024
Sponsorship
Gainbridge®, Parity, and the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF®) announce the recipients of grants for “Parity Week by Gainbridge®:Investing in the Future of Women’s Sports.” This year, $172,000 in grants is being awarded to 22 deserving organizations and athletes that support girls and women through sports and/or education.Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, and its sister company Parity, a brand sponsorship platform committed to closing the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports,...