Awards, Scholarships And National Kroll Internship Program Announced At Second Annual NLEAFCF Hero Awards Gala

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Law Enforcement and Firefighters Children's Foundation (NLEAFCF) tonight will host its second annual Hero Awards Gala at the Edison Ballroom in New York City.  During the event, the NLEAFCF will honor Emanuele A. Conti CEO of Kroll with the Corporate Hero of the Year Award and NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton with the Public Service Hero of the Year Award.  In addition, Kroll will announce the first class of its new nationwide internship program available to NLEAFCF scholarship winners.

Hosting the gala are actors Tracie Thoms (Emcee – Cold Case, Annie) and Molly Price (Auctioneer – The Knick, Third Watch). Both actors have entertained and moved millions of people with their performances, including iconic portrayals of first responders and others who protect and serve their fellow citizens.

As part of the night's events, Jason Shandler will be presented with the First Annual Vincent Bennett Memorial Scholarship, a $20,000 award for his studies at Cornell University, where he is focusing on Biological Sciences.

Jason's father was a member of the NYPD who was permanently disabled in the line of duty.  Due to financial hardships, the family moved from the NY Metro area to the suburbs of Syracuse.  This exceptional young man has dedicated himself to public service in his community while at the same time achieving perfect grades throughout high school.

At the gala, NLEAFCF will present the Corporate Hero Award to Emanuele A. Conti, CEO Kroll, Inc. and the Public Service Hero Award to New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton.  These awards honor distinguished individuals and corporations whose work supports the efforts of our nation's first responders. 

Upon receiving his award as Corporate Hero of the Year, Emanuele Conti will announce Kroll's new internship program, which identifies and pairs young, ambitious professionals with renowned industry mentors to help foster the talents and curiosity of tomorrow's business leaders.  The internship program provides hands-on experiences with real-life cases that showcase Kroll's tested investigative methodology.  Kroll is offering these internships to select NLEAFCF scholarship recipients beginning in the summer of 2015.

NLEAFCF interns will be paid a stipend and will also be paired with an executive mentor who will ensure that they are gaining valuable experiences that will advance their career and help differentiate them in their chosen field of work.

The first class of NLEAFCF / Kroll Interns includes Courtney Rimsky of Forney, Texas and Bridget Hanley of East Islip, New York.

Also attending the Gala will be FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro, FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos as well as dozens of uniformed personnel.

Created in the aftermath of 9/11 by Founder and President Alfred Kahn, the National Law Enforcement and Firefighters Children's Foundation (NLEAFCF) is dedicated to helping the children of law enforcement officers and firefighters lost or permanently disabled in the line of duty.  When the ultimate sacrifice has been made by a first responder, the Foundation believes it is our responsibility as a society to ensure that their children achieve their full potential as active citizens and thriving members of the community.   Through grants, college scholarships and family-friendly events, the NLEAFCF serves the needs of these children across the country regardless of how long ago or how recent their loss.  The Foundation's long-term commitment is a promise to the people who defend and protect us, a major investment in our nation's future and in tomorrow's heroes.

About the Vincent Bennett Memorial Scholarship

Vincent Bennett was a Manager for Cisco Systems in Iselin, N.J. for 15 years, and an integral member of the NLEAFCF's inaugural Hero Awards Gala committee. The gala was near and dear to Vince's heart as he came from a family of first responders. He was a member of the National Sheriffs Association and an associate member of the International Association of the Chiefs of Police.  He died suddenly just days before last year's gala.

About Kroll

Kroll is the leading global provider of risk solutions, helping clients prevent, respond to and remediate risk, leveraging 40 years of expertise in screening, investigations & intelligence, analytics, and data management.  Headquartered in New York with 55 offices across 26 countries, Kroll has a multidisciplinary team of nearly 2,300 employees.

For more information on the NLEAFCF visit http://nleafcf.org/; connect with us on Twitter https://twitter.com/nleafcf; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/NLEAFCF; Instagram http://instagram.com/nleafcf/; Tumblr http://nleafcf.tumblr.com/

SOURCE The National Law Enforcement and Firefighters Children’s Foundation