CNA Donates Reading Office Building To I-LEAD Charter School

READING, Pa., Oct. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, CNA announced that it has donated its office building at 401 Penn Street, Reading, PA to the public charity I-LEAD for the use of its Charter School.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131001/NY89889 )

"For more than a century, CNA has taken pride in measuring its success not only by its business results, but by its strong commitment to the communities where its employees live and work," said Bob McCarty, Mid-Atlantic Zone Officer. "Donating this building for the use of I-LEAD Charter School demonstrates our ongoing connection to the city of Reading, and our continued support in helping revitalize its downtown."

The five story, 260,000 square foot office building was constructed in 1981 for CNA. The building includes multiple conference and training rooms and data center.

"The new building will help us reduce operating costs while expanding services, allowing I-LEAD to focus on its primary mission – education. I-LEAD will be able to create a positive learning environment for our students with room for growth, while strengthening our role as a strong community resource advancing the full spectrum of Reading's revitalization efforts," said David Castro, President and CEO, I-LEAD.

Work to convert the office building into its new school environment will begin later this year with plans to begin serving students at the new location during the third quarter of 2014.

CNA will remain a tenant in the building until the lease on its new office space is finalized.  "Our intent is to lease space in Wyomissing that will better meet our business needs, and we anticipate this taking place sometime during spring of 2014," added McCarty.

Awarded a highly competitive U.S. Department of Education Charter School Planning Grant in 2012, I-LEAD first opened its doors to high school students in September, 2011.  I-LEAD's mission goes beyond its Charter School; it has provided a wide scope of higher education, workforce development and public health programs throughout the region since it was founded in 1995. I-LEAD Charter High School is Berks County's first and only public charter school.

Serving businesses and professionals since 1897, CNA is the country's seventh largest commercial insurance writer and the 13th largest property and casualty company.  CNA's insurance products include standard commercial lines, specialty lines, surety, marine and other property and casualty coverages.  CNA's services include risk management, information services, underwriting, risk control and claims administration.  For more information, please visit CNA at www.cna.com. "CNA" is a service mark registered by CNA Financial Corporation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Certain CNA Financial Corporation subsidiaries use the "CNA" service mark in connection with insurance underwriting and claims activities.

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CONTACT:
Jennifer Martinez, 312-822-5167
Sarah Pang, 312-822-6394

SOURCE CNA Financial Corporation

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