Crawford & Company to Host Usher's New Look Foundation Workshop

ATLANTA, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Crawford & Company (NYSE: CRDA; CRDB), the world's largest independent provider of claims management solutions, on Thursday will host an Usher's New Look Foundation training workshop designed to teach young people how to identify their special talents and solve problems in their communities.

Established in 1999 by popular singer/songwriter and Atlanta-area resident Usher Raymond IV, the New Look Foundation trains and certifies youth in four leadership pillars – talent, education, career and service – to help them become successful leaders. The foundation has mentored more than 10,000 youth; according to its statistics, 98 percent who have been engaged in programs for two years or more successfully graduate high school on time and 99 percent of those students have gone on to college.

The "Powered by Service" training workshop is part of the foundation's World Leadership Conference, an annual gathering of certified New Look youth leaders hosted at Emory University. Youth from around the globe are attending the event and will participate in training and certifying more than 1,000 local students using a peer-to-peer model developed in partnership with the university's Goizueta Business School.

As one of 25 organizations in the metro Atlanta area participating in the event, Crawford will host 50 seventh- and eighth-grade students for the day-long workshop, and several company representatives will join the New Look youth leaders in the training sessions. Students will discuss the characteristics of great leaders, complete talent assessments, discuss solutions to a specific challenge, and learn how to write a grant. As part of the workshop, youth make a commitment to create and execute a "Powered by Service" project.

Those who successfully complete the training gain Local Leadership Certification, reflecting the development of critical thinking and communication and problem-solving skills, and become eligible to apply for a micro-grant to support implementation of their projects.

"We at Crawford are great believers in education and community involvement, and Usher's New Look Foundation has had a great deal of success in encouraging students to complete their educations and participate in the world around them in a positive way," said Allen W. Nelson, the company's general counsel and chief administrative officer, who will take part in the event. "We are delighted to host this workshop and are looking forwarding to interacting with the students as they prepare for their futures."

About Crawford
Based in Atlanta, Ga., Crawford & Company (www.crawfordandcompany.com) is the world's largest independent provider of claims management solutions to the risk management and insurance industry as well as self-insured entities, with an expansive global network serving clients in more than 70 countries. The Crawford System of Claims Solutions(SM) offers comprehensive, integrated claims services, business process outsourcing and consulting services for major product lines including property and casualty claims management, workers compensation claims and medical management, and legal settlement administration. The Company's shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbols CRDA and CRDB.

SOURCE Crawford & Company