In today's world, corporate reputation and strategic philanthropy go hand in hand. But Jeff Comment, CEO of Helzberg Diamonds, isn't looking for tax breaks or corporate handshakes this holiday season. He's eating milk and cookies.
Each year since 1996, Comment has donned a Santa suit and embarked on a three-week, company-sponsored road tour to visit hospitalized kits around the country.
This year's tour, known as "Santa's Gift," will take him to 10 pediatric hospitals in five U.S. cities, where he'll distribute teddy bears to more than 3,000 kids.
"For a long time, I wrote checks and served on boards," he says. "But it was only after I put on the red suit and reached out to kids in need that I really began to understand philanthropy."
Comment's concept may be hokey, but it's catching on. This year nine executives from General Electric are jumping on the bandwagon (er, sleigh, that is) and launching similar tours of their own.
(Helzberg, 847/784-8520)