CGI Windows & Doors Rewards Four Florida Heroes and Kicks off Statewide Voting Campaign
MIAMI–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Hialeah-based CGI Windows & Doors, part of the PGT Innovations family of brands, recently selected four standout individuals from across Florida to be awarded with a $1,000 cash prize as part of its “CGI Heroes: Celebrating Strength” contest. The annual event recognizes Florida residents who have gone above and beyond to help others. This year, a second round was added to the contest to select a grand prize winner from the four initial winners. The grand prize winner will receive an additional cash prize of $5,000.
Tori Mason, Janet Woods, Bethany Keime, and Drew Rogers were all nominated and selected as statewide finalists for their commitment to assisting others. Giving back to the community has always been part of the company culture at CGI Windows & Doors. That philosophy fueled the launch of the inaugural CGI Heroes contest in 2020 and its expansion to a statewide contest in 2021.
Mason is a school resource officer with the Okaloosa Sheriff’s Office in the Destin/Fort Walton Beach area. The law enforcement officer is passionate about helping kids and serving others. She is a single mom who dedicates her time to serving on the Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, instructs at the Teen Driver Challenge Program, and recently launched a fellowship of Christian Police Officers. Mason is known for going above and beyond to assist students at whatever school she is assigned to and creating safe learning environments and positive interactions between herself and students. She regularly fundraises for families in need and can always be found helping her fellow officers or community members.
Woods is a dedicated volunteer with the 9463 Foundation and South Florida Rest, organizations that support first responders in Florida. She’s been making personalized quilts and hand delivering them to families of fallen officers in conjunction with the 9463 Foundation as a volunteer for close to ten years. “I don’t think there’s a quilt I make that doesn’t have a teardrop on it,” she says. A retired legal secretary, she moved to Florida ten years ago and ever since she has been volunteering at the foundation and also with South Florida Rest (aka Canteen), an organization that hydrates firefighters and police officers while on call at emergency scenes. “We bring water, Gatorade, snacks and food to first responders who are at the scene of an accident, a fire, a SWAT call or wherever they need us,” she says. When she’s not making quilts or helping hydrate first responders, she’s sewing masks. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, she has made more than 9,300 masks and donated them to police and fire agencies, hospitals and others all over the country with patriotic or specific meaningful fabrics.
Keime is a self-proclaimed heart warrior from Cutler Bay. At 17 years of age, the Florida native was a senior in high school with a promising dance career and her whole life in front of her, when she was diagnosed with the number one killer on school campuses and leading killer of student athletes: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Her life changed forever when she fatefully learned that hers would be a lifetime of medication, testing, and treatments, including having a defibrillator implanted into her chest. Seven years later, she came to terms with the diagnosis and decided to do something positive about it. She launched the HeartCharged Instagram page to spread awareness, built her own website, and created her own 501C-3 nonprofit, HeartCharged. She puts on community heart screenings, donates defibrillators, and speaks at schools. And she’s even helping to change the law. “We just got a law passed in Florida to get CPR and AED training for high school students, which can prevent death from sudden cardiac arrest,” Keime says. “Next year, we’re working on getting heart screenings for all kids in Florida. Many heart conditions have no recognizable symptoms. With screenings, deaths can be prevented.”
Rogers is the Operations Fire Chief at Marion County Fire Rescue (MCFR) in Ocala. A firefighter for 20 years, he’s made it his mission to inspire and mentor others who may be headed down the wrong path. “I joined the fire service from a little bit of shaky background,” Rogers says. “I wasn’t sure where I was going in life and at times, like a lot of kids, I made some bad choices, but becoming a firefighter changed my life, and I want to do that for others.” He’s been instrumental in operating the mentorship program at MCFR; he secured funding and support to build a 7,000 square foot gym to help cadets stay fit to pass their physical ability tests and for his crew to stay mentally and physically fit; and he works tirelessly with students at the fire career academy to help them find a career path they can stay on for life. “A lot of our chiefs are great at many things – analytics, spreadsheets, powerpoint presentations. For me, the biggest thing I am good at and enjoy the most is building a culture of wellness and community to support our firefighter family in whatever ways possible.”
CGI Windows & Doors accepted nominations from April 6 through April 22 and four winners were selected by the CGI team. The grand prize winner will be selected through an online voting campaign beginning May 13 and ending on May 28. To learn more about the individual contest winners, and to vote for the grand prize winner, visit cgiwindows.com/heroes. The grand prize winner will be announced on June 1 on CGI’s social media channels.
“These four Florida residents represent the definition of a community hero,” said Bob Keller, President of the Southeast Business Unit for PGT Innovations. “Their clear dedication to servant leadership, generosity, and compassion made them stand out among hundreds nominated across the state. Our team is honored to highlight their accomplishments and recognize them for the ways they are serving their communities.”
To read more in-depth stories about each finalist and to vote for the grand prize winner, visit cgiwindows.com/heroes.
About CGI Windows & Doors
CGI® Windows & Doors, part of the PGT Innovations family of brands, was established in 1992. CGI Windows & Doors has consistently built a reputation based on designing and manufacturing quality impact-resistant products that offer protection against hurricanes, intruders, outdoor noises and more. The company has more than 300 employees at its Hialeah-based manufacturing plant. Today, CGI Windows & Doors continues to deliver high-performance products that building professionals and homeowners have trusted for decades. Its flagship line, Sentinel, provides security and style. Targa, the brand’s vinyl impact-resistant line, combines strength with energy-efficiency benefits, and Sparta is built for heavy impact and affordability. CGI Windows & Doors is a wholly owned subsidiary of PGT Innovations (NYSE: PGTI), a national leader in the premium window and door category. For additional information, visit cgiwindows.com.
About PGT Innovations, Inc.
PGT Innovations manufactures and supplies premium windows and doors. Its highly engineered and technically advanced products can withstand some of the toughest weather conditions on earth and are revolutionizing the way people live by unifying indoor and outdoor living spaces.
PGT Innovations creates value through deep customer relationships, understanding the unstated needs of the markets it serves, and a drive to develop category-defining products. The company is also the nation’s largest manufacturer of impact-resistant windows and doors and holds the leadership position in its primary market.
The PGT Innovations’ family of brands include CGI®, PGT® Custom Windows and Doors, WinDoor®, Western Window Systems, Eze-Breeze®, CGI Commercial, NewSouth Window Solutions, and a 75 percent ownership stake in Eco Window Systems. The company’s brands, in their respective markets, are a preferred choice of architects, builders, and homeowners throughout North America and the Caribbean. Their high-quality products are available in custom and standard sizes with massive dimensions that allow for unlimited design possibilities in residential, multi-family, and commercial projects. For additional information, visit www.pgtinnovations.com.
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