Landon Ferraro, winner of the 2019 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award
LONGWOOD, Fla. (April 16, 2019) – Insurance Office of America is proud to congratulate Landon Ferraro of the Iowa Wild for winning the highly respected Yanick Dupre Memorial Award. Ferraro is the 2018-19 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year and was chosen from among 31 individual team Man of the Year honorees. The award has been presented annually since 1998 to an AHL player for outstanding contributions to his local community and charitable organizations.
“Landon represents what we all hope for in a professional athlete with a unique platform and influence. His focus on heart disease and awareness is inspiring, and we couldn’t be more proud of his dedication no matter what circumstances come his way,” said IOA Chairman & CEO Heath Ritenour. “He is a man who plays with excellence and gives back with passion to those who need support. We’re so thrilled to congratulate him on this high award.”
Sparked by his lifelong friendship with former Tucson Roadrunners captain Craig Cunningham, Ferraro embarked on a campaign and dedicated his 2018-19 season to helping the All Heart Foundation, a nonprofit organization created by Cunningham in the wake of his life-threatening cardiac emergency in 2016. Ferraro pledged $100 to the foundation for every point he recorded (with the Wild matching his contributions), and while injuries of his own cut his season short on the ice, Ferraro used his time to actively engage the greater Des Moines community to raise awareness about heart disease, sudden heart attacks, and the All Heart Foundation.
Throughout the season, Ferraro has attended events to spread the message that heart disease can impact anyone, regardless of age, gender, or physical condition. He has visited hospitals to meet with those affected by heart ailments and has organized events to bring together patients and families to foster friendships and show they are not alone in their battles. Ferraro has donated autographed sticks, pucks, and jerseys to raise funds for the All Heart Foundation; organized a team CPR-certification event; and has provided Wild game tickets and meet-and-greet opportunities to patients at the Iowa Heart Center. Beyond the season, Ferraro will continue to advocate for heart health through initiatives with the American Heart Association, including captaining the Wild’s team at the Central Iowa Heart Walk on May 4.
The AHL’s annual Man of the Year award is named after the late Yanick Dupre, who passed away in 1997 at the age of 24 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. A second-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 1991, Dupre played four seasons in the AHL with the Hershey Bears and was an AHL All-Star in 1995.
In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League continues to serve as the top development league for all 31 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of all players competing in the NHL are AHL graduates, and through the years, the American Hockey League has been home to more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 2018-19 regular season ended on April 14, and 16 clubs will continue to vie for the league’s coveted championship trophy when the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs get underway later this week.
Insurance Office of America (IOA) is a full-service insurance agency founded in 1988 and one of the fastest-growing independent agencies in the United States. IOA is ranked 13th on Insurance Journal’s 2018 Top 100 Independent Property/Casualty Agencies report and 23rd on Business Insurance’s 2018 100 Largest Brokers of U.S. Business list. IOA was named a National Underwriter Agency of the Year in 2018. Headquartered in Longwood, Florida, part of the greater Orlando community, IOA has more than 1,000 associates located in over 50 offices in the U.S. and London. For more information, visit www.ioausa.com.
