ADA, Okla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LegalShield, North America’s leading provider of affordable legal plans for individuals, families and small businesses, announced today that in celebration of the company’s fourth annual Founder’s Day, it will honor two local leaders: Sam Presti, general manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Vicki Behenna, executive director of the Oklahoma Innocence Project. Both will be recognized on Wednesday, October 10, at a celebratory event held at the Oklahoma State Capitol Building.
Each year on Founder’s Day, LegalShield honors the life, legacy and spirit of its founder, Harland C. Stonecipher, by celebrating leaders who share in his commitment to helping the community and fostering entrepreneurship.
Sam Presti will receive the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award for his significant and positive impact on Oklahoma since the Thunder’s debut in 2008. Presti spends much of his free time giving back to his community and currently serves on the board for the Oklahoma City National Memorial. He has also been honored by Oklahoma City University for his philanthropic endeavors, and runs the Forward Thinking Leadership Development Program, an initiative within the Oklahoma City Public Schools. During the Founder’s Day celebration, LegalShield will present Presti with a significant donation to help him create an “Oklahoma Standard” scholarship fund through the Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation.
After spending the majority of her 30-year career as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Vicki Behenna was named the executive director of the Oklahoma Innocence Project, a nonprofit that works to identify and exonerate the wrongfully convicted people of Oklahoma. LegalShield is delighted to honor her with the Justice Award for her continued perseverance and continued commitment to justice. At the Founder’s Day celebration, Behenna will be presented with a donation to help continue the work of the Oklahoma Innocence Project.
Previous award recipients include former Attorney General of Oklahoma Mike Turpen and Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby, Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole and former Primerica co-CEO John Addison.
"Harland was a true visionary who possessed an unwavering commitment to creating equal access to justice for all, and his legacy will be remembered for eternity,” said LegalShield CEO Jeff Bell. “I am delighted to commemorate his innovative leadership by honoring two individuals who embody his civic spirit and share in his mission to educate, protect and serve the community.”
Stonecipher is regarded as a pioneer of the North American pre-paid legal services industry. He founded and subsequently led Pre-Paid Legal Services to greatness throughout his 40 years at its helm. Stonecipher was recognized for his leadership, innovation and philanthropy many times throughout his lifetime – Ernst & Young named him its 2002 Southwest Master Entrepreneur of the Year and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reappointed him to a two-year term on its 100-person board of directors in 2005. In 1987, Stonecipher was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus from his alma mater, East Central University. The university later memorialized him through its Harland C. Stonecipher School of Business.
The Founder’s Day celebration will take place just one month ahead of LegalShield’s "Harland C. Stonecipher Day" on November 10.
About LegalShield
A pioneer in the democratization of affordable access to legal protection, LegalShield is North America’s leading provider of legal safeguards and one of the leading providers of identity theft protection, for individuals, families and small businesses. The 46-year-old company has more than 1.75 million members that are covered by its legal and identity theft plans. IDShield provides identity theft protection to one million individuals. LegalShield and IDShield serve more than 141,000 businesses. Both legal and identity theft plans start for less than $25 per month.
LegalShield’s legal plans provide access to attorneys with an average of 22 years of experience in areas such as family matters, estate planning, financial and business issues, consumer protection, tax, real estate, benefits disputes and auto/driving issues. Unlike other legal plans or do-it-yourself websites, LegalShield has dedicated law firms in 50 states and four provinces in Canada that members can call for help without having to worry about high hourly rates.
IDShield provides identity monitoring and restoration services and is the only identity theft protection company armed with a team of licensed private investigators on call to restore a member’s identity.
