Global Spectrum, the management company of the Owensboro Convention Center, is pleased to announce that E. M. Ford and Company has agreed to be the lifetime sponsor of the Cascade art piece located in the lobby of the Convention Center.
The Cascade hangs from the lobby ceiling and is placed prominently to take full advantage of the southern exposure and large windows in the building. The fused blue and green stained glass are comprised of both iridized and translucent colors and are curved to offer a contrasting compliment to the more angular lines of the center’s architecture. The glass pieces range from 6mm to 9mm in thickness and are suspended from stainless steel cables; the 157 pieces vary in size from 18-30 inches in length. According to the Kentucky artist Dan Neil Barnes, “the red piece speaks to the heart of this city and community as it propels itself into a dynamic future.” Mr. Barnes, a native of Henderson, created the beautiful work and installed it earlier this year. He along with other Convention Center artists was introduced to this project by local gallery, Studio Slant.
E. M. Ford and Company was established as an independent insurance agency in Owensboro, Kentucky, in 1925 by E. M. Ford. He was joined by his two sons, Hon. Wendell H. Ford and Reyburn W. Ford who became owners in the 60’s. Reyburn managed the agency until his retirement as Wendell made a career in State and Federal government service. In the 80’s ownership passed to the third generation of Fords – Wendell’s son, Steve, and Reyburn’s sons, Rey and Rick. They have now been joined by the fourth generation of Fords – Steve’s sons, Clay, Neel and Morgan.
Started as a one-man operation almost 90 years ago, E. M. Ford and Company now has two locations, Owensboro and Henderson, with 30 employees. The agency offers personal and business insurance, employee benefits including group health, life and disability, and a full range of Wealth Management services such as retirement plans, business perpetuation plans and investments, through our Money Concepts Financial Planning Center.
E. M. Ford founded the agency on three principles: service, integrity and professionalism. They strive to maintain these principles and include them as an integral part of their culture as they continue to grow.
E.M. Ford and Company and their employees are proud to sponsor the Cascade at the new Owensboro Convention Center. Just as the Citizens of Owensboro and Daviess County wanted to make a statement about their commitment to the future by building this wonderful facility, E.M. Ford and Company wanted to celebrate their 90 years in business by making a commitment to the community’s future also. “We think it’s an exciting and special way to say thank you to our friends, neighbors, customers and fellow citizens while upholding our first principle of doing business: service. We consider service not only to our customers but also to our community as a whole. E. M. Ford and Company appreciates this opportunity to say thank you through this sponsorship and hope that we can all enjoy this beautiful work of art for many generations to come,” said Steve Ford.
E. M. Ford and Company has committed $30,000 for this lifelong sponsorship, and will have a beautifully designed artwork recognition plaque positioned in the Convention Center’s lobby. A unique element of this sponsorship is that E. M. Ford and Company has agreed to share the Cascade with the local community. Pieces of the artwork will be sold to individuals and families, giving them the opportunity to have a presence in Western Kentucky’s largest convention center. Because of this unique element of the sponsorship, the piece will be renamed the E.M. Ford Community Cascade.
“We are very excited and thankful to have E.M. Ford and Company be our first public art sponsor here at the Convention Center,” said Dean Dennis, Global Spectrum’s General Manager. “It is wonderful to have the Ford family, long associated with doing great things for this community, to have selected our beautiful facility to carry on that legacy.”
Tens of thousands of people will pass through the Convention Center’s lobby every year, making it the ideal location for company sponsorships and brand awareness. For more information regarding possible individual and family sponsorship opportunities with the E. M. Ford Community Cascade and the other art pieces on display at the convention center, please contact Jan Catinna, Global Spectrum’s Director of Corporate and Community Sponsorships at the Owensboro Convention Center, at 270-687-8925 or [email protected].
