Texas Mutual Insurance Company Continues Gift of Safety Training with Sixth $100,000 Grant Supporting DMC Safety Institute

Article by: Melinda Eddleman

Safety is a priority. Grant funds that Del Mar College received from Texas Mutual Insurance Company over the past five years allowed Del Mar to initially establish its “Bus Safety First” program and then the Safety Institute to offer workplace safety courses for community employers, workers and the general public at no cost while addressing a variety of industries.

Today, Feb. 6, Texas Mutual presented their sixth $100,000 grant in the form of an oversized check to College officials, making the total funds given to Del Mar $600,000 since 2014.

“It’s been a pleasure to watch this program grow from where it began with our first grant in 2014 as the Bus Safety First program to where it is now,” remarked Texas Mutual’s Regional Safety Services Manager Stacy Rose during the presentation. “On behalf of Texas Mutual, I would personally like to thank all of you at Del Mar College for your continued dedication to workplace safety education through the Safety Institute. We recognize the work you are doing in Corpus Christi to help make your workforce safer.”

Dan Korus, Dean of the College’s Workforce Programs and Corporate Services Division, noted, “Del Mar is very grateful for the support from and our partnership with Texas Mutual Insurance Company. We continue to expand our safety programs and increase the number of graduates with the goal of improving safety awareness. Our long-term partnership with Texas Mutual allows us to offer a service that helps reduce safety mishaps and injuries in our region, and we’re very thankful to have the resources to provide free safety training in the Coastal Bend.”

During 2018 DMC Corporate Services and the Continuing Education Division offered industrial and construction safety training to nearly 600 individuals. The two collaborative areas plan to add safety training in heavy equipment operation, including crane and forklift operations, using the College’s Vortex Heavy Equipment Training Simulator. The simulator was available for demonstrations and for participants to try their hand at operating heavy equipment after Texas Mutual’s grant presentation.

Initially, the College began the “Bus Safety First” program with the first Texas Mutual grant but then expanded safety training to cover workplace safety with the Safety Institute, which serves as the umbrella for varied safety courses that meet employer and worker needs in the area.

“Since establishing our partnership with Texas Mutual Insurance Company six years ago, DMC Transportation Training Services has had the opportunity to serve our local and regional employers with much needed driver safety training to enhance employees’ skills when driving commercial vehicles on public roadways,” noted John Rojas, Director of the program. “We look forward to several more years of partnering with Texas `Mutual to ensure commercial divers in the Coastal Bend have the best safety training possible as they take to our local, state and even national roadways.”

Since 1999, Texas Mutual has awarded $7.6 million in safety education grants to educational partners across the state.

“For 20 years we’ve partnered with Texas community colleges to ensure tens of thousands of workers get the education they need to work safely,” said Eric Bourquin, vice president of safety services at Texas Mutual. “We are happy to continue our support to these colleges, so safety programs can be available to their communities and available to employees across the state. These safety courses, along with many other company initiatives, demonstrate our commitment to creating a stronger, safer Texas.”

For more information about Texas Mutual’s many safety initiatives, visit texasmutual.com.

For more information about Del Mar College’s Safety Institute, visit

www.delmar.edu/continuing-education/safety-institute.html.