Master Aviator Michael Durant, inspiration for Black Hawk Down, and keynote speaker at Wounded Warrior Project's "Beyond the Battlefield" Leadership Summit

Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit organization that honors and empowers wounded warriors, announced today the inaugural "Beyond the Battlefield" Leadership Summit, an intensive four-day conference designed to maximize the leadership skills, financial success, and quality of life for men and women with serious injuries from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sixty wounded warriors from across the country are expected to attend the summit, offered through a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Project and The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG), which will be held June 18-21 at TPC Sawgrass in Jacksonville, Fla.

"Through these leadership summits, The Hartford and the Wounded Warrior Project are giving the severely wounded men and women of our armed forces an amazing opportunity to improve their personal finance knowledge and develop the skills needed to form solid business relationships," said Wounded Warrior Project Founder and Executive Director John Melia. "The leadership summits will help inspire and motivate the warriors to achieve their personal and business goals."

Many challenges lie ahead for the nearly 31,000 wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The leadership summit is the latest addition to the growing number of services and programs Wounded Warrior Project offers wounded military personnel and veterans including career and benefits counseling, adaptive sporting activities and combat stress seminars. Thanks to a $250,000 commitment from The Hartford, veterans will attend the summit free of charge.

"These brave men and women are returning from the front lines with a diverse set of experiences, leadership skills, and knowledge that directly translate to the business world," said Ramani Ayer, chairman and CEO of The Hartford. "As a corporate community and a nation, we have a responsibility to recognize the enormity of the sacrifice these individuals have made and to help them return from the battlefield to business."

Programming at the summit will include:

• A forum on small business ownership, showcasing a panel of veterans who have successfully pursued entrepreneurial ambitions after leaving the service. The panel will feature Charles B. Perry, chairman and CEO, of Pinkney-Perry Insurance Agency, Inc.; Karl Dorman, co-founder of Front Line Medical, a national producer and distributor of American made, top quality orthopedic and sports medicine care products; Brendan Hart, founder and CEO of Quantum Executive Group, a management consulting firm that focuses on solving issues of concern for leaders of companies, governments, and institutions; and Michael Durant, a seasoned helicopter pilot and inspiration for the film Black Hawk Down, now the owner of Pinnacle Solutions, Inc., a company that provides flight simulator devices. Durant will also serve as the summit's keynote speaker.

   

   

• A financial literacy seminar addressing the unique challenges of disabled veterans, based on content from The Hartford’s financial literacy program, Playbook for Life. The summit will also include one-on-one financial planning sessions for wounded warriors and their families.

   

   

• A career fair that will offer one-on-one sessions with The Hartford's vocational counselors, who are experts at integrating disabled individuals into the professional workforce. The fair will also feature a number of companies that have committed to hiring wounded veterans, whose leadership skills are in high demand by large corporations.

   

   

• A seminar in business golf etiquette led by PGA TOUR professionals, followed by the inaugural Wounded Warrior Project Golf Tournament, where wounded veterans will play along with business leaders.

For a full schedule of summit events, please contact Ayla Hay at (757) 340-7425 or via e-mail at ayla@themeridiangroup.com. For more information on the business programs offered by The Hartford, please contact Kelly J. Carter at (860) 843-9420 or via email at Kelly.carter@hartfordlife.com.

About Wounded Warrior Project:
Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a non-profit that honors and empowers wounded warriors. Beginning at the bedside of the severely wounded, WWP provides programs and services designated to ease the burdens of these heroes and their families, aid in the recovery process and smooth the transition back to civilian life. For more information, please call (904) 296-7350 or visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

About The Hartford:
The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services companies, with 2007 revenues of $25.9 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and Ireland. The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com.

Pinnacle Solutions Inc., Pinkney-Perry Insurance Agency, Inc., Front Line Medical, and Quantum Executive Group are not affiliates or subsidiaries of The Hartford.

The Hartford

The Hartford

The Hartford (NYSE: HIG) is a leading provider of insurance and wealth management services for millions of consumers and businesses worldwide. The Hartford is consistently recognized for its superior service and as one of the world's most ethical companies. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at www.thehartford.com.

More from The Hartford