Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn signs with Guardian Life

San Diego Business Journal, Sept 17, 2007 by Jaimy Lee

Superstar Support: Tony Gwynn will work with Guardian Life Insurance Company of America in September to promote Life Insurance Awareness Month, the New York-based company announced Sept. 10.

The former San Diego Padres outfielder and recent National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee was scheduled to participate in a national radio media tour Sept. 14. Guardian did not disclose terms of the deal.

The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education as well as companies and community leaders use the month of September to raise awareness about life insurance.

Guardian encourages business owners to discuss life insurance options with their employees during open enrollment that businesses offer in the fall, according to Rod Roberto, Del Mar-based career development supervisor for Guardian.

"Tony is a local community figure here in San Diego," he said. "In September, most businesses have open enrollment, so we encourage our clients to meet with their financial advisors."

Roberto said that Gwynn will speak about how his family was directly impacted by life insurance when his father prematurely passed away.

"Fortunately, he (Gwynn) was in a position financially, as opposed to most people in the U.S.," he said. "We also emphasize the living values of life insurance."

Guardian has 4,357 clients in the San Diego region and more than 80,000 statewide.

Send health care news to Jaimy Lee at jlee@sdbj.com. She may also be reached at (858) 277-6359, ext. 3107.