Prudential Named Founding Partner of 2014 Special Olympics USA Games

Prudential Financial, unhealthy Inc. has signed on as a Founding Partner of the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games.

They will also be Presenting Sponsor of the Games’ Healthy Athletes Experience. The Games will be held June 14-21 throughout Mercer County, doctor New Jersey.

The Healthy Athletes Experience will provide free health screenings – including hearing, symptoms dental, healthy lifestyles, fitness and podiatry – to the nearly 3,500 athletes who will compete in 16 Olympic-style team and individual sporting events. Screenings will take place on the campus of The College of New Jersey.

“The 2014 Special Olympics USA Games will be the largest nationwide gathering of Special Olympics athletes and we want to create a pleasant, interactive environment where athletes can be examined by the top medical professionals in the country and learn how to make healthy lifestyle choices that will benefit them on and off the playing field,” said TJ Nelligan, Chairman and CEO of the Games. “Healthy Athletes is one of Special Olympics’ most innovative programs; it is a natural fit for our newest Founding Partner, Prudential, whose reputation epitomizes strength, trust and stability.”

“Prudential is delighted to be a Founding Partner of the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games and we are especially proud to sponsor the Healthy Athletes Experience,” said Stephen Pelletier, who will assume the role of executive vice president and chief operating officer of Prudential’s U.S. Businesses in April. “The 2014 Special Olympics USA Games’ theme of ‘Welcome and Acceptance’ highlights the importance of creating a culture of inclusion and mirrors Prudential’s deep commitment to diversity.”

The athletes in the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games will be supported by 1,000 coaches, 10,000 volunteers that include employees of Prudential, and an anticipated 70,000 spectators. The 2014 USA Games will celebrate the Special Olympics movement, promote the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sport, and showcase the talents of athletes with intellectual disabilities. The Opening Ceremony will be held at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, and games will be staged throughout Mercer County, with competitions at venues that include Princeton University, Rider University, The College of New Jersey and Mercer County Park.

“I am very proud of Prudential’s leadership role in the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey,” said Pelletier, who is also executive sponsor of the company’s ADAPT business resource group, which is devoted to promoting understanding and hiring of persons with disabilities. “As an individual, colleague and friend to people with disabilities, and also as a father, I know the value of acceptance and respect for all individuals. Prudential does too.”