Horace Mann celebrates women leaders making a difference in their communities

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (March 24, 2021) - Horace Mann Educators Corporation (NYSE: HMN), sponsor of the 2021 The School Superintendents Association (AASA) National Women’s Leadership Consortium, is proud to recognize two women recently honored at the virtual National Conference on Education.

The honorees in each category are:

• Superintendent Award: Noreen Bush, superintendent, Cedar Rapids Community School District, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and
• Central Office/Principal Award: Tanzy Kilcrease, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning, Bibb County School District, Macon, Georgia.

“As a company actively committed to both serving educators and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, we at Horace Mann are proud to support the AASA Women in School Leadership Awards,” said Horace Mann President and CEO Marita Zuraitis. “To drive positive change in public education, especially during these uncertain times, we must celebrate the achievements of the women leaders making a difference in our school communities.”

The applicants for the awards are measured on the following criteria:

• Leadership for learning – creativity in successfully meeting the needs of students in the school system
• Communication – strength in both personal and organizational communication
• Professionalism – constant improvement of administrative knowledge and skills, while providing professional development opportunities and motivation to others on the education team
• Community involvement – active participation in local community activities and an understanding of regional, national and international issues

“We need to see more and more bold initiatives take place in public education and one of them is recognizing the exceptional leadership from women who are making a positive difference in the lives of our children,” said Daniel A. Domenech, executive director, AASA. “The Women in School Leadership Awards continue to serve as an example of a long-standing tradition at AASA. A way to foster academic success is to increase more pathways for women educators—so they can become critical change agents in our school districts and our communities. We are grateful to Horace Mann for supporting this program.” As a sponsor of the AASA National Women’s Leadership Consortium, Horace Mann provides thought leadership topics and recognizes the positive difference women leaders make in our school districts and communities. The Consortium is comprised of superintendents and members from the business community who are passionate about women’s leadership in school districts.

About The School Superintendent Association (AASA)

AASA, The School Superintendents Association, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable access for all students to the highest quality public education.